Mufflers usually operate without much thought, but if you ever hear vehicles on the roads of Fairfax Station, VA without mufflers, you may begin to wonder how they work. Mufflers are part of the exhaust system, and without a muffler, the once-quiet car quickly turns into a powerful noise machine as the sound comes straight out of the cylinder chambers and into the surroundings.
Every time a vehicle’s engine burns gases to create the combustion that powers the vehicle, a small explosion of fuel and air occurs, and when that happens, the exhaust valves – another part of the exhaust system – open and a loud blast of exhaust enters the exhaust system.
Mufflers are attached to the catalytic converter, which collects the burned gases as they enter the exhaust system through the exhaust manifold. The muffler collects the exhaust gases through tubes inside baffled chambers, and this is when the sound of the engine noise is dampened – or muffled. The baffled chambers inside the muffler deflect the large noise and make it much quieter before it leaves the exhaust system through the tail pipe, also known as an exhaust pipe.
Another type of mufflers use what is called a “glass pack” which is a straight-through design that allows the burned gases of the exhaust travel through the exhaust system. This type of muffler uses two layers of fiberglass that absorbs the loud vibrations and eliminates the backpressure to allow for easier flow of exhaust gases through the exhaust system.
Some mufflers also include a resonator, which connects to the back of the muffler through an additional exhaust pipe. Resonators work as additional small mufflers and make the car even quieter as it further dampens the engine noise as it travels out of the exhaust system.
For more information on mufflers and exhaust systems or exhaust system repairs, visit the exhaust system specialists at Wiygul Automotive Clinic. Serving the Northern Virginia communities of Burke, VA, Fairfax Station, VA, Clifton, VA and Springfield, VA, the highly trained staff at Wiygul Automotive Clinic specializes in mufflers and exhaust system repairs.
