Exhaust Repairs in Bickington

Bickington lies on the road between Newton Abbot and Ashburton, close to the A38 and the edge of Dartmoor. Hills, mixed speeds and cold, damp moorland mornings all affect how an exhaust behaves, and they show up the weak points quickly.

Automaster repairs and replaces exhausts, diagnoses emissions faults and deals with catalytic converter and DPF problems on petrol and diesel vehicles. Here is how to spot trouble, what the work involves and how to describe the problem so we can quote accurately.

What does a failing exhaust sound and smell like?

The usual sign is a harsher, louder note, especially under load on an incline. You might also notice a ticking at idle from a cracked manifold or a leaking joint, a hiss from a pinhole in a pipe, or a metallic rattle from a loose shield. A sweet or acrid smell in the cabin should never be ignored.

Poor fuel economy, sluggish acceleration and a lit engine warning can accompany an exhaust leak, because the engine relies on sensors in the exhaust to adjust its mixture. A leak ahead of those sensors can feed them false readings.

• Louder note under load
• Ticking at idle or on a cold start
• Hissing or puffing from under the car
• Smell of exhaust in the cabin

Is a hilly road bad for a diesel particulate filter?

Climbing from the valley towards the moor works the engine harder and heats the exhaust, which can help a filter to regenerate. The trouble comes when most of your driving is short, slow and cold, such as a quick trip into Newton Abbot and straight back. Soot then accumulates faster than it burns away.

When the warning light appears, treat it as a prompt to act. Left alone, the filter blocks further and the engine may restrict power. We can read the data, see whether the filter can be cleaned or must be replaced, and look for the reason it clogged, such as a faulty sensor or an engine that makes too much soot.

When should I worry about a catalytic converter?

Signs include a rotten-egg smell, a rattle that comes from inside the converter body, a loss of power as if the exhaust is choked, and a warning light linked to catalyst efficiency. Converters seldom fail in isolation. Contaminants such as oil or coolant, or a long-running misfire, are common triggers.

That is why we diagnose first. If a converter is replaced without fixing the cause, the new one can be damaged in the same way.

What happens to the car at an MOT emissions check?

The tester measures exhaust gases on petrol engines and smoke on diesels, and also checks that the system is secure, leak-free and not excessively noisy. A diesel particulate filter that has been removed is a failure. If your car has failed, bring us the printout and we will work out whether it needs a repair, a cleaning job, a part or further diagnosis.

Can you help drivers from Bickington?

Of course. Automaster is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and drivers from Bickington, Newton Abbot, Liverton, Heathfield and Buckfastleigh come to us for exhaust and emissions work. Ask for a quote and mention your registration, whether the car is petrol or diesel, and exactly when the problem appears, whether on hills, at idle or from cold.