Familiarize yourself with the parts of the exhaust system. Look up diagrams for the make and model of your vehicle so you can locate the exhaust system. The exhaust system starts with the manifold, which is the section of 4–8 pipes that connect to your engine guide the fumes underneath your vehicle through a metal downpipe. Look for a long pipe that has metal boxes near the front and back and runs from the engine to the vehicle’s rear.[1]
- The catalytic converter is a metal box near the front of the exhaust pipe that filters out harmful gases, such as nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide. Your exhaust system may have more than 1 catalytic converter.
- The oxygen sensors are electronic ports that plug into the exhaust system before and after the catalytic converters to check if your engine is burning oxygen efficiently. The wires for the oxygen sensors will go directly into your vehicle’s body.
- The resonator is a slightly wider section of your exhaust pipe that helps reduce the amount of noise when you run your engine at certain RPMs. Not every exhaust system will have a resonator.
- The muffler is the large metal box near the rear of your vehicle that helps reduce the amount of noise your exhaust makes.
- The tailpipe is the small section of tubing that connects to the back of the muffler and allows the fumes to escape into the air.
Let the exhaust system cool if you’ve used your vehicle recently. Exhaust fumes can get extremely hot while you’re driving, which can cause the pipes to heat up and cause burns. If you’ve driven your vehicle before you want to install the new system, put it in park, turn off the ignition, and allow the engine and pipes to cool down. Leave the vehicle alone for about 1 hour until you can comfortably handle the exhaust pipes.
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- Don’t touch the exhaust pipes immediately after running your vehicle since they will be extremely hot.
- You can try spraying the exhaust system with lukewarm water to help cool it down faster.
