Driving with no muffler

[opus1]

Originally Posted By: skate1968
Yesterday i was passing someone on the highway. As i approached their car i heard this awful noise. I thought that their car had something seriously wrong. But after i was 6 car lengths ahead of them i realized that it was not their car that was making the horrible noise, it was mine.



When I read this part I just had to

Same thing happened to me over Christmas and once before where the muffler or exhaust pipe lets go and I think to myself "well someone needs to go to Midas" and then realize that the someone is me.

 

[demarpaint]

Exhaust from a leaking system can enter a car, especially in traffic on calm days. Rememeber its concentrated under his car.

My cousin was actually getting sick driving his car in traffic from a leaking exhaust. It was a Toyota Camry in good shape except for a bad exhaust . It is dangerous, especially in traffic on a still day.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: chevrofreak
If it's a V6 or an I4 I beg you to fix it ASAP as those sound worse than fingernails on a chalkboard when uncorked. If it's a V8, leave it as it

Some V6's sound good uncorked, when we had our automatic 94 mazda 626, the muffler developed a hole, and it sounded quite nice at near 7000rpm. More like an inline 6. I also discovered that the car would shut off the spark and fuel for a fraction of a second as it upshifted if you were close to full throttle. Sounded a bit like an indy car shifting but without the backfire pop at the end.
Never heard or noticed it before except the rpm's dropped very fast without jerking the car even when hard on the gas.
Alas, I wasn't allowed to put a glasspack muffler on it so it went back to its quiet self after a couple days...
Ian

 

[mechtech2]

There are no extra emissions - the cat is not disconnected. The muffler AFTER the cat is off.
So enjoy the extra power and gas mileage until you get her 'fixed'.
The only problem is extra noise.
That is the ONLY reason for mufflers - to attenuate noise.

 

[BearZDefect]

I don't think the ECU shuts off spark while the engine is running.

Fuel injectors may be shut off, spark timing may be retarded.

Newer cars with electronic throttles can close the throttle, if necessary. I suspect some do this like rev matching during a shift.

 

[AcuraTech]

Don't keep it that way too long. Police tend to not look kindly upon "sport exhaust" and you may receive a warning fix it ticket.

 

[Anduril]

Never given me a problem with mine. Then again, it's quiet compared to some (most).

 

[eljefino]

My exhaust exits under the bumper skin, by factory design. It relies on the car floor pan to keep you oxygenated. Besides most cars have impressive flow-through ventilation that you don't even know about: look on the door frame where the rear doors close for a flap or something to let the stale air out.

You may be able to fix this yourself if you have a recip saw and the rest of the midpipe is sound, just get a slip fit pipe the diameter of your pipe, saw the junk off, cut the slip fit down to the right length, and stick the muffler on that with clamps. No welding, no brain surgery.