The content of the article:
- Varieties of corrugation
- Most popular manufacturers
- Choice in a car shop - what to look for
- The procedure for performing work when replacing a vibration compensator
The exhaust system is one of the fundamentally important parts of a car. It is he who provides the engine with the ability to emit exhaust gases. All modern exhaust systems have in their design a vibration compensator, or, in common parlance, "corrugation".
This part prevents the transfer of vibration from a running engine to the exhaust system itself, thereby prolonging the life of this important structural unit. Being in constant vibration, the corrugation periodically deteriorates. It is impossible to fix it, there is only one way out - to acquire and install a new part.
Varieties of corrugation
In order for the vibration compensator to serve for a long time, it must have two main characteristics:
- elasticity (expressed in the optimal combination of the tightness of the corrugated material, the density of the braid and the quality of the tension of the cylindrical part);
- long working life (depends mainly on the quality of the material used).
In the automotive industry, vibration compensators of two types are used. When choosing a part to replace a worn-out one, it is imperative to find out what type of corrugation was installed on a given car model:
- Vertically installed corrugation. The vibration damper is mounted under the exhaust manifold of the vehicle's exhaust system. During the operation of the engine, it deforms into straightening and compression. The length of such a vibration compensator is less than 15 cm, and its inner diameter does not exceed 6.5 cm.
- Horizontally installed corrugation. This type of vibration compensator is predominantly deformed by bending. The part is attached after the 1st elbow of the receiving pipe, counting from the engine. With the same diameter of 6.5 cm, the length of the corrugation of this type reaches 40 cm.
Most popular manufacturers
There are three types of corrugations on the market:
- single-layer, consisting of a metal hose and an outer braid;
- two-layer, consisting of a metal hose, outer and inner braiding;
- three-layer (most popular) - corrugated two-layer metal hose, additional rolled inner sleeve and outer braid.
If we approach the choice of corrugation from the standpoint of the manufacturer's demand, we can distinguish three main companies whose products are present in our car markets:
Hydra
A German manufacturer offering the most durable vibration dampers characterized by high quality damping of resonant vibrations.
The part has a high level of elasticity, which ensures smooth deformation in any direction vector. This corrugation is often used on German-made cars and on "Koreans" with a V-type engine.
Interlock
Polish company with assembly shops in the PRC. Produces three-layer, high-quality corrugations that can protect the exhaust system even from sudden jerks. The part has a good safety margin and a long service life.
Material - stainless steel, difficult to compress. Great for cars with in-line number of cylinders.
Innerbraid
In fact, Innerbraid corrugations are a simplified, cheaper version of Interlock corrugations, made in the same China. This three-layer corrugation does not have a metal hose in its design and is not designed for such high loads as its more expensive counterparts. As a rule, such a corrugation is installed on an E-class car with not too powerful engines. Car enthusiasts are attracted by the relatively low cost and increased elasticity of the part, which is achieved due to the lightness of the design.
Choice in a car shop - what to look for
If there is a need to purchase corrugation in a car shop where there are no products from reputable manufacturers, you will have to choose on the basis of inspection and analysis of the offered assortment. Most of the corrugations on the domestic market come from China. However, this does not mean that all of them are necessarily of poor quality - various Chinese manufacturers offer parts that are very different in characteristics.
Most corrugations are similar in structure and are subdivided into only two types: not reinforced and reinforced. Inside the reinforced corrugations there is a so-called reinforcement hose, which somewhat extends the service life of the part. At the same time, if the reinforced corrugation is made of low quality steel, the reinforcement hose will not help it very much.
Thus, we come to the main qualitative difference between corrugations of different brands and manufacturers - the material of manufacture. The reliability and service life of the vibration compensator, however, as well as its cost, depend on what steel the part is made of.
The wide variation in the quality of the steel used can be explained by the fact that in production for the manufacture of corrugations of the same configuration there is no need to reconfigure the machines, and there will still be a buyer for a cheap part, unlike someone who is ready to pay a tidy sum for a corrugation of the highest quality ...
How to choose a part made of high quality steel? Pay attention to the following characteristics:
- the heavier the corrugation, the better the material of its manufacture;
- good steel shows a "noble" shine - the worse the steel, the more matte it will be;
- the corrugation should have thick end rings (caps) - they cook well and hold for a long time;
- the braid of the part should be as tight as possible - this will provide the best resistance to the load.
Speaking about the density of the braid, we should separately mention a special class of corrugations - "soft" corrugations for premium cars. They can be used on cars of the brands Audi, BMW, Меrсedes. If initially a “soft” type vibration compensator was installed on the model, you should not try to find a “hard” replacement for it - it will not last long. The reason for this situation is in the design features of the exhaust system of certain models of the listed brands.
If at first glance several types of corrugations look similar, you can check the quality of the steel with a magnet: the magnet is weakly attracted to a high-quality corrugation or does not hold at all on its surface. On steel of lower quality, the magnet will hold firmly without being gripped by your hand.
The average lifespan of a high-quality corrugation is 8-10 years. A fake or just a low-quality part will last a maximum of 2-3 years.
Length matters!
Corrugation of any kind is placed with an overlap on the pipe. The reason for this constructive solution is to ensure the integral safety of all sections of the pipe that exit into the nozzles at the moment when the weld is cut off.
If, nevertheless, it is not possible to “cleanly” cut off the old vibration compensator for any reason, you need to choose a corrugation that will be two or three centimeters longer than the old one. In doing so, it is important to check whether the new, longer corrugation can fit into the intake pipe.
The procedure for performing work when replacing a vibration compensator
Removing a broken corrugation
Before starting work, just in case, you should stock up on new sealing rubber bands that will be installed on the muffler, and a fastening bracket that will hold the receiving pipe on the body of the car (if such a bracket is used in the structure). In addition, you will need seals or gaskets to fit under the engine exhaust manifold.
Remove the nuts from the exhaust manifold studs. Also unscrew the nuts on the opposite side of the receiving pipe. Remove the loose part.
The old vibration compensator should be removed by cutting it off with a grinder saw. It is important to do this so that, as a result of your actions, the integrity of the flange and the intake pipe itself is not compromised. Try to be extremely careful to remove only the weld without affecting the rest.
If for some reason it is impossible to remove the broken vibration compensator with a grinder, try to solve the problem by using a chisel: with it you can knock down the old welding. Remember to perform this operation with caution.
Mount a new part
After the old vibration compensator is dismantled from the car, both parts of the receiver pipe must be mounted in place and new rubber bands must be installed on the muffler.
The vibration compensator to be installed must be built into the system so that it stands freely and is not under stress either by compression, or by tension or bending.
When the receiving pipe parts are secured, spot weld the new corrugation and remove the receiving pipe. The fixed corrugation can be welded over the entire diameter of the joint. It is necessary to weld in such a way that the pipes consisting of two rings put on each other are interconnected by their rings. In doing so, the outer ring will hold the outer metal braid, which protects the part from external damage.
When the welding work is completed, it remains to return the receiving pipe with new rings and gaskets in its place and put the bracket over it.
Often in the service station you can hear that a self-installed corrugation does not serve for a long time, but in fact the reason is only in the quality of the corrugation itself or in a possible non-observance of the technology and sequence of operations. If you do all the work carefully, a self-installed corrugation will last no less than a part that was installed in a service station.
