Exhaust Repairs in Pounds Gate

Pounds Gate is a small rural hamlet on narrow lanes near the Dartmoor edge. Drivers here deal with gradients, tight bends and cold starts, and the exhaust carries on working through all of it until something finally gives.

Automaster, at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, repairs and replaces exhausts and diagnoses catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters and emissions faults for petrol and diesel vehicles. Here is what to watch for and what to include when you ask for a quote.

What are the warning signs of exhaust failure?

Start with the sound. A deepening growl, a puffing noise or a tinny buzz are common. Next look for rust staining or sooty marks near joints, and for a pipe hanging at an odd angle.

Fuel use can climb and power can drop, because the engine management relies on exhaust sensors, and gradients make a loss of power much easier to notice. If the engine warning light is lit alongside a noise, the two may be connected.

• Growl or puffing sound
• Tinny buzz from a loose shield
• Rust staining and soot marks
• Engine warning light

Can rural driving clog a diesel particulate filter?

It can if most trips are short. The filter needs a long period of heat to burn off soot. A quick run along the lanes and home again falls short, and the filter progressively blocks. The dash light is the first request for attention.

If it appears, consult the handbook, drive steadily for longer if you can do so safely, and ask us to look if it stays lit. A blockage left alone can lead to limp mode and a bigger repair.

How do you find out why emissions are high?

We start by reading fault codes, then look at live data from the oxygen sensors and other readings. A physical check follows, covering the pipes, joints, catalytic converter and mounts. The aim is to identify a worn component, a leak or an engine fault that is affecting the gases leaving the car.

Fitting a part without proof is a gamble, so diagnosis comes first. Petrol engines are tested too, and a misfire, a worn sensor or a damaged converter can all push readings out of range at an MOT, so this applies to petrol cars as much as diesels.

When must I stop driving?

If fumes enter the cabin, if the engine overheats, if the car suddenly loses most of its power or if a part is dragging on the road, stop in a safe place. Exhaust gas contains carbon monoxide, so a leak into the passenger area is never something to live with.

Can drivers from Pounds Gate use Automaster?

Yes. Distance from the main roads is no barrier. We are at Longcombe Cross near Totnes, and drivers from the surrounding countryside, including Pounds Gate, Caton, Buckfastleigh, Bickington and South Brent, bring their cars to us. When you ask for a quote, tell us the make, model and registration, whether it is petrol or diesel, and describe the noise, smell or light. That helps us explain which parts may be involved.