Little drip out of the muffler

[coopns]

Just noticed on dry pavement the other day there was a small but noticeable bit of water. So I got under and there was a tiny hole, not under the muffler but on the side, looked to me like it was factory like, not rust and water slowly dripped out. Would it just be condensation? Is the hole suppose to be there? Hadn't previously noticed cause I park on gravel (and it is the wife's main wheels).

Please advise.

Thanks,

Coop

 

[XS650]

You get more than a gallon of water out your exhaust for every gallon of gasoline you burn. If your exhaust system is cool enough for the water vapor to condense, you get water dripping out.

That's why the drip hole is there.

The position of the hole on your muffler is a puzzle. Maybe the last chamber in the muffler is high in the muffler.

 

[Titan]

Yep, condensation release hole. It's not at the dead-bottom, because that way you can "store" some of the water, having it evaporate when you drive and/or it will slosh out some as you drive. That way, you won't have a puddle that you notice! Very smart by some engineer, but, very dumb at the same time, because keeping that water in the muffler allows it to rust out sooner. Oh, wait, that's very smart again, because then they get to sell you another muffler sooner!

 

[alreadygone]

"Oh, wait, that's very smart again, because then they get to sell you another muffler sooner! "

Since 96 or so, entire exhaust system is stainless steel. Other than a few extreme salt areas of the country were external rust is a problem, MOST here will never see a muffler deteriorate from the inside.

See XS650's last sentence for much more likely reason for hole placement.

Bob

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: Titan
Yep, condensation release hole. It's not at the dead-bottom, because that way you can "store" some of the water, having it evaporate when you drive and/or it will slosh out some as you drive. That way, you won't have a puddle that you notice! Very smart by some engineer, but, very dumb at the same time, because keeping that water in the muffler allows it to rust out sooner. Oh, wait, that's very smart again, because then they get to sell you another muffler sooner!


Anyone concerned about the hole placement can add a hole wherever they want in less time than they spend on one BITOG session.

Then they could start a whole new topic based on whether they got any more water out or not.

 

[MrCritical]

Or they can talk about that new "sound of power" exhaust with a hole in the middle of the muffler.

Or attend the funeral of those sitting in the back seat that died from carbon monoxide.

 

[GMBoy]

I think those rice racers get another 1hp per hole drilled and the CO fumes would explain why the Civic boys are always trying to race the Camaro/Trans Am/Mustang men.

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: MrCritical
Or they can talk about that new "sound of power" exhaust with a hole in the middle of the muffler.

Or attend the funeral of those sitting in the back seat that died from carbon monoxide.


I assumed people here would be intelligent enough to drill a hole no bigger than the factory drip hole. My mistake.

 

[GMBoy]

I read somewhere that today's cars run so clean that you can't die from CO poison like you could in the old days. Not that I'd try to test that statement, however..

 

[XS650]

Originally Posted By: GMBoy
I read somewhere that today's cars run so clean that you can't die from CO poison like you could in the old days. Not that I'd try to test that statement, however..


Occasionally a story makes the news where someone tried to off their self by running a car in a closed garage and failed.

CO levels in a modern cars exhaust are less then atmospheric levels in downtown areas of some cities pre-emission controls.

 

[Kestas]

I've bought aftermarket mufflers with no drain holes. Now that's a smart manufacturer who knows how to ensure repeat business! I always drill a hole at the low point when no hole is provided.

 

[Gary Allan]

Quote:
Then they could start a whole new topic based on whether they got any more water out or not.

...

I assumed people here would be intelligent enough to drill a hole no bigger than the factory drip hole. My mistake.

It was common for a savvy mechanic to drill a small hole in the muffler "back in the day". That was also back when most people just started to learn NOT to warm up their cars.

I say that they should install chambers with desiccant silica installed. Then you can have a quench purge cycle of moisture; much like our catalysts uptake and discharge O2 as needed. It would all be totally self regenerating with the heating cycle. We can then add additional "exhaust moisture content" sensors (EMCS) to have the PCM track its efficiency.

This can then become a "must do" in future creative maintenance procedures. Benefits would not only be much longer muffler life span, to more match the catalyst, but 4 season climates would not have as many frozen puddles for the potential traction hazard that they may present.

memo to the EPA ....

 

[mechtech2]

Maybe the muffler was installed crooked, and the hole is not pointed correctly.
Water is normal out of the exhaust, especially on cold engines.
The water is then condensed tiny droplets, not vaporized steam [and invisible].
Old non catalytic converter Chryslers with big V8s would POUR water out of the pipe until warmed up.

 

[Eddie]

If any of my mufflers did not have a weep hole I drilled One. a 1/16 inch diameter hole at the back end amd lowest place in the muffler.