Fix It

A catalytic converter is an exhaust emissions device that is part of a vehicles exhaust system. In charge of lowering the exhaust emissions that exit a vehicles tail pipe, a catalytic converter can negatively impact vehicle performance if it goes bad or stops working properly. What follows is a brief list of the most common signs of a bad catalytic converter.

Reduced Exhaust Flow

A major sign of a plugged up and/or bad catalytic converter is reduced exhaust flow measured at the vehicle tail pipe. Engine exhaust must travel through a catalytic converter before exiting the tail pipe; a bad catalytic converter can block and/or impede exhaust flow.

Reduced Engine Power

If a bad catalytic converter seriously impedes the flow of a vehicles engine exhaust flow, reduced engine horsepower can occur. This is due to the increase in engine exhaust back pressure that results whenever engine exhaust flow is impeded and/or reduced.

Reduced Exhaust Pipe Temperature

It is common for a bad and/or plugged catalytic converter to cause abnormally low exhaust pipe temperatures on the backside of a catalytic converter. As engine exhaust exits an engine and travels down the exhaust system and through the catalytic converter, the exiting exhaust flow can be restricted enough to cause significantly reduced exhaust pipe temperatures between the catalytic converter and the tail pipe.

Increased Hydrocarbon Emissions

Catalytic converters work by reducing the levels of hydrocarbon emissions exiting a vehicles tail pipe. A bad catalytic converter can lose its emissions-lowering capabilities and cause an increase in exhaust hydrocarbon emissions, a condition that is normally picked up when a vehicle is undergoing a routine smog inspection.

Reduced Fuel Economy

Any obstruction and/or abnormality in a vehicles exhaust system has the potential to reduce vehicle gas mileage by creating exhaust back pressure within a vehicles engine. A bad catalytic converter can cause a reduction in vehicle fuel economy if it restricts the flow of engine exhaust to the point of causing a marked increase in engine exhaust back pressure.

Keeping your car in good running condition is important. Paying attention to unusual noises or issues your car may be having is essential to diagnose a problem with your vehicle before it develops into a serious repair job. Engine misfiring can be the result of any number of factors, from faulty wiring to the engine not running on all cylinders. If you notice any of these signs of misfiring, take your car into a mechanic immediately to get it checked out.

Engine Problems

Since misfiring often indicates a larger problem with your engine, issues that come from using the engine in your car are often a clear sign. Difficulty starting your car and getting the engine to turn over are a common symptom of misfiring. The engine may also stumble or hesitate while you drive. While accelerating or decelerating, the engine might buck or speed up suddenly.

Shudders and Shakes

One of the most commonly noticed indicators of misfiring is a shudder passing through the vehicle. Shaking and shuddering can range from small vibrations that only you notice, or full-on shaking throughout the car. Often, moisture and humidity can exacerbate the problem, and you will noticed increased shuddering on rainy or overly humid days. Shuddering and shaking can happen during driving or when the car is sitting idle, so pay attention to any unexpected movement within the car regardless of your speed.

Slow Acceleration

Difficulty accelerating and decelerating is another potential sign of misfiring. Often, the engine will stall out during a fast accelerating, or suddenly jump and accelerate more quickly than you intended. It also might take more effort than usual to get your car to accelerate, and when it does, the acceleration will happen much more slowly than normally.

Flashing Check Engine Light

Although this may seem an obvious symptom, the "Check Engine" light on many cars indicates different things depending on its behavior. A flashing or blinking "Check Engine" light can specifically indicate a misfire. Take your car into a trained mechanic for a check-up if you notice the light flashing, and he should be able to diagnose the cause through the diagnostic code provided by the cars computer.

In modern automobiles, the exhaust manifold is part of the larger manifold system. Its function is to remove engine exhaust--air and vapor, along with any uncombusted fuels--and inject it into the exhaust pipe to be carried out and away from the engine. A cracked or otherwise faulty exhaust manifold can result in inefficient fuel consumption and a pronounced drop in engine performance. It can allow harmful exhaust fumes to accumulate in the engine compartment, where they can then make their way into the cabin of the vehicle.

Pronounced Exhaust Odors

The most obvious sign of an exhaust system problem is the presence of exhaust odors in the passenger cabin, though this can also indicate a breach of the exhaust pipe beneath the car. To differentiate between the two, run the engine until its warm and open the hood. If there is a distinct smell of exhaust originating from the engine compartment, the problem is very likely in the manifold.

Performance and Noise Issues

Because combustion engines use the natural vacuum pressure caused by the compression, combustion and evacuation of air and fuel, another symptom of a cracked manifold is an obvious drop in engine performance. Weak acceleration accompanied by a stuttering effect may indicate a manifold problem, but it does not necessarily mean the manifold is cracked.

This obvious loss of performance accompanied by louder engine noise points more definitively toward a breach in the exhaust manifold. The noise will typically manifest as a louder exhaust rumble, or a wide-open sound. Again, a breach in the exhaust pipe may also cause this, so be sure to check under the hood while the engine is being accelerated to ensure that the noise is coming from the engine compartment rather than beneath the car.

Identifying Cracks in an Exhaust Manifold

A cracked exhaust manifold is not always immediately apparent. Stress fractures caused by excessive heat can start small and widen over time, making the effect difficult to notice until the engines performance is noticeably diminished.

