Muffler on E450 leaking moisture.

[benagi]

Has anyone had this problem. You know when you first start a vehicle, moisture usually comes out of the exhaust pipe. That is normal. But when I have moisture dripping on the ground just below muffler, there is something wrong. Looks like it is coming out of the seams of the
muffler. Won't take long for this to rust out along with a major exhaust leak. Guess I need to take this problem to Ford and not CW. Our unit is less than a year old.

[nomad297]

Many/most mufflers have drain holes for condensation. This is probably "leaking" by design.

Bruce

[Mars]

Originally Posted by nomad297

Many/most mufflers have drain holes for condensation. This is probably "leaking" by design.

Bruce

X2 That's the norm so they do not rust out too fast. Even the stainless ones have a small drain hole.

[davel1971]

normal. Don't worry about it.

[Sc00ter]

Yep every vehicle we have has a weep hole at the bottom of the muffler. Better to let the water out than to stay in the muffler.

[5picker]

It is not uncommon for moisture to leak from a muffler, pipe joint or any other area that is joined in some way. It is the nature of the beast.

[mike.t]

All newer vehicles drip.

[Springerdad]

Originally Posted by mike.t

All newer vehicles drip.

It's been that way for as long as the hills are old. As was said, it's a drain hole to let all that acidic water drain out so the muffler doesn't rot prematurely. Be glad it's doing it's job.

[keith_h]

Our 2015 F-150 has weep holes to let any pooled moisture drip out instead of sitting in the muffler and rusting it out faster. After coming from much older vehicles that didn't have them it was a surprise when I first saw the little puddles but it made sense once I found out what they were for.

[rad_jr]

Water is one of the results of the chemical reaction that occurs when exhaust gasses pass through the catalytic converter, much of which gets caught in the muffler. Since the muffler is so far from the engine (especially in one of our units), it doesn't get hot enough to boil off the water that it catches...hence the weep holes.

[DaGrinch]

Glad I saw this. I, too, probably would have freaked out if I saw water pooling under my new 3010DS. But the reasoning is sound - long exhaust system, can't get the muffler hot enough to evaporate the water.

[mike.t]

Springerdad I was implying vehicles with Cats when I said newer.

Originally Posted by rad_jr

Water is one of the results of the chemical reaction that occurs when exhaust gasses pass through the catalytic converter, much of which gets caught in the muffler. Since the muffler is so far from the engine (especially in one of our units), it doesn't get hot enough to boil off the water that it catches...hence the weep holes.

[benagi]

Thx for all the replies. Never noticed this on our cars in the past. This is the first I have heard of weep holes. Nice to know this is normal. One other question. Do exhaust gases come out of those weep holes and if so, is it anything to worry about?

[Sc00ter]

As mentioned above with water being a byproduct of the combustion process... If it leaks out of the weep hole, some exhaust will too. The amount will be very small. I wouldn't lay under it and breathe the air there, but I wouldn't stress it. I would be more concerned where the output of the tailpipe is. I.e. Pointed into someone else's camper door or if still at home, pointed into the garage.

[mike.t]

"Do exhaust gases come out of those weep holes and if so, is it anything to worry about?"
Really?

[Springerdad]

Originally Posted by mike.t

Springerdad I was implying vehicles with Cats when I said newer.

Mike - before the cat 'lights off' and starts it's job, there's going to be water vapor headed down the exhaust to the muffler, which will condense - until the cat gets hot enough, which happens pretty quick. Those cats will run at 1000 degrees or more. They have to for the catalyst to work. Once That cat lights off, you no longer have carbon monoxide, but carbon dioxide and water vapor. That hot gas is going to head down the exhaust and dry things out. Anyone with an infrared thermometer ever taken a reading of their exhast systems after a highway run? We watch egt's on our diesels,,,,,, I can see egt's of 12000 degrees on a pull with my camper regularly. All that heat goes,,,,, down the tail pipe.

EDIT - I should add that depending on engine, exhaust configuration, and muffler baffle placement, a muffler may or may not have a weep hole. Generally. The farther downstream it is, the more likely you wil. have one. Some engineer somewhere in the Big Tower decided all that.

[vasnipe]

My 1997 Honda CRV had the weep hole in the muffler.
Dealer (stealer?) failed it on a state inspection and tried to tell me that I needed a whole new exhaust system. From stem to stern, like abut $700 or so. Ummm, no. I didn't fall off the turnip truck this morning.
Told them to slap a rejection sticker on it and took it to a private muffler shop who took one look and said it was fine. Took the car to my regular mechanical type and he said the same. No problem, the weep hole is there for a purpose.
Guess that dealer (really a stealer in this case?) thought he had a live one...

My 2006 Sunseeker E450 muffler weeps a bit until things are really warmed up.
10 years old and going strong.

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