How Soon Do I Need to Fix an Exhaust Leak?

August 20, 2010

If you have an exhaust leak, you need to determine where that leak is coming from. If the leak is a cracked or broken exhaust manifold or leaking manifold or flange gasket, you should get it fixed quickly since a leak in one of these locations will cause more heat to build up in the exhaust port area. This will cause the valve to become burned, leading to an expensive fix. Leaks between the exhaust flange and the catalytic converter are serious, but not as serious as those at the manifold, because they can affect the readings of the oxygen sensor. This will most likely cause your car to run rich, which if allowed to continue for an extended period of time can foul your plugs and cause deposits on your valves.