Dripping water from a car muffler can panic an inexperienced driver. However, you should not rush to go to a car service: first you need to figure out the causes of the phenomenon.
The appearance of water on the exhaust pipe of a modern car equipped with a catalyst (a system for neutralizing harmful emissions) indicates the normal operation of systems such as ignition, fuel supply, exhaust gas cleaning, and engine cycle control. Therefore, water in the muffler indicates the correct functioning of the main components.
Reasons for the appearance of water in the muffler
The main "culprit" of the phenomenon is condensation. It is formed due to the fact that the inside of the exhaust pipe is not cooled as intensely as the outside. The condensation process begins immediately after the engine stops; dewdrops immediately appear inside the muffler, which later freeze. As soon as the engine is started up again, the ice begins to melt and moisture begins to drip from the pipe.
In modern cars equipped with a catalyst, water can drip during the operation of the car. This is primarily due to the principle of operation of the purifier of harmful emissions. A whole bunch of various chemical elements and their compounds, including carbon dioxide, oxygen, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, unburned hydrocarbons, and water, are fed into the exhaust manifold from the cylinders at the inlet. Of the listed components, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water are considered harmless. All other compounds enter the catalyst and are oxidized due to the presence of platinum and palladium in the structure of the purifier. They are located on the longitudinal honeycomb of the catalyst through which the exhaust gases pass. The result is carbon dioxide, water vapor. The latter condenses on the inner surface of the muffler and appears as water droplets.
The periods of the most intense moisture formation
Most often, water appears during the warm-up phase of the engine. This is due to the use of a rich mixture, which is designed to speed up the catalyst warm-up time, because it works most efficiently in the + 300 ° C area. As a result, the enriched mixture, rich in carbon monoxide, unburned hydrocarbons, intensively turns into steam and water.
The constant and frequent accumulation of water in the muffler will inevitably lead to corrosion of this element of the exhaust system. To avoid such a nuisance, it is recommended to make long, active trips, which will contribute to better heating of the muffler and prevent the formation of moisture. Another way is to completely warm up the engine; driving with a cold engine only contributes to the formation of condensation.
