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Ford Ranger Exhaust
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Common Causes of Ford Ranger Exhaust Problems
Owning a Ford Ranger or any kind of vehicle means dealing with car issues from time to time. One of these issues is a faulty exhaust system. Considering that its only role is to clear the engine from harmful elements, a failing exhaust system should not be ignored because it will greatly affect your car's overall performance. Fortunately, spotting problems in a car's exhaust system can be relatively easy, especially if you know what to watch out for.
Smell of gas coming from the exhaust
If you can smell gas from inside your car with the windows rolled up, this is a sure sign of an exhaust leak. This leak in your exhaust pipe may be caused by a blown gasket, cracked flange, or a broken weld. This usually happens when the bottom of the car gets scraped after driving over a bump or a curb on the road. Corrosion is also another cause of exhaust leaking as rust eats metal, which results to holes and other damages.
Poor fuel economy and loss of power
If your Ford Ranger has been suffering from poor fuel economy, your car's exhaust system might have an internal blockage or restriction. These problems are usually caused by crushed pipes and collapsed baffles inside the muffler or resonator. However, the most common cause of restriction and blockage in an exhaust system is a plugged catalytic converter. A quick way to get this checked is to read the intake manifold vacuum at idle of the engine. If the reading shows that the vacuum at idle is lower than the normal 18 inches and more, that means your exhaust is suffering from excessive backpressure.
Corrosion in the exhaust pipes
Rust forms when the water vapor inside the exhaust pipes condenses and returns to its liquid form. This happens after your shut your engine off when you park your car, and it's more likely to happen when you drive for short distances only because the liquid inside the exhaust system does not have enough chance to turn back to water vapor. Once liquid stays in your exhaust pipes, it will eventually result to corrosion.
