If your engine smells like burning plastic, Shums Auto Repair advises that the exhaust manifold or its gasket is leaking. Unfortunately, when either exhaust part leaks, the engine fills with hot exhaust that melts any auto part that is made of plastic. This is just one sign you have a problem with the exhaust manifold or gasket. Here are other signs.
Rotten Performance
As we mentioned above, the engine will get stuffed with exhaust if the manifold is leaking, and this includes the combustion chamber. Unfortunately, if there is too much exhaust in the chamber, your engine’s performance will suffer because the production of combustion will be impeded. This will make your engine lag, and it may even sputter while you are driving.
Rotten Fuel Economy
The rotten engine performance is going to cause rotten fuel economy. We wish there were a way around this, but there isn’t. Your engine cannot get good gas mileage if it is running inefficiently. With the exhaust in the combustion chamber, the engine will run inefficiently until you replace the manifold or gasket. Once you do this, you’ll get better gas mileage.
Tapping or Squealing
As with any leak, there are sounds associated with the exhaust leak. These sounds are tapping or squealing. The squealing may also be a soft hissing. Whether you hear tapping or hissing, head straight to our shop so we can check the manifold and replace it. We will also replace the gasket if it is the part that has cracked. This will stop the leaking noises.
Strong Exhaust Smells
It will also stop the risk of exhaust leaking into the passenger cabin. This can make you sick if you continue to drive your automobile. As such, if you notice that the inside of your car smells like exhaust, you should pull over immediately and turn off the engine. Call for roadside assistance to tow your automobile to our shop so you don’t have to drive it.
Check Engine Warning
Finally, you have learned that a leaking gasket or manifold can cause a ton of problems in the engine. These problems cannot be resolved by the main computer chip so it will turn on the check engine light. This light will remain lit steadily until you take care of the underlying issue, which is the cracked manifold or manifold gasket.
We can take care of that here at Shums Auto Repair in Philadelphia, PA, so call us today.
