Water leaking from exhaust

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2000LSMichael

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When I started my car this morning (which is stored away for the winter) and after running for approx. 10 min, when I shut it off a puddle of water started to collect underneath the driver's side exhaust.

I saw this last winter - is this just condensation from the cold weather (it was probably 30 degrees here this morning)?? Curious if this happens to anyone else (mine is a 2000 V8).
 
It's condensation. Ain't chemistry grand?? :D

Although the exhaust system is made of stainless steel, you should make sure you run the car long enough to heat up the exhaust system (including the mufflers) so that the condensation is driven off. Otherwise, the water could corrode the system from the inside out.
 
Thanks for the input. I hope my exhaust doesn't rust - I would hate to be forced to put on a new Magnaflow exhaust system.
 
It's not condensation. When your cats convert the spent gases from carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide what remains is H2O/water. This tells me your cats are doing what there supposed too. When water stops coming out is when you have problems.
 
Drnaline said:
It's not condensation. When your cats convert the spent gases from carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide what remains is H2O/water. This tells me your cats are doing what there supposed too. When water stops coming out is when you have problems.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but it really is condensation. Not to get too techincal, it results from the gaseous H20 you mentioned above cooling to below the dew point in the exhaust pipes. That happens because the exhaust system is relatively cool when the engine is started. Once those pipes are hot enough, the water stays in the vapor state until it exits the tailpipe.
 
ToddG said:
Sorry, but it really is condensation. Not to get too techincal, it results from the gaseous H20 you mentioned above cooling to below the dew point in the exhaust pipes. That happens because the exhaust system is relatively cool when the engine is started. Once those pipes are hot enough, the water stays in the vapor state until it exits the tailpipe.
Click to expand...
"Gasoline does not contain water, as has been claimed in some other answers. However, water is a by-product of the combustion of gasoline. Gasoline does contain hydrogen, and when gasoline is burned, some of that hydrogen combines with the oxygen being used to burn it, producing water.
"
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/42882
 
piipii.jpg


http://www.stuff.co.nz/blogs/coolkit/2008/05/23/finally-a-chance-to-pee-like-a-man/:confused:
 
:lol: that's a fun game... but without the wii controller and in a real public bathroom :D
 
Drnaline said:
"Gasoline does not contain water, as has been claimed in some other answers. However, water is a by-product of the combustion of gasoline. Gasoline does contain hydrogen, and when gasoline is burned, some of that hydrogen combines with the oxygen being used to burn it, producing water.
"
http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/42882
Click to expand...

Thanks for confirming the chemistry for everyone. Of course, I know all this already. The combustion referred to in the passage you mentioned above takes place in the GASEOUS state, so that the water produced is a VAPOR. Same goes when the gases are passed through the catalytic converter -- water in the VAPOR state is produced. When the VAPOR cools, it turns to LIQUID water, which is what is seen coming out of the tailpipes. The process of changing from a VAPOR to a LIQUID is called CONDENSATION. Therefore, the water coming out of the tailpipe can properly be called a condensate or CONDENSATION.

Any questions class?
 
ToddG said:
Thanks for confirming the chemistry for everyone. Of course, I know all this already. The combustion referred to in the passage you mentioned above takes place in the GASEOUS state, so that the water produced is a VAPOR. Same goes when the gases are passed through the catalytic converter -- water in the VAPOR state is produced. When the VAPOR cools, it turns to LIQUID water, which is what is seen coming out of the tailpipes. The process of changing from a VAPOR to a LIQUID is called CONDENSATION. Therefore, the water coming out of the tailpipe can properly be called a condensate or CONDENSATION.

Any questions class?
Click to expand...

todd has peed the furthest and with the accuracy of a sniper. Well said

eww BURN!
 
ToddG, you are going to miss us LS's now that you have an MKS aren't you. :Bang :D
 
OK, funny story. . .

Way back in elementary school some kids used to have pissin' contests to see who could stand farthest from the urinal and still hit the target. One day when this was going on an exuberant and goofy kid came running into the bathroom. He ran right through two streams before he relalized what hit him.

To this day I can't help but laugh when I remember that episode.
 
From my same link.

ToddG said:
Thanks for confirming the chemistry for everyone. Of course, I know all this already. The combustion referred to in the passage you mentioned above takes place in the GASEOUS state, so that the water produced is a VAPOR. Same goes when the gases are passed through the catalytic converter -- water in the VAPOR state is produced. When the VAPOR cools, it turns to LIQUID water, which is what is seen coming out of the tailpipes. The process of changing from a VAPOR to a LIQUID is called CONDENSATION. Therefore, the water coming out of the tailpipe can properly be called a condensate or CONDENSATION.

Any questions class?
Click to expand...
From my same link.

"If we look into the chemical make-up of gasoline we will notice that it is made of Carbon, Hydrogen and then requires oxygen to combust. After the reaction, the by products are Carbon Dioxide and water. After we balance the equation it will look something like this:
2 C8H18 + 25 O2 to 16 CO2 + 18 H2O. You will notice that the byproduct contains water. This is part of the reason it contains water. Most of this is vaporized because of the intense heat created during combustion. Depending on the type of exhaust system the car has, the vapor may or may not condense on the inside of the exhaust pipes. This would lead to the appearance that it is dripping water. Also water can be either in the gas tank of the car or in the gas you purchase. The water is NOT part of the gas, but is separated and just ends up in your tank. Your fuel pump will pump the water into your motor and it will be vaporized and then be expelled out your exhaust system. Depending on if you have large or trace amounts of water it could effect how your vehicle operates."

Water is a byproduct regardless of whether is condenses or not.
 
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