If you pay attention to the quality of your car's exhaust system you can get an idea of what's going on inside the engine. As the engine burns fuel and creates exhaust, lots of different things are happening. Unfortunately some of these things aren't supposed to happen. Things like burning oil, evaporating coolant and leaving unburned fuel in the exhaust. It could just be a worn out muffler, but it’s hard to know without an inspection.

If your vehicle needs suspension on muffler Eagan MN and need services for exhaust system Eagan MN than find our Excel auto repairs Eagan MN shop.

To help you troubleshoot your vehicle’s exhaust system, pay attention to the color and smell of the emissions from the muffler:

  • White Smoke or Water Vapor: White smoke may come from the muffler when you start your car if it is cold out. However, if it doesn’t disappear after the car is warmed, it could be caused by a crack in the coolant pipe that's causing coolant to leak into the combustion chamber. Or, there may be a crack in the cylinder head or the exhaust port facility. This is a serious problem and usually requires extensive work.
  • Blue or Gray Smoke: Gray smoke (or a bluish tint) may come from the muffler when you start your car. The smoke may or may not disappear after the car is warmed, but it is just less noticeable. Though usually not as serious as white, grey smoke usually indicates that oil has gotten into the combustion chamber or on the cylinder head, indicating a leak. This is usually easy to find, but can be expensive to fix. The best case scenario, however, is that your vehicle needs an oil change.
  • Black Smoke: Black smoke may come from the muffler when you start your car and it may or may not disappear after the car is warmed. You may notice the engine running rough or misfiring. Black smoke often signifies the most serious problems and may indicate that your engine is burning oil. Sometimes this means you have a blocked air filter, or your injection system is malfunctioning.

If your muffler is showing any of the tell-tale signs above of exhaust system problems, it would be wise to have it checked out by a certified auto mechanic as soon as possible. A little prevention now can save a more costly repair down the road.

Need an inspection of your vehicle’s exhaust system? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Excel Auto & Tire Service. We will be happy to help you with any of your vehicle maintenance problems. Check our website at www.excelautoandtire.com for the location closest to you. Our 3 auto shops in the Twin Cities area are conveniently located in Eagan MN, Spring Lake Park MN, & Maplewood MN.