What did I do to my car?

[SatCam]

The other night after I took a wrong turn I was turning around in someones driveway and as I was backing out I didnt realize how close the other side of the street was and I accidently backed into what I think was just snow and frozen ground. I was doing about 5mph but it was a pretty loud thump when I hit.

The only damage I can see on my car is that there is a 2-3inch crack running up the bottom of my back bumper, but now when I start my car it sounds a little rough and when idling and sometimes driving there is a noticable vibration. Im kindve dont really have any money so is there anything I can check myself before I bring it in to be looked at? The car is an 09 honda civic with 11k miles

[topless_mike]

probably knocked your muffler and exhaust pipe loose.
check the muffler and the cat.

[IMSlacker]

You probably backed over a sleeping hobo. It happens.

[west milly Tom]

Its totaled. Donate it to Kars for Kids.

[Dude!]

this is the kind of thing
80-year-olds do

[ANC]

Its totaled. Donate it to Kars for Kids.

What's the phone number??

[Zipgun]

probably knocked your muffler and exhaust pipe loose.
check the muffler and the cat.

Likely correct. Or at least along those lines.

The reason your engine would have a rough idle because of that would be that you do not have the proper back-pressure towards the engine.

[west milly Tom]

What's the phone number??



Not sure I think they're listed ;)

[~Katja~]

probably knocked your muffler and exhaust pipe loose.
check the muffler and the cat.
what does his cat have to do with his car?

[topless_mike]

normally, in american cars, the hamster runs in the wheel, thus providing forward propulsion.
since those japanese are the world's number 1 fans of Tom and Jerry, they use a cat and mouse system. him backing up may have knocked the cat wheel off center, and the cat wheel and mouse wheel may be rubbing together.

[A.J.]

what does his cat have to do with his car?

http://tobyspinks.com/images/toonces_thedrivingcat.jpg

[topless_mike]

What's the phone number??

yeah, tell 'em about the discount Harry.....

[instrument]

if you're lucky its just the exhaust, if you're unlucky it'll be up front at the exhaust manifold.

[SatCam]

probably knocked your muffler and exhaust pipe loose.
check the muffler and the cat.

normally, in american cars, the hamster runs in the wheel, thus providing forward propulsion.
since those japanese are the world's number 1 fans of Tom and Jerry, they use a cat and mouse system. him backing up may have knocked the cat wheel off center, and the cat wheel and mouse wheel may be rubbing together.

i like these two answers the best. thanks guys

[opie's twisted balls]

normally, in american cars, the hamster runs in the wheel, thus providing forward propulsion.
since those japanese are the world's number 1 fans of Tom and Jerry, they use a cat and mouse system. him backing up may have knocked the cat wheel off center, and the cat wheel and mouse wheel may be rubbing together.
maybe SatCam could pull the gerbil out of his ass and use that as a temporary fix

[sr71blackbird]

Was it an SUV?


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[Chigworthy]

I'll elaborate on what others have said:

I did the same thing years ago and found that I had bent the end of the exhaust, which kinked it almost shut. It sounded silly, but ran fine. I stuck a tire iron in the end of the pipe and bent it somewhat back to normal and forgot about it.

[SatCam]

I'll elaborate on what others have said:

I did the same thing years ago and found that I had bent the end of the exhaust, which kinked it almost shut. It sounded silly, but ran fine. I stuck a tire iron in the end of the pipe and bent it somewhat back to normal and forgot about it.

The exhaust was the first thing I checked after i crashed. Right away there was a noticeable sound coming from the exhaust when the car was running, but there is no visible damage I can see. I think I'll have to take it down to a mechanic and get it up on a lift to see whats up

[midwestjeff]

I didnt realize how close the other side of the street was and I accidently backed into what I think was just snow and frozen ground. I was doing about 5mph.
i crashed

Grandma?

Is that you?

[Chigworthy]

The exhaust was the first thing I checked after i crashed. Right away there was a noticeable sound coming from the exhaust when the car was running, but there is no visible damage I can see. I think I'll have to take it down to a mechanic and get it up on a lift to see whats up

Take a look (when the muffler and pipe are cool!) with a flashlight, on top and all around, particularly where there are welds; you may have cracked a weld. If you find one, you will know what to ask for at a muffler shop and won't get screwed. Look at the seams and welds on the muffler as well, the pipe may have shoved into it enough to damage it.

[Devo37]

what did i do to my car ('95 Sentra)???

i put in a quart of oil today, and i must've forgot to put the oil cap back on.

i drove a few miles, and i saw smoke coming from under the hood. i figured it was just some oil that had dripped on the engine that was burning off, but i pulled over to check. when i popped the hood, the oil cap was missing and it looked like an oil bomb had gone off. oil was splashed everywhere!

i stopped by an auto store to get a replacement cap and wiped down the engine, but now my Check Engine light is on!

could it be a sensor in the oil reservoir that doesn't like the replacement cap, or could all of that oil splashing around have done some damage.

please, dear Oracle, what did i do to my car?? :glurps:

[Chigworthy]

what did i do to my car ('95 Sentra)???

i put in a quart of oil today, and i must've forgot to put the oil cap back on.

i drove a few miles, and i saw smoke coming from under the hood. i figured it was just some oil that had dripped on the engine that was burning off, but i pulled over to check. when i popped the hood, the oil cap was missing and it looked like an oil bomb had gone off. oil was splashed everywhere!

i stopped by an auto store to get a replacement cap and wiped down the engine, but now my Check Engine light is on!

could it be a sensor in the oil reservoir that doesn't like the replacement cap, or could all of that oil splashing around have done some damage.

please, dear Oracle, what did i do to my car?? :glurps:



You forgot to replace the oil you blew all over the road when the cap was off. How long did you drive it without the cap and then after the cap with no replaced oil?

[Devo37]

You forgot to replace the oil you blew all over the road when the cap was off. How long did you drive it without the cap and then after the cap with no replaced oil?

i drove about 3 miles with the oil cap missing before i noticed the problem. then when i popped the hood and saw the mess, i added about half a quart from an emergency quart i had in the trunk (no Check Engine light during that time). then i drove another mile or so to an auto shop, still no Check Engine light.

the Check Engine didn't come on until after i stopped at the auto shop. i'll check the oil in the morning, but the Oil light never came on, just the Check Engine.

i'm just hoping that a stupid mistake won't make my car fail its next inspection (which isn't for several months), so we'll see what happens....

[SatCam]

So I got it up on the lift today and there's a nice kink in the exaust pipe about halfway between the tailpipe and the engine. So now I have a whole new pipe on order


what did i do to my car ('95 Sentra)???

i put in a quart of oil today, and i must've forgot to put the oil cap back on.

i drove a few miles, and i saw smoke coming from under the hood. i figured it was just some oil that had dripped on the engine that was burning off, but i pulled over to check. when i popped the hood, the oil cap was missing and it looked like an oil bomb had gone off. oil was splashed everywhere!

i stopped by an auto store to get a replacement cap and wiped down the engine, but now my Check Engine light is on!

could it be a sensor in the oil reservoir that doesn't like the replacement cap, or could all of that oil splashing around have done some damage.

please, dear Oracle, what did i do to my car?? :glurps:



Bring it to autozone and have them check the code

[opie's twisted balls]

Check Engine light is on!
I'm sure autozone/pepboys/etc. are like the shops up here. Ask if you can borrow their ODB-II code reader and you can tell what's causing the check engine light to come on and if it was just an intermittent or temporary problem clear the error from the car's memory. Enhanced readers display a brief description of the problem (i.e. throttle Position Sensor Circuit A/T), more basic ones will just display a code (i.e. P1705) that you'll use as a reference (http://www.obd-codes.com/trouble_codes/nissan/)

Bring it to autozone and have them check the code
Not sure why I typed out my reply......I need sleep

[SatCam]

So the price my mechanic quoted me today is $600 for the cost of the pipe and its installation. What do you guys think?

[Zipgun]

So the price my mechanic quoted me today is $600 for the cost of the pipe and its installation. What do you guys think?



I think you're out $600 and need to pay more attention while driving.

[Jughead]

Take a look (when the muffler and pipe are cool!) with a flashlight, on top and all around, particularly where there are welds; you may have cracked a weld. If you find one, you will know what to ask for at a muffler shop and won't get screwed. Look at the seams and welds on the muffler as well, the pipe may have shoved into it enough to damage it.

Exactly right But 600 bucks????? You guys pay way to much for everything according to my screwdar...

[Jughead]

So the price my mechanic quoted me today is $600 for the cost of the pipe and its installation. What do you guys think?

By the way this sounds like an insurance claim Mr 500 deductible :huh:

[Section 8]

I had a new dual exhaust put on my Mustang last year at a repair shop, new Flowmaster mufflers and all...

It ran me $500...

If this is one pipe and one muffler, you're getting fleeced.

[SatCam]

Im going to stop by a shop that can put in an aftermarket exhaust and get a quote. I dont think theyre trying to screw me over, I think the OEM part is just way overpriced

[FromUndaCheese]

I installed a new catback on my mustang a couple of months ago in an apartment parking lot. if I can do it with 2 jackstands, you surely can find someone to help you with it or do it yourself. it doesn't take a bunch of technical shit to put a new pipe in.