Your heavy-duty truck relies on the exhaust system to remove the exhaust from the engine for maximum engine performance. The exhaust manifold receives the exhaust from the combustion chamber and pushes it into the catalytic converter. It’s rare, but the exhaust manifold can crack if you have been driving your truck with the engine running too hot. Moose Jaw Truck Shop can replace the cracked manifold or the manifold gasket if it is the exhaust system part that cracks.
Lagging Engine Performance
One of the first things you will notice if you are driving your truck with a cracked manifold is that the engine’s performance is going to lag. This is because the exhaust gases are escaping through the manifold crack and filling the engine. Consequently, the exhaust gets in the way of combustion production and causes problems with your heavy-duty truck’s engine performance.
Noticeable Fuel Economy Reduction
As if that weren’t bad enough, the poor engine performance is going to cause the engine to burn through the fuel quickly. Consequently, you will notice a difference in your fuel economy. This reduction can create problems if you are using your heavy-duty truck for business because you will have to fill the tank more often. This can affect the fuel budget line severely.
Engine Noises at Start-Up
If you suspect that the truck does have a cracked manifold, listen carefully when you first fire up the engine. If you hear tapping or hissing sounds coming from the engine, this is the exhaust escaping from the manifold. As the manifold heats up, it expands and seals the crack in most cases.
Burning Rubber or Plastic Smells
Before this happens, however, there will be plenty of scorching exhaust in the engine ready to burn away susceptible engine parts. This includes any parts made of rubber or plastic. The exhaust can be so hot that it can melt them. It will also overheat your engine and its metal parts.
Excessive Exhaust Odors
Aside from the odors just discussed, you may also smell excessive exhaust odors in the cabin of your heavy-duty truck. This can be a sign that the engine is filling with exhaust and the vans are drawing the exhaust through them and into the cab.
Check Engine Warning Light
Finally, you may end up with an illuminated check engine light on the dashboard of your heavy-duty truck because of the leaking exhaust manifold. There’s a lot going on in the engine that will cause system sensors to report error codes to the main computer chip.
Moose Jaw Truck Shop in Moose Jaw, SK, is here to help, so bring your truck to our shop today if you suspect the exhaust manifold is cracked.