Muffler manifolder burnt and leak
Senior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 897
Likes: 12
From: Sioux Falls, SD
Year: 1999
Model: Cherokee(XJ)
Engine: 4.0L
A gasoline burning engine produces quite a bit of water when the fuel burns. USUALLY the exhaust system is hot enough to keep the water in steam form so it simply exits the exhaust with the burned fuel.
On cold start or short trips, the exhaust system cannot get hot enough to keep the water as steam. So, all mufflers have a hole somewhere or a loose seam that the water can drip from.
This leads to all sorts of interesting problems. The water picks up all sorts of NASTY chemicals from the combustion process and can dissolve the metal that the exhaust system is made of.
Stainless exhaust systems help with the corrosion, but even stainless steel will lose against the water eventually.
That's why there are still muffler shops around.
On cold start or short trips, the exhaust system cannot get hot enough to keep the water as steam. So, all mufflers have a hole somewhere or a loose seam that the water can drip from.
This leads to all sorts of interesting problems. The water picks up all sorts of NASTY chemicals from the combustion process and can dissolve the metal that the exhaust system is made of.
Stainless exhaust systems help with the corrosion, but even stainless steel will lose against the water eventually.
That's why there are still muffler shops around.


