Dear Car Talk: When I was a kid, many years ago (wearing my Davy Crockett coonskin cap), my friends and I wondered what would happen if we crammed a potato into the exhaust pipe of a car. We figured the exhaust would build up and eventually shoot out the potato like a cannonball from a cannon.
- Fortunately, we never tried it.
- For one thing, we wouldn’t be around to see what would happen.
- For another, our mothers wouldn’t give us a potato.
- Now, all these many years later (and without the Davy Crockett cap), I’m still wondering: What would happen? Thanks! — Dave It’s not too late to try it, Dave.
I’m sure you can find a Davy Crockett cap on eBay. And your mother’s probably pretty old by now, so you probably can slip a potato by her at this point. Then you can try to lodge the potato in your wife’s car. What’ll happen — if the engine’s running, and you secure the potato in there tightly — is that the car will stall.
If you block the exhaust gases from getting out through the tailpipe, there will be no room for fresh air to get into the combustion chambers, and the engine won’t be able to run. Or, if the car is not running when you install the potato, the car will start up and run briefly, and then stall. If you want the potato to shoot out of the tailpipe, you’ll have to be a little more deliberate.
Try one of those little, red new potatoes. You’ll have to make it fit perfectly inside the tailpipe — not too loose, not too tight. Bring a potato peeler with you so you can make last-minute adjustments. Then it should work like a peashooter. If you have a buddy punch the gas and rev the engine, that potato ought to come flying out pretty quickly.
What happens if you put a banana in a tailpipe?
Axel Foley is awfully slippery. Hey! Mind outta the gutter, please. You’ve got someone on your tail. Could be a cop, the local bully, or a very persistent Loan Shark, You could try to slow them down by shoving a banana (or potato, or similar sized object) in the tailpipe or muffler of their car.
That way, you could give yourself time to escape and have a good laugh at the victim’s expense as their car sputters and churns and fails to go anywhere. If the script calls for it, the car might even explode, If only it worked like that in real life. A banana or a single potato jammed into the tailpipe will probably be ejected at high speed.
Completely blocking the tailpipe of a car with something that can’t simply be blown out (which can be as simple as more bananas) will smother the engine, but will not set the car on fire. A subtrope of Vehicular Sabotage, Contrast Weaponized Exhaust, which this sort of thing should theoretically prevent.
What can cause a muffler to explode?
What could cause a muffler to explode? A partial exhaust system replacement or engine overhaul will abrade substandard parts. Factory-installed mufflers fall into this category, unfortunately. Next fuel rich modifications detonate as ‘backfire’ inside the exhaust system.
What happens if you block a cars exhaust?
Many have made this prank attempt of stuffing cork, fruit, branchs or something else in the any expensive supercar’s exhaust pipe. WHY?! We are not here to answer this for all those who have. as we know how simple pranks can become a big problem for car owners.
- This mindless prank clogging inevitably increases the gas pressure in the self-regulating air pump and leads to the following two conditions: car stalling or rejection.
- Let us explore these situations.
- Say for instance you owned this Lamborghini Huracan Preformante, what actually happens when an object is stuffed inside your car’s exhaust pipe? What occurs when a bush/cork is stuffed in a car exhaust pipe of Lamborghini Huracan Performante ? When you shove a bush/cork or any other food in the exhaust pipe system, it eventually blocks the airflow and the engine will not start.
As a result, one of the two things can take place: 
1. The stall ing or block of Lamborghini’s engine In general: If the object fits the exhaust system properly with minimal or no air gaps, it will definitely cause cracks in the pipe. These breakdowns slowly leak smoke inside the car and cause the car to stall.
As a result, there is no fresh air to exhaust and it eventually ceases operations. This disrupts the operation of the engine and causes it to malfunction and die altogether. Therefore, something may break and it will no longer be funny. But if are considering “Lamborghini Huracan Performante” which has engine power of 630HP and V-10 engine with 8000 RPM, a n ordinary object or fruit may not withstand with this high power or less chance of damage the engine.
Because this car has enough power to shoot out the obstacle from tailpipe. For this car this situation may fall under case 2, explained below.2. S hooting out the bush/cork from exhaust pipe On the other hand, the object is blown out before creating enough pressure to damage the engine.
The engine’s starter motor applies heavy torque, rotates the pump and eventually creates less backspace. Thereby, the object can be filmed in a complex flight path. You do not have to worry (much). In this case, your car will recover. (To learn more about the flight path of projectiles stay tuned in our mechanics section!) Many people find this funny but they need to understand that it is a dangerous act.
It will damage your vehicle forever and could potentially hurt you. If the object is under-marked or does not fit properly into the exhaust pipe, it will take nothing, it will in turn slide down from the exhaust pipe and will not affect the car’s engine. 
Photo: Kline Innovation Thankfully this Lamborghini Huracan Performante will not affected by the ordinary obstacle due to high engine power and torque capacity, a whooping 442 lb-ft.
What happens if you poke holes in your exhaust?
The exhaust collects discarded gases from engine cylinders into one pipe. These gases are then delivered to the exhaust pipe where they are dissipated into the atmosphere. Driving with an exhaust leak is a dangerous because of. by Valerie Johnston on December 22, 2015 The exhaust collects discarded gases from engine cylinders into one pipe. These gases are then delivered to the exhaust pipe where they are dissipated into the atmosphere. Driving with an exhaust leak is a dangerous because of potential fires, and the fumes you will inhale while driving. Some things to watch out for include:
If your engine is making a popping noise or you hear a puffing sound that could mean a leak in the exhaust manifold. The exhaust manifold is part of the exhaust system that collects the exhaust, so with a hole in it, all the exhaust will escape. If you notice these signs, you should have your vehicle checked out by a professional mechanic right away. A hole in your exhaust can allow the exhaust fumes to seep into the interior of your vehicle. This can expose you to carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a gas that can causes you to feel ill. Symptoms of exposure to carbon monoxide include: nausea, vomiting, cold, and flu-like symptoms. Prolonged exposure to carbon monoxide is hazardous for both children and adults and can potentially be fatal. If you smell exhaust fumes inside of your vehicle, have it checked out by a mechanic as soon as possible. The exhaust helps to control the emissions that are released into the atmosphere. Having a hole in the exhaust can increase these emissions and harm the environment. Most vehicles have to pass emission tests, so a hole in your exhaust may prevent your vehicle from passing the emission test administered by the Environmental Protection Agency. If you suspect a hole in your exhaust, you can examine the muffler yourself. With the car off and the parking brake on, look at the muffler of your vehicle. If you notice heavy rust, wear, or a hole in your exhaust, make an appointment with a mechanic to get it fixed as soon as possible. Rust on the outside can mean even more of a problem on the inside of the muffler, so it is best to have a professional look at it.
Driving with a hole in your muffler is potentially dangerous. Exhaust fumes leaks into the interior of your vehicle and exposes you and your loved ones to carbon monoxide. Furthermore, a hole in the exhaust pollutes the environment more than a properly working exhaust.
How do you ruin an exhaust pipe?
The most common result of shoving a banana or potato in a tailpipe–according to examples and testimonies from experts and everyday users–is that the object wedged in the pipe will shoot out before enough pressure builds to damage the engine.
What does a banana do to a car?
‘Putting a banana in your vehicle’s exhaust can be extremely dangerous and will have no beneficial effect on emissions. The object will either be propelled out of the exhaust or cause a build-up of emissions, which will eventually cause the engine to stall ‘ explains David Johnson.
How do I make my exhaust backfire?
2. Backfire From the Start (Older Cars Only) – If you have an older car that’s naturally aspirated, there’s a pretty simple hack to get it to backfire. However, this can only be done from a complete stop and won’t ever work on the highway. It’s very important that you don’t do this inside of a closed environment like a garage because the fumes can be fatal. Datsun 280Z First, start your car. Let it rev normally for a little bit. Put your foot on the gas pedal and turn off the vehicle. Keep your foot on the pedal for a little bit. For me, it works after about 30 seconds of keeping the car off with the pedal down.
What makes an exhaust pop?
What causes a car to pop and bang? – “Pops and bangs” are created by unburned fuel in the exhaust system. When excess fuel enters the exