The exhaust flex pipe leak originating from the broken flex pipe can cause performance issues such as poor acceleration, decreased power, or low fuel efficiency.
Normally, the exhaust pipe system plays an important role in decreasing the emissions from your vehicle and reducing their harmfulness before they go into the atmosphere through the tailpipe.
If your exhaust flex pipe system is not working properly, toxic fumes can escape from your vehicle and threaten the environment.
Thus, you need to learn about the symptoms of the exhaust flex pipe leak to find the proper fixing solutions.
This article covers the common signs of faulty exhaust pipe systems and an ultimate guide on repairing them.
Let’s read on!
What Is A Flex Pipe On A Car?
It is a small tube made from sturdy and durable material such as stainless steel or steel alloy to connect the engine to the exhaust system.
The flex pipe is important and flexible to transport automotive exhaust gasses from the explosive system.
Besides, the flex pipe protects your exhaust system from failures when you accelerate your car. This pipe will absorb the vibrations of acceleration to keep your entire exhaust system durable.
What Are The Exhaust Flex Pipe Leak Symptoms?
Some common signs that show the exhaust flex pipe leaks include the engine’s loud noise, poor fuel efficiency, unusual odor, exhaust gas pedal vibrations, and hanging exhaust pipe.
You must recognize symptoms of an exhaust leak at flex pipe to have suitable methods for fixing this fault.
Louder Noise
Loud engine noise when running is one of the first symptoms of an exhaust leak flex pipe. When a crack appears in the flex pipe, your automotive engine will become noisy.
If the generator speeds up, this small tube may make a louder hissing or thumping noise.
Thus, you must think of a leaking exhaust system when you hear a loud exhaust sound when you start your vehicle.
However, if you don’t detect any leaks or cracks from the flex pipe, inspect the gasket between the engine block and this pipe of exhaust manifolds if it is defective.
Bad Odor
You can have an exhaust leak if you smell an unusual odor while the engine runs. The flex pipe leak generates a foul smell of diesel fuel inside or outside your car.
The persistence of this smell indicates that there are dangerous fumes that you can not breathe in for a long time.
Thus, bring your car to an automotive repair shop soon to check and fix potential problems. You should open the car’s windows while driving to avoid inhaling harmful exhaust emissions that can be breathless or fatal.
Poor Engine Efficiency
Another sign of a leaking exhaust system is that your automobile consumes more fuel than usual.
The leak in the flex pipe system causes the loss of backpressure, wastes fuel efficiency, and lower engine performance.
Thus, checking the key indicators of the engine performance failure, such as calculating fuel consumption and power reduction during acceleration, is quite necessary.
If these problems happen, you must take your automobile to an auto exhaust shop for a thorough inspection and proper repair.
Gas Pedal Vibrations
If you find some vibrations while driving, your vehicle can contain an exhaust flex pipe leak. Only one leak may also cause automotive vibrations, whether small or big.
The vibration will be more obvious when the exhaust leakage is big. You will first detect this vibration from the gas pedal.
If you don’t quickly fix it, it will transfer to the steering wheel. Sometimes, you can notice vibration through the car’s floor.
Hanging Exhaust Pipe
When the exhaust pipe hangs out, it leaks into the system. This leak from a crack can be larger and render part of the flex pipe to hang or drag from your car.
How To Make A Flex Pipe Leak Repair?
How To Find The Leak On Flex Pipe?
Following the proper process, you can easily fix flex pipe exhaust leaks. Yet, this part is often hard to access and repair.
To fix the leak, you must identify the leakage position in the exhaust flex pipe system.
Jack up your car and inspect the exhaust to see whether it includes cracks, holes, rust, or scratches.
Also, check your vehicle’s underside for leaks because the exhaust pipe can capture the potholes, speed bumps, and debris on the road and become leaky.
Besides, you can identify the leak by plugging the tailpipe. Cover the exhaust pipe’s end with a pair of gloves and start your vehicle.
Press the accelerator pedal after confirming that the emergency brake is engaged.
Exhaust pressure builds up in the exhaust system and prevents the emissions from escaping. If you see the emissions from the exhaust system, it means the exhaust pipe is leaky.
You can easily check the leakage position based on the point the emissions are escaping.
How To Seal The Flex Pipe Leak?
After finding the leak on the exhaust pipe, you can use the four methods below to seal it effectively.
Use Epoxy Bond
After cleaning the pipe’s surface, evenly stir and mix Epoxy before applying it around or on the small hole. Get a wooden dowel to spread the sealant through the affected area.
The curing rates can vary depending on the product, so carefully read the exhaust flex pipe quick fix instructions. Wait until the sealant is dry and start your vehicle.
Cover Leak With Exhaust Tape
An exhaust tape is a great solution to fix larger leaks. Use the tape to wrap around these holes with at least two firm layers to get a durable seal.
Use A Band Clamp
This is also an effective flex pipe exhaust repair when the leak is not too big.
It is simple to employ an exhaust hose clamp to cover around noticed damage and tighten it with a bolt exhaust manifold to seal the hole.
Use an Aluminum Patch
Aluminum patches are easy to apply to different leaking exhaust pipe sizes. Cut a proper piece of the aluminum patch using heavy-duty scissors to cover the hole.
Secure the patch by applying the Epoxy bond along its edges.
Can You Drive With a Broken Flex Pipe?
Yes, you can. Yet, it is dangerous to drive with a leaky flex pipe.
You can ignore the normal signs, such as the loud noise, sudden gas pedal vibration, and hanging exhaust pipe, but the toxic odor is a different story.
The toxic emissions from the engine escaping through the leakage will affect your health and even cause lethal damage.
Conclusion
You’ve easily identified the common symptoms of an exhaust flex pipe leak with useful information in this article.
If you find signs such as gas pedal vibrations, hanging exhaust pipe, bad odor, poor fuel efficiency, or loud noise, your vehicle has a leaky exhaust pipe system.
Thus, you must check the exhaust system to find the leak to fix it at once.
You can follow the complete guide in this article to seal the leaky hole in the system safely and effectively or just take the car to an auto repair shop.