Have you ever seen water coming from the exhaust of a car? This is because your exhaust pipe contains water vapor. The water vapor is from combusted fuel.
But you must properly investigate the reason water is leaking out from the exhaust joints. This assures you of the real cause and that you don’t damage your car further.
Your vehicle’s exhaust works by getting rid of gases and other by-products created from the combustion of fuel, which takes place in the combustion chamber behind the cylinder.
When you turn off your engine, the water vapor becomes a liquid, and this is what is leaking from the exhaust.
A persistent flow of water coming out of the exhaust for a long time is not normal. There are other unfavorable conditions that make water flow out from your vehicle’s exhaust. Here are signs to let you know that something is wrong and the possible cause.
Causes of Water Dripping Out from the Exhaust of My Vehicle
Some motorists are not aware it is possible for water to drip from or come out of the exhaust of their vehicles under normal conditions.
More often than not, this happens for natural reasons. It does not necessarily mean that there is a problem with your vehicle.
So calm down, all right? It is probably nothing to be concerned about. Here are the symptoms and causes of water dripping from the exhaust:
#1. Water Condensation of the Engine.
Water condensation is one of the other major causes of water dripping from the exhaust. The minute you start the engine in your vehicle, combustion will take place, producing a mix of water and vapor.
When you are driving, you will see only vapor (smoke) coming from your exhaust. When you park the vehicle, the vapor condenses into water. The water then flows from your vehicle through the exhaust. This case is not above the village, don’t panic!
#2. The Heat from the Engine.
People in a cold environment are likely to see water coming from the exhaust of the vehicle more often than those living in a temperate environment. This is due to the fact that the engine has to give off high temperatures to perform appropriately.
When you start the engine of the vehicle, most of the components in the whole system give off more heat, all because of the temperature of the environment.
So if you are seeing water from that exhaust when you are parked, more often the reason will be the heat of the engine and cool air from the environment.
#3. Damaged Piston.
If you observe that there is some black smoke and water coming out of the exhaust, it may be a faulty piston. This shows that something badly needs to be done.
It can be difficult to locate the fault, and you may require the assistance of a professional expert. This can also be characterized by some smell from the exhaust.
As soon as you notice, park your car elsewhere and have it towed to the mechanic’s shop. Faulty piston rings may also cause the excessive escape of smoke and water from another vehicle’s exhaust.
Ignoring this can cause much damage to many engine components, thus reducing its performance drastically.
#4. Blown Head Gasket.
White smoke and water dripping from the middle of the exhaust is a sign of a blown head gasket. The head gasket leaks can be a result of overheating.
When the engine component overheats, the heat causes it to swell, and it warps, making it detach from the seals and gaskets. This eventually gets to a point of leakage.
The head gasket is supposed to keep the coolant flowing through the engine; a leakage would mean the engine overheats.
This problem should be deals within second you discover it. If you do not, it may lead to serious damage, which may not be repairable.
#5. The Catalytic Converter.
Most times having water dripping from the catalytic converter is normal. The catalytic converter reduces the amount of vapor from escaping before a vehicle’s exhaust comes out.
The converter makes your vehicle friendly to the environment by reducing the adverse effects of air pollution through the reduction of smoke.
The catalytic converter helps convert the adverse effects and gases formed into harmless substances, either in liquid or gas form. If water comes out from the exhaust of your vehicle, it may mean everything is working perfectly.
#6. Flood.
And someone will say, I found water in my exhaust pipe. What is wrong? Another is that you passed the vehicle through a flood.
When you pass the vehicle through a flood, water may enter the exhaust pipe.
This may cause your vehicle’s engine to turn off suddenly. That is one reason why you should not put water in the exhaust pipe.
When you pass through the flood, the water in the exhaust pipe should drain out completely after a few minutes. You should not drive your vehicles through flood, as it can affect how the engine performs.
Is It Normal If Water Drips From Exhaust?
Sometimes the water that comes out from the exhaust pipe may be a result of normal causes. Examples of such normal causes are water condensation, catalytic converter action, or engine heat.
If it is due to these, then there is no cause to alarm.
However, as we have seen above, there are some other factors that can lead to water dripping from the tailpipe. It is advisable to take your car to a mechanic for inspection if you have water dripping from your exhaust after ruling out the normal causes.
Water condensation is a natural effect that can cause water to drip from your vehicle. While you are driving, the combustion process is taking place at the same time, creating a mixture of both water and gas.
When the car cools down, you start to see the water droplets dripping from the exhaust. This happens as a result of the gas condensation. This is a perfectly normal thing, and it happens to every vehicle.
Another normal reason is due to the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter helps to nullify the effect of the poisonous gases that are produced as a result of fuel combustion.
This unit is also responsible for reducing the amount of gas that is produced by your vehicle’s exhaust.
Water coming out of the exhaust may mean that your catalytic converter is working perfectly.
Vehicles in a very cold environment are more likely to bring out water from their exhaust. The different component parts of the vehicle’s engine system have to maintain a high temperature in order to perform effectively.
Final Words
Although there are normal reasons for draining water from your exhaust, you want to ensure that this isn’t occurring due to a faulty system.
The information above answers the question of why water is dripping from the tailpipe. If you’re unsure of the actual cause, the best thing you can do is to have it checked.
Taking the required measures in time can save you a lot on repairs. I’m sure you must have learned something new by reading the article, and you now know your car a little bit better.
Do let us know if you have any questions about this article, and share what you think in the comment section.