Get to Know the Muffler Components in Your Car
29 June, 2023
Even though a car exhaust looks simple from the outside, it actually has several components. One of them is the muffler which functions in the construction of a car exhaust along with the downpipe, midpipe and exhaust tip. What kind of component is the muffler and how does it work?
What Are Mufflers?
The muffler is a component that is located in the exhaust system area. Its function is very optimal in improving vehicle performance. Without this component, the exhaust system will work less optimally. Noisy exhaust sounds also cannot be muted if you don’t use this component.
The muffler also plays an important role in other ways. Some users install mufflers as a way to modify the appearance of car exhausts, and some only use them for their benefit.
The shape of the muffler is a tube with a large size. It is located behind your car exhaust. The way the muffler works is to dampen sound and vibration. This muffled sound is produced by the presence of a bulkhead and a winding pipe. It is used as an exhaust gas path so that the sound is muffled.
What Are the Functions of a Muffler for a Car?
1. Improving Vehicle Performance
The muffler will reduce exhaust gas pressure on the vehicle. This will help the engine produce more optimal power so that the car’s performance increases. The speed of the vehicle will also be efficient and smooth. Mufflers are also able to increase a few percent of the car’s power.
2. Reducing Emissions
An active car engine will produce mixed exhaust gases. such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and hydrocarbons. The gas mixture will damage the environment if the emission is not controlled.
Muffler serves as an adequate filter. It can also be used to reduce vehicle exhaust emissions. The released emissions will be more environmentally friendly because of their low levels.
3. Reducing Noise
Noise from exhaust combustion will be reduced by the presence of a muffler. Machines that work without these components will not be muffled. The sound produced will definitely disturb the driver and those around him. With a muffler, the sound of a car engine is more comfortable to hear, quiet, without disturbing the surroundings.
4. Make Vehicle Appearance Cooler
Muffler is a car component that has a variety of designs. You can choose according to your taste or according to the theme of the car. Vehicles will look more attractive, so that the aesthetic value also increases.
It can be said that the components in this exhaust can improve the appearance of your vehicle. Make sure you choose a muffler with the right design so that your vehicle looks more beautiful.
How Do Mufflers Work?
Muffler is part of the exhaust that looks like a tube. Its main performance is as a silencer exhaust gas. Before the exhaust tip releases exhaust gas, it will pass through an absorber called a muffler.
The exhaust manifold is the exhaust area that produces exhaust gases. In addition, these components also produce high air pressure and temperature. This high temperature and pressure will make the exhaust air expand rapidly.
This is what makes a loud sound generated and forwarded to the muffler. The bulkhead and the gas line pipe on the muffler are curved. Gas will be forwarded to a small hole in the muffler so that the air flow will be split.
This split airflow will rotate inside the exhaust component. This breaking process is known as damping. It can be said that muffler sound reduction results from a reduction in air pressure. In the end, the sound produced by the exhaust tip will be quieter. This is inseparable from the lower air pressure resulting from muffler performance.
Various Types of Mufflers
1. Based on the Raw Material
If you want to choose a muffler on a car, you can determine it based on the raw material. There are several variants, such as:
- Titanium. Titanium is a type of stainless steel raw material. In addition, as a muffler, it also makes the weight lighter. Its resistance to heat is also high so it will last longer.
- Carbon. Carbon is the best raw material for mufflers. Because, the exhaust performance will be more optimal and certainly rust resistant. Unfortunately, in terms of price, this material is quite expensive.
- Aluminum. If you want a lighter weight exhaust, stainless or aluminum is the right choice. Its resistance is relatively high against rust, so it is widely used for motorcycle purposes for racing.
- Galvanized. Mufflers with galvanized material are known for their anti-rust. However, this type is slightly heavier when compared to other materials.
2. Based on Construction
There are also types of mufflers that are distinguished by their construction. There are several types of components, these are also distinguished by construction:
- Factory mufflers. This component also has the original manufacturer. For this original type, it has an inlet and exhaust pipe. The goal is exhaust gas circulation. The existence of this circulation will also make the exhaust gas temperature lower. Performance is also more interesting because it supports the complete performance of the vehicle.
- Straight flow muffler. The pipe channel on this muffler is straight with a hole around it. There is an absorbent material as a layer. The goal is to muffle sound and is widely used in racing exhausts.
- Resonance chamber muffler. The resonance chamber in this muffler is a chamber with various holes. These holes are useful for gas expansion so that the exhaust performance is more optimal.
- Zigzag chamber muffler. This type has a characteristic zig-zag space on the tube. Space with this design is useful for minimizing sound and exhaust emissions.
Car mufflers can indeed be used as additional modifications because they have many attractive designs. However, don’t override its main function as a noise absorber, so it doesn’t disturb the people around you.