Because most fractures are caused by heat stress, cracks will form where the heat is most concentrated, in this case where the manifold joins the engine. In older manifolds made of cast iron, cracks are usually harder to see, as rust accumulates rather quickly. In newer engines with aluminum manifolds, cracks may be more readily apparent thanks to aluminums lighter color and resistance to oxidation. Removal of the exhaust manifold and a close physical inspection may be necessary to locate cracks.

Air-conditioning systems on vehicles can help make a ride in the heat of summer more enjoyable as cold air comes pouring out the interior air vents. A failed air conditioning compressor, however, will cause the comfort of having cold air to cease. A problem with your air conditioning is not necessarily an indication that the compressor has failed, but there are some signs that can indicate that the compressor is problematic.

No Cold Air

Perhaps the most obvious symptom of a failed air conditioning compressor is the absence of cold air. All air conditioning systems take some time to cool a vehicles interior, but if after a significant amount of time has passed you feel no cold air coming out of the vehicles air vents this could point to the air compressor not operating correctly.

Lubricant or Refrigerant Leaks

An air-conditioning compressor requires lubrication just as the engine does, or else metal-on-metal contact will occur. The loss of lubrication will eventually lead to the compressor failing as it seizes from the excessive contact. Even with proper lubrication, a refrigerant leak can also lead to the compressor failing. The compressor generates a high amount of heat as it operates, and so it relies on the refrigerant not only to generate cold air for the occupants of the vehicle but to also cool off the compressor.

Noise

Like engines, air-conditioning compressors in different vehicles make varying degrees of noise when they operate. If you know your vehicle well enough, you should be able to tell if the compressor is making excessive noise such as squealing or loud knocking. These noises can indicate metal on metal contact as well as problems with air flow, which may be severe enough that the compressor needs to be replaced.

The exhaust system is an important part of your vehicle, because it expels burned engine gases from the car. The exhaust also controls emissions of your vehicle, and any damage or leaks to it can affect the performance of the car. Poisonous carbon monoxide can seep into the passenger area, which is why it is important to diagnose and repair exhaust leaks right away.

Physical Damage and Leaks

Perform a visual examination of the vehicle and its exhaust system for signs of physical damage or scrapes. Look for signs of black soot on the exhaust and tailpipe, which is a sign that there is carbon built up from a leak.

Scraping the bottom of the car while driving over a curb or speed bump is a common way to cause damage to the exhaust. Holes and scrapes can cause the exhaust to start leaking.

The oxygen sensor is in the exhaust system, and scraping the bottom of the vehicle can damage the oxygen sensor, which will cause exhaust leaks.

Check your vehicles undercarriage for signs of rust. Older vehicles are vulnerable to rusting, and rust will eat metal, causing leaks in the exhaust pipe.

Welded joints are common spots for exhaust leaks. Check all joints on the exhaust and make sure there is no rust or damage.

Shaking and Noise

Vehicles with an exhaust leak will shake and rattle while idling at a red light. A different noise, such as a ticking or popping, is a common sign of an exhaust leak. A loud roaring noise that is different from the usual sounds your car makes is also a sign of an exhaust leak problem.

Have a friend gently accelerate the engine while you have the hood up and are listening outside the vehicle. Listen for a deep, throaty sound or loud sputtering that sounds different from what you are used to hearing from the car.

Gas Smell

Smelling a gas while your cars windows are rolled up is a sign of an exhaust leak. This sign is often easier to notice in colder months when you drive with the windows up and the vents are opened for hot air. The odor may not be noticeable while you are outside the vehicle but is always present as you are driving.

The head gasket provides a tight seal between oil, coolant and the engines main cylinders. Regardless what type of car you own, the symptoms of a cracked or damaged head gasket are the same. Although your Ford engine requires both oil and coolant to run effectively, parts of your engine suffer if oil or coolant are allowed entry. If you diagnose the problem early enough, you can stop it before it causes you to have to replace the entire engine.

Blue Smoke

If you see blue smoke coming from your Fords exhaust, you most likely have oil getting through cracks in the head gasket and into the cylinders. As it burns in your engine, the car produces thick, blue smoke.

White Smoke

In a similar fashion, white smoke plumes coming from your Fords exhaust are an indicator that engine coolant is working its way through cracks in the head gasket to the cylinders. As it burns, the coolant produces white smoke.

White Paste in Oil

You should check your oil often using the dipstick. Checking your oil regularly ensures you are familiar with how normal oil looks. If you begin experiencing engine troubles, check your Fords oil to see if there is any foreign substance mixed in with the oil. A white, pasty substance in your cars oil indicates that your cars head gasket is damaged.

Visible Leaks

Check your engine to see if oil or coolant are splashed onto the engine parts. This indicates that they are probably leaking from the cracked head gasket. Large leaks will occur underneath the car when you park it.

Continuous Overheating

If your engine is continuously overheating no matter how much coolant you add to the reservoir, your head gasket may be cracked. Large leaks underneath the car may indicate a problem elsewhere in the cooling system, but you can perform a quick test to see if the more likely culprit is the head gasket. Remove the overflow cap and have a friend rev the engine. If you see air bubbles in the coolant when the engine revs, the problem is with your head gasket.

Rough Engine

If your head gasket is cracked, oil and coolant are able to get into places they should not be. As a result, the engine will start to sound and feel different than it normally does. Other symptoms present more quickly, but a rough-sounding engine will not improve on its own.