by Jack Y.M
Many people use duct tape to solve a variety of problems around the house. There are many different types of duct tapes available, but what about using them for car exhaust problems?
Can you use duct tape to seal car exhaust cracks? You can, but you’ll want to be careful.
Duct tape can, in fact, be used to patch up minor holes or leaks on the exhaust manifold of your vehicle. However, it isn’t really designed for this purpose and definitely won’t stand up to long-term exposure to high heat.
If you decide to use it, you’ll need to make sure that the area is clean before applying. A substance such as soapy water can help you identify exactly where the leak is – then you can patch up the hole properly.
The duct tape will serve only as a temporary solution. Taking your car to a mechanic for a permanent patch is recommended.
Despite these drawbacks, there are some good reasons why you might want to use duct tape on your vehicle. For example, you can use it as a temporary fix while you’re waiting for car parts to be shipped to you.
You can watch the following youtube video that shows how to use duct tape in order to fix your car exhaust.
Table of Contents
How to use duct tape on car exhaust pipe?
When you have an exhaust leak, you’ll want to make sure you do it right and get the best possible results. Here are some tips you should keep in mind:
- Clean the area you’re going to work on. This will ensure you have a nice, smooth surface for your fix. Since you’ll most likely be using duct tape (or foil tape), you don’t want any additional debris causing problems later.
- Use soapy water to locate the hole or crack you’re going to be patching. You may have to use a flashlight in order to see it, you don’t want your duct tape job turning into a guessing game where you’re taping over everything you see!
- Necessary tools: you’ll need things like sandpaper and old rags you don’t mind throwing away.
- You’ll want to apply heat to the area you’re repairing to soften it up and make your work easier. You can use a blow dryer or other tool for this, but you should be very careful not to burn yourself!
- Once you have your hole repaired or your leak plugged, you’ll need to apply heat again to ensure that you’ve sealed the area properly. You should only use a blow dryer for this.
- Now you can wrap your exhaust pipes with duct tape. Make sure you wrap it tightly to ensure you get the best results – you may even want to double-up your tape for added protection.
- After you’ve done this, you’ll also want to check your exhaust manifold for leaks again (if you were able to find that hole in the first place). You’ll want to do this with the car turned on and in gear, so you can be sure you don’t have any further problems.
- Duct tape that you use as a sealant should not stand up to long-term exposure to heat – you’ll need to fix your exhaust leak properly at some point. Keeping an eye out for those under-the-hood signs of trouble you learned about in your car care class is a good way you could save yourself some time and money.
Can you use foil tape on car exhaust?
Using foil tape in order to fix exhaust leaks? The simple answer is Yes. I used an $8 aluminum foil tape and metal rods to seal the cracks. I put two strips of foil tape in multiple directions so there were no weak spots and holes.
Can you use a flex seal on car exhaust?
Yes, you can! I have used Flex Seal around the car exhaust manifold. The flex seal worked really well.
You can get a real good seal by spraying the flex seal on top of your exhaust manifold. Flex Seal is very effective and cheap to use.
Another benefit is that you can paint Flex Seal, so you wouldn’t even have to replace your whole car exhaust if you wanted to fix an area or two. I had multiple small leaks around the exhaust manifold area and you can’t even see it.
Can you use jb weld on a car exhaust?
According to https://www.jbweld.com, it is better not to use jb weld on a car exhaust, because of the extreme temperatures of exhaust systems. As you know, the muffler temperature could get up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.
Conclusion
So, can you use duct tape on your car exhaust? Yes, you can, you can use it around your car exhaust manifold, or exhaust pipes. Flex seal is also a good option. Personally, I used aluminum foil tape which works well.
