February 19, 2023
Most of us know a bad muffler when we hear it. That loud, rumbling sound is unmistakable. Did you also know you can get a ticket for driving around with a loud exhaust system?
If your exhaust system has a leak in it, it may be allowing poisonous gases inside your vehicle and could make you seriously ill (or even kill you!) if you breathe too much in.
Unfortunately, your exhaust system faces a lot of destructive forces out on the road. Rust is the worst, and not just in colder climates where they use salt and brine as de-icers. Exhaust systems can rust from the inside out when moisture condenses inside the pipes. Vibrations and jolts from rough roads (and the occasional run in with a rock or a curb) can wreak havoc with exhaust systems. Even a bad oxygen sensor can send too much fuel into the catalytic converter, and the resulting heat can wind up destroying this very expensive component.
Your exhaust system is made up of several parts, and all need to be in good shape in order for you to be sure that the gases created by your engine's combustion get properly moved out and away from the vehicle. The good news is that many newer exhaust systems are made out of more durable materials like stainless steel. But all exhaust systems are subjected to some of the roughest elements streets can dish out. So it's a good idea to have your exhaust system periodically inspected and serviced.
There are a lot of parts to keep track of in an exhaust system, including the muffler, manifold, catalytic convertor, oxygen sensors and the muffler (or maybe your vehicle has more than one). We strongly recommend having your exhaust system periodically checked so we can catch a problem before it turns into something major… and maybe dangerous. We can recommend repair or replacement that suits your driving habits and budget.
Oh, and remember one final benefit to a tip-top-shape exhaust system. Your vehicle will dump far less pollution into the atmosphere if it's working the way engineers designed it. We'll all breathe a little easier when our exhaust systems are doing their job right.
Tuffy Kentwood (Kalamazoo Ave SE)
4384 Kalamazoo Ave. SE
Kentwood, Michigan 49508
616.301.1436
March 9, 2025
As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More
March 2, 2025
You are heading down a flat, newly paved street when all of a sudden you feel it. Your vehicle jumps a little bit when you're accelerating and changing gears. You know it's not the surface of the road because it's smooth as silk. So what did you just feel? That kind of jumpingor grinding or sl... More
February 23, 2025
You may live in a region where roads become pockmarked with craters known better as potholes. They're caused by moisture seeping through a compromised road surface that can freeze, expand and literally punch holes in the road. And when your vehicle hits one of those holes that's big enough, the... More