The longevity of muffler and pipes depends on what kind of steel the
components are made of, how pipes are routed under the car, where
the muffler is located, and whether or not the vehicle has a
catalytic converter.
Original equipment pipes made of aluminumized steel generally last
five to seven years, except in areas with a lot of road salt and
moisture. In these areas, pipes may need replacing after three to
five years.
Original equipment pipes made of stainless steel (which are used
from the converter forward on most cars and for the entire exhaust
system on some) can last up to 10 years or more.
Most aftermarket pipes, by comparison, are made of ordinary steel
which is good for about three to five years of service. Aluminumized
and stainless pipes are better, but cost more.
With mufflers, stainless holds up the best, followed by doublesided
galvanized steel. Single-sided galvanized and aluminumized hold up
fairly well, while plain steel offers little or no corrosion
resistance.
As a rule, the hotter a muffler runs the longer it lasts. Mufflers
on vehicles with catalytic converters run hotter and last longer
than those on older vehicles without converters. Mufflers located
ahead of the rear axle last longer than those located aft of the
rear axle.
Mufflers rust from the inside out. Rust is caused by moisture in the
exhaust. Moisture condenses in the muffler when the engine is shut
off and the muffler starts to cool. Some mufflers have a small pin
hole that allows condensation to seep out.
One aftermarket muffler manufacturer puts a small packet of a
special moisture absorbing chemical inside some of their mufflers to
fight internal corrosion.
A muffler that needs replacing is an opportunity to sell clamps,
pipes, hangers and any special tools that might be needed to
complete the job.
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