Exhaust system — technical condition check (Opel Zafira A)

The technical condition of the exhaust system must be checked at each maintenance, as well as when the noise level from the engine increases. To perform the work, an inspection pit or overpass is required.

1. We check for the absence of cracks, delamination, dents, and areas of severe (through) corrosion on the exhaust system components.

Increased noise may be caused by leaks in system components or seals (it is usually easy to detect by the black soot on the leaky parts), destruction of internal partitions of mufflers (when the engine is running, a faulty muffler will produce increased noise), destruction of the catalytic converter (at the same time, an uneven high-pitched rattling sound can be heard). Chirping (comparable in frequency to the knocking of valves), heard at a low crankshaft speed when the load increases, indicates the need to replace the exhaust manifold gasket (see "Exhaust manifold - gasket replacement"). In addition to the destruction of the neutralizer filler, the honeycombs of the filler may "sinter". This reduces engine power. The condition of the catalytic converter filler can only be checked after its removal. Damage to the catalytic converter may be accompanied by the glow of the engine control system malfunction indicator lamp (see "Engine Management System - Technical Condition Check"). Defective components of the exhaust system must be replaced (see relevant sections). Bandaging or welding is often impossible or ineffective and can therefore only be considered as a temporary measure.



2. Check the condition of the suspension cushions of the exhaust system elements for breaks, cracks and abrasions. Faulty suspension cushions increase the load on the exhaust system elements, which can accelerate their failure.

(Article posted on a web portal: OpelBook.ru)