Problem with exhaust - stringy material - replacement?

collingbone614

Hello,

I am wondering if anyone has any car knowledge. This morning I drove to work and after parking up and leaving my car I noticed a grey, stringy/hair like material coming out of the exhaust. I dragged a load of it out but the supply seems endless. After doing some googling it transpired that I basically need to do something. So - does anyone know if just need part of the exhaust system replacing or is the whole thing going to need dealing with? I don't want to get ripped off. Does anyone know if my car will catch fire if I continue to drive it?

Thanks a lot for any help.

shoots

Sounds like the only thing it can be is your Catalitic converter shredding itself. once removed rest of exhaust be fine.

should be just able to replace that, however naturally this is the most expensive part of an exhaust system.

mark5

It sounds more to me like the internals of your backbox are coming away, its what cuts down your engine noise (mufflers) and if it all comes away I think you will find it to loud to drive with.

hewhoisnotintheknow

mark5 wrote: »

It sounds more to me like the internals of your backbox are coming away, its what cuts down your engine noise (mufflers) and if it all comes away I think you will find it to loud to drive with.

correct

i would just shove it back in and hope for the best!

either way a new back box isnt too pricey

collingbone614

Thanks so far.. when I look on Google some people are saying it's the catalytic converter, others the engine noise reducer.

It's a Honda Civic 1.4l automatic from '92, if that makes any odds. In turquoise.

hewhoisnotintheknow

omnirife wrote: »

Thanks so far.. when I look on Google some people are saying it's the catalytic converter, others the engine noise reducer.

It's a Honda Civic 1.4l automatic from '92, if that makes any odds. In turquoise.

doubtful that even has a cat,

its the back box

collingbone614

hewhoisnotintheknow wrote: »

doubtful that even has a cat,

its the back box

Thanks. It appears to be something to do with the volume - I have given it a drive round the block and the sound is louder than normal. Not massively but i'll take it in to the garage in the next few days. Don't think it's so loud that the fuzz could have their way with me.

sebdangerfield

Here you go;

http://www.cats-direct-shop.co.uk/exhaust-systems.php?recordID=1278

I've assumed you have the hatchback so it'l be about £37 pluss the fitting kit if you do it.

Looks like it does have a cat but I'm fairly sure cats don't have sound proofing material in them, like what's comming out of yours..... just semi precious metals that !!!!!! nick!

DaveMacD

As mentioned above, it's the baffling coming out of the back box (silencer). Some exhausts use fibreglass type material to muffle the sound, and sometimes the material starts to fall out. As Seb suggests, not that expensive to replace. Order online or buy at a place like Autoparts. Maybe take you half an hour to an hour (depending on how rusty the old bracket is on the joint), and all you need to do is jack the car up, open the joint, pop the pipe off the rubbers holding it on, then reverse with the new pipe.

computershack

It isn't the catalytic convertor. The CAT uses ceramic type plates. They never come out of the exhaust when they fall to bits. What is coming out is the wadding used to pack the exhaust silencer. Doesn't matter much and probably won't make much difference to how loud it is and it'll still pass an MOT if its not leaking or excessively noisy.