My friend drives without a muffler is this bad?

Question

my friend drives without a muffler on his chevy colbalt. does this damage his car or does it just make the car really loud? hes been driving with it off for about 5 months.

(it fell off)

Answer 1

yes this is bad for a couple of reasons. 1 the car was designed to create a certain amount of horsepower and torque, without the muffler there is less back pressure and he is effectively losing power. 2 he is losing out on fuel economy, since things arent flowing the way the system was designed he is again losing back pressure and effectively his fuel economy numbers are down a few percent. 3 without the muffler its just was annoying, and without knowing it he is actually weakening the interior structure of the vehicle with the added noise/reverberations, things will inevitably rattle.

Answer 2

In addition to noise (which is everyone problem!), carbon monoxide gas (a byproduct of the combustion process) is not being released behind the rear bumper or rear side of the car. This gas can leak into the passenger compartment (especially with idling, long stops with the enigne running, or slow driving) and can be harmful or fatal to persons in the car.

In addition, there is the slim chance that cold air can move up the muffler less exhaust pipe and cause damage to the exhaust valves in the engine. It seems that the very high temperatures that combustion creates heats the exhaust valves as the spent fuel is forced from the combustion chamber. A rapid exposure by these very hot valves to cold air could cause warping of the valves.

Answer 3

I'm not really sure if it damages the vehicle or not but depending on where your friend lives it might fail motor vehicle inspection if an inspection is required. Secondly there may be laws where your friend lives about noise pollution and disturbing the peace if it is really loud and they might actually get pulled over by the police and get a ticket for it.

Answer 4

K, so once I hit a big fat raccoon and tore my whole exhaust system off of my old 1989 buick century. (I guess it was a bit loose) I never fixed it and drove it for 2 more years...the only problem I encountered...being pulled over by the cops for a "defective exhaust" A ridiculous $88 fine I might add. I also think I acquired an addiction to carbon monoxide. when the car broke down I started getting sick from withdrawl, hahaha!!!

p.s. he's using alot of extra gas this way as well. tell him to just get it fixed.

Answer 5

sure, there is unquestionably a noise ordinance in l. a.. And maximum different cities as properly. you will get ticketed. And once you're caught in site visitors on the a hundred and ten or the 405, the exhaust will carry mutually under the automobile, the place it could seep into the passenger section and it will slowly poison you. you will get marginally extra effective gasoline monetary device however the tickets for noise will wipe out the value reductions many circumstances over

Answer 6

If the fumes by chance seep into the cab, you might be going to your friends funeral before he has the opportunity to replace the muffler. This not the best way to relax while driving.

Answer 7

I think in most if not all staes its illigal to drive a vehucal w/o a muffler and plus its just really anoying but i dont know if it will really hurt his car, but yeah.

Answer 8

one thing i am not read an is missing in all this, is the very good possibility of warping the valves, when he shuts it off, cold air rushes back to the to the valves an can/could very well warp them. the muffler an cat converter, keeps this rush of cold air from doing this, just to keep in mind. might not an it might, you roll the dice!

Answer 9

Maybe. There is no back pressure which will shorten the life of your engine. And also the noise will get very annoying.

Answer 10

all it's going to do is make him car loud and get him a ticket from the cops

good luck