Corroded Muffler Requires More Than Band-Aid Care
The Aug. 6 Your Wheels column [“You Can Ignore Some Problems, but Brakes Are Not One of Them,” by Ralph Vartabedian] states:
“[Mufflers and exhaust pipes] corrode from the inside and often develop tiny holes that you’ll hear as a slightly higher noise level. A little muffler tape, sold at an auto-parts store for a few dollars, can be wrapped around the hole and defer expensive repairs for more than a year, especially in California’s warm climate. Experts suggest that you crack your window for ventilation.”
What experts? I have two mechanical engineering degrees, and I worked for General Motors for more than five years as a product engineer.
Exhaust leaks can cause permanent injury, even death. They can cause brain damage. They can cause drowsiness, which can lead to accidents. They can cause asphyxiation.
Muffler tape should only be used to get the car to a repair facility for a permanent repair. It should not be used for long-term operation of the vehicle. Why? Because the tape can blow out, it can come loose, and it can leak.
Cracking the windows is no guarantee of preventing carbon monoxide buildup in the vehicle. Driving a car for a year, as the article suggests, is playing Russian roulette.
MICHAEL ADAMS
Pacific Palisades
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