A car’s muffler is an extremely important and at the same time very vulnerable element of a vehicle’s internal combustion engine design. Muffler replacement is not a simple and cheap procedure. Therefore, many motorists are looking for ways to help them maximize the life of this part.

The practice of making a small hole in the muffler of the car appeared quite a long time ago. As is often the case, this “people’s” advice has both its supporters and its opponents. Nevertheless, a large number of motorists have been drilling a muffler for decades in each of their cars out of the belief that the implementation of this procedure will help extend the maximum life of the expensive part. So what’s the catch?

The fact is that condensation accumulates in the car’s muffler over time. The main reason for the formation of the fluid is the temperature difference between the exhaust duct and the muffler itself. Hot gas comes out of the exhaust tract into the muffler at a temperature of 200C. Part of the liquid formed eventually boils out of the muffler and bursts with the rest of the gases as vapor to the outside. However, there is always a possibility that some amount of condensate will still remain bubbling around inside the part. Needless to say, the water begins to affect the metal, and in the winter time also regularly freezes.

In order to avoid water accumulation in the muffler motorists and make a hole with a diameter of 2.5-3 mm. You can not do less, because otherwise due to capillary tension water will not be able to leave the muffler through the hole. The hole should be drilled close to the edge where water can drain off completely. The hole allows you to prolong the life of the muffler by reducing the risk of corrosion. However, this “machination” has also negative consequences – the noise from the car operation, including in the cabin will become a little more. To drill or not to drill a muffler, each motorist decides on his own risk.
