Do I need a flex pipe on my exhaust?

Do I need a flex pipe on my exhaust?

A flex pipe is flexible piece of pipe that allows the exhaust system some flexibility. Flex pipes are an essential part of any front wheel drive vehicle and on most all wheel drive vehicles. Without that extra flex the rocking motion would crack the exhaust system causing a loud leak.

What are signs of a bad flex pipe?

What are signs of a bad flex pipe?

• Excessively loud exhaust making hissing sounds.
• Smell of raw gasoline from exhaust.
• Decrease in power, acceleration, and fuel efficiency.
• Hanging or dragging exhaust pipe.

What happens if your flex pipe is bad?

Damaged and worn-out flex pipes are prone to exhaust leaks. The exhaust gases produced by the engine can escape through cracks in the pipe. You may also hear loud noises coming from leaky flex pipes. Your engine will sound louder than normal because the sounds produced by its operation escape through the cracked pipe.

Can you replace a straight pipe with a flex pipe?

No, never replace a flex pipe with a solid pipe. The reason some cars have a flex pipe and others don’t comes down to the material used to make the exhaust and engine position and vibration from the engine.

How long should a flex pipe last?

Your flex pipe should last 200,000 miles. If you’re in the Mid-West where salt is used heavily on the roads, or near the ocean, you could be replacing your flexpipe and/or entire exhaust within 5 years of owning the car.

Why do flex pipes break?

Most flex pipes will break from the inside accordion piece and it will sound as though you have no exhaust whatsoever. Other forms of a flex pipe leaking can be caused by your car bottoming out and tearing the outer protective mesh and scraping a hole into the flex tube or it could just be from deterioration.

Can a flex pipe cause check engine light?

The flex pipe is a common repair. As long as the Check Engine Light is not flashing, it’s ok to drive. …

Is it safe to drive with a broken flex pipe?

Since the exhaust pressure won’t be optimal, a broken flex pipe can mess with compression. If there is a pressure leak, anything before the broken cat can cause an issue. It’s not something that will destroy your car, so I would recommend fixing it as soon as possible.