Older car question (muffler)

[EnigmaticParadigm]

There are many things I can do in life, but working on, or knowing about, cars is not one of them. I am a car idiot. With that out of the way...

My grandfather has an older car and it has about a two inch in diameter hole in the muffler (not the pipe, but the big square looking thingy). The car no longer has to be smogged, but what benefits would there be to replacing the muffler? Better gas mileage? Quieter engine noise? Reduced emissions?

Again, I'm a car idiot, so any advice would be appreciated. Muffler place said they would install a new one for about $100 which isn't a big deal. But, if its nothing crucial, I figured I would save him a few bucks.

[orcmauler]

As long as the hole is just in the "blocky part," hell if I know the name either, then it is 99 percent cosmetic.

However!!!!

If the pipe gets a hole in it, or the hole in the blocky part gets really large you will start to have problems. The muffler also regulates engine pressure, so if the muffler is "off" then you will get blowback into the engine, which if left long enough, can potentially burn your valves out.

So, what I would do is run the car until you notice either
A: The hole getting bigger

or

B: A performance hit in the wrong direction

In the long run, as long as the main pipe out of the manifold/catilytic converter is intact and in good shape, just the muffler end is pretty cheap.


If you have to run a new pipe, expect around a 200 dollar bill, maybe more depending on the car.

[James]

The 'blocky part' IS the muffler. I say rip that and the catalytic converter out, and just straight pipe it. VROOM VROOM.

[Chaotic]

If you have no muffler and no cat

You will get increased performance, better gas mileage, extend the life of your engine as it breaths easier.

You will also fail emissions, kill the environment, and make a shitload of noise. Also, without a muffler or resonator of some sort, you run the risk of that ricey whine. Although, you said the car was older, with a v8 that risk is minimal. Usually you see it on 4's and small 6's

[James]

And man is it fucking loud.

[NightGod]

Auto Zone or Wal-Mart, about $5 you can buy some thermal tape that you wrap around it-once it heats up, it bonds to the metal and makes a pretty solid seal. Knock off the rust as much as you can first, maybe even throw some Rust-o-leum spray primer on it before you apply the tape and you'll prolly buy yourself a decent amount of time.

[findar]

if its japanese tho the muffler usually improves gas mileage, because as mentioned before its for reverse pressure on the engine.

and it gets really fucking loud heh.