How does exhaust work

The job of an exhaust system is to move burnt air-fuel mixture out of the engine. An exhaust system is also responsible to clean this emission and reduce unnecessary noise generated.

This system also affects your cars overall performance so it actually matters how well designed it is. Keep reading to learn how the exhaust system works and why is it necessary. Similar Read: Spoiler Alert! As is the norm, we need to see what parts are used in an exhaust system before we can look into how they work. The job of an exhaust manifold is to collect the exhaust gases and kite them into one single pipe. It is the first part of an exhaust system and is connected directly to the engine.

Two sensors are employed one after the manifold and another after the catalytic convertor. Their job is to sense the level of oxygen in the exhaust gas. These serve as a connection to different parts of the exhaust system and are often designed keeping high pressure in mind. The part after the exhaust manifold, its job is to remove harmful gases from the exhaust like NOx and CO.

Not present in all cars, the resonator is right after the catalytic converter. It is employed to reduce noise over a certain frequency. As you might already know silencer is used to reduce noise.

It is different than a resonator as it works for a wider range of sounds. Its the endpoint of the exhaust system. It throws the exhaust gases out of the car. After the 4th cycle of a combustion engine, exhaust gases are produced. The exhaust manifold is connected to the engine and is made in such a way that it has pipes going in all cylinder. It has only one output. The manifold collects all the exhaust gases from different chambers at the same time and push them through a single pipe.

The opening and closing of the exhaust manifold are controlled by a poppet valve. After the exhaust gases are collected they go through the catalytic converter through pipings.

Stock pipings are made in such a way that they can cut the cost of the car so they have unnecessary tapers that affect the pressure of exhaust gas and can cause back pressure which leads to performance reduction.

The exhaust system controls the damper thermostatically to deflect the hot exhaust gases upward and around the intake manifold when the engine's temperature is below the predetermined value. The heat control is automatic. When the engine is cold, all the exhaust gases are at the left.

As the engine fully warms up, none of the gas is bypassed around the intake manifold. The heat control valve is offset, being longer on one side than the other. This design permits the exhaust gases' pressure to force the valve wide open against the spring and counterweight pressure when the engine is operating under full-load conditions. The counterweight on the valve shaft prevents it from fluttering.

This valve directs the exhaust gases through the inlet manifold cross-over passage to pre-heat the incoming air. Exhaust gases externally heat the incoming air-fuel mixture. Furthermore, the exhaust system thermostatically controls and opens the exhaust gas control valve.

The valve is closed when the engine is cold. So, it blocks the exhaust gases from entering the exhaust pipe. As the engine warms up, it allows more gases to pass directly into the exhaust pipe, and less go through the intake manifold passages. Pre-heated air helps in better mixing with the fuel for complete combustion of the air-fuel mixture. Read on: How the engine cooling system works?

CarBikeTech is a technical blog. When the cat begins to fail, you may notice a rotten egg smell and the check engine light will activate. Unfortunately, replacing this cat can get expensive due to its make-up of precious metals as cerium, platinum, rhodium, or manganese. Muffler — Also named for what it does, the muffler reduces or muffles sound that is produced by the engine while maximizing exhaust gas flow.

Better flow rate translates to better performance in all functions of the car. However, even a tiny hole in the muffler can affect its ability to muffle the sound or its efficiency of flow rate. Resonator — Similar to the muffler, this component changes the sound vibrations from the engine and can be placed either before or after the muffler in the exhaust system. The main task of the resonator is to organize and tune vibration sounds but also plays a big role in improving exhaust flow effectiveness.

Just like a well-designed, functioning muffler, this can lead to better performance and fuel efficiency. Tail Pipe — As the last piece of the exhaust system, the tailpipe comes out of the muffler and extends past the rear bumper of most vehicles, directing exhaust gases out and away. On many modern-day cars, it also serves as a decorative feature and may be dipped in chrome.

Vehicles with poor exhaust systems may exhibit an illuminated check engine light, bad smells coming from the vehicle, or poor fuel economy.

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