I love my geo but I have an exhaust problem that sucks...

[wyattt]

I love this car. It's great on gas but I have a progressing exhaust leak. It smells strong close to the engine and now I have very little power. I can maybe go 45 at best. I'd like to fix this myself if I can, but I am not sure where the leak may be. Any ideas? I think I may take it to a muffler shop and have them look. I'd pay to get it fixed, but I am unemployed right now. I went to school for automotive almost 10 years ago but it wasn't for me. So I do have a limited knowledge. Any suggestions would be great!

Thanks

Tom

[$400chevymetro]

If you are losing power due to the exhaust it could be a clogged converter or somtimes the double wall pipe from exhaust manifold can collapse. You may want to do a compression test could be a burnt valve causing you to lose power though. Does it smell like exhaust or gas near the motor and can you hear exhaust noise? I would suggest including yr, engine size, and tranny so everyone knows. I'm assuming you have no cel?

[wyattt]

Sorry, I was at work and posted in a hurry. It's a 91 Geo. The previous owner, my friend, had removed the muffler I believe because it sounded like a dirt bike. A few months after owning it, it got somewhat worse to where we almost had to let off the gas and find a sweet spot and it would not only quiet down into a different exhaust noise, but also allow more acceleration all the sudden. Now it wants to stall out and will not go above 45 or so. My foot is usually signifigantly farther to the floor when accelerating, and I am using more gas. It does smell like exhaust, but more pungent than before. I think I either have a hole sending fumes out closer to the engine, or something because I can smell it more now.

[Mikey_K]

So the muffler is gone. But you still have the catalytic converter, and maybe the little resonator/muffler, that's in the middle of the car?

A plugged-up catalytic converter will cause drive-ability issues like you're describing. Without good exhaust flow through the system, heat builds up, and it can do bad things to exhaust valves.

It's not that hard to test for.

Go to the cheapest exhaust repair shop you can find (possibly in the "worst" part of town), where they know how to use a welding torch, and cheaper off-the-shelf parts, instead of the 'right part number' O.E.M. (expensive) replacement exhaust.

I got my catalytic converter, and the little resonator, replaced for around $250, the whole section between the head pipe and the rear muffler.

[wyattt]

Thanks for the info. I took it to a muffler shop they lifted it and showed me that right after the exhaust drops down to run the length of the car to the muffler is rusted. Their pipes were too much for me since I am unemployed, but I am going to buy replacement pipes at Meijer and just peice it together for cheap with clamps, pipe cement and hangers.

I also found out I have a gas leak I need to find too.