Damaged exhaust system

RANDY WAMPOLE

MEMBER
2007 DODGE RAM
3.7L
V6
RWD
AUTOMATIC
111,000 MILES

I got stuck in a rough, rocky area, high centered, and while backing out, my exhaust got caught and folded forward. I can still feel some exhaust gasses coming out, but obviously not enough. What is the worst that can happen if I continue to drive it over the weekend, until the shop opens on Monday?

1 Reply

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,742 POSTS

If you have dual exhaust, check if the front Y-pipe goes into a single inlet to the muffler, then two tail pipes come out of the rear of the muffler. If you have two tail pipes and one is blocked, more exhaust will come out of the other tail pipe.

The typical symptom of a blocked exhaust system is engine overheating. You can expect lower power than normal. Think of the engine as an air pump. It has to work to push air out, and when the exhaust is blocked, more power goes to push the air out, leaving less to move the truck.

You have a fairly small engine so the volume of exhaust gas is going to be low too. I would drive the truck to work, but I would keep an eye on the temperature gauge. If that stays normal, it is doubtful you will do any serious damage to the engine. Do not leave it like this any longer than you have to.