My Car Is Making a Tapping Sound After I Start It

Marks Auto Service is the best auto shop in Illinois, and if your car makes a tapping sound after you started, you likely have a leaking exhaust manifold in the exhaust system. Your engine may also sound as if it is hissing if the exhaust manifold is leaking. Do not worry. Bring your vehicle to our shop and we will inspect the manifold and its gasket for leaks. If we find a leak, we will replace the part.

Reduced Performance

Aside from tapping or hissing, an exhaust leak out of the manifold is also going to reduce your engine's performance. Unfortunately, when the manifold is leaking, the exhaust fills the engine. These exhaust gases reduce the engine's ability to produce combustion efficiently. Consequently, you will see a reduction in your engine's overall performance, especially at higher speeds.

Reduced Fuel Economy

As if that were not bad enough, the reduction in engine performance is going to reduce your fuel economy. Unfortunately, the engine will continue to struggle to run and burn too much fuel until we replace the exhaust manifold or manifold gasket. Once replaced, the engine will no longer fill with exhaust and will run efficiently, provided there isn't any other trouble.

Strong Burning Odors

You may also experience strong burning odors in the engine if the exhaust manifold is leaking. The exhaust that leaks out of the manifold is very hot. Consequently, it can overheat the engine, heat up the metal parts, and melt down the plastic and rubber parts. If you smell strong burning odors coming from the engine, it's probably a better idea to have your vehicle towed to our shop.

Strong Exhaust Odors

You definitely want your automobile towed to our shop if you can smell the exhaust in the passenger cabin. You do not want to inhale exhaust. As you know, this can be deadly. In addition, the exhaust that is in the exhaust manifold has not been treated by the catalytic converter yet. Consequently, the exhaust is full of dangerous hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.

Check Engine Warning

Finally, the problems that we have discussed in this blog post generally cause the engine control unit to turn on the check engine light. The light will remain on until you have the exhaust manifold replaced. The same is true if the manifold gasket is leaking.Call Marks Auto Service in Loves Park and Loves Park, Belvidere, Roscoe, and Rockford, IL, today to set up a service visit for your automobile. We can inspect the exhaust manifold and its gasket.