Parts of Your Exhaust System

Your exhaust system is made up of more than just a muffler. Learn about the various parts of your exhaust system below:

Exhaust Manifold

Within the engine, the hot exhaust gas is generated and sent through the exhaust valve to the exhaust manifold. Gas then flows from the exhaust manifold to the catalytic converter through a pipe.

Muffler

The muffler is designed to cancel sound waves through chambers. The first expansion chamber consists of holes that filter the sound-reducing movement and killing sound waves.

The second chamber filters intense sound waves that bypassed the first chamber. In this chamber, sound waves collide against the walls of the chamber and are destroyed.

The most powerful sound waves (which make it through the second chamber) end up in the Helmholtz Resonator. In this resonator, sound waves hit the walls and bounce back, causing waves to cancel each other out. Gas also flows through to the resonator.

Catalytic Converter

Due to partial combustion, the gas that enters the catalytic converter consists of Carbon Monoxide, Hydrocarbons, and Oxides of Nitrogen – all harmful to the environment.

To combat these toxins, the catalytic converter leverages two ceramic, micro-duct blocks which act as catalysts. When the gas enters the first block (made of Platinum & Rhodium), the Oxides of Nitrogen molecules react and split into Oxygen and Nitrogen separately.

Gas then filters through the second block (made of Platinum & Palladium) and the Nitrogen, Carbon Monoxide, Hydrocarbons, and Oxygen form to create Carbon Dioxide and water.

Now safer for the environment, the gas (and sound waves generated by the engine) enter the muffler.

Tail Pipe

In the third chamber, noise is further reduced due to friction and is pushed out through the tail pies which exits from the back of your vehicle.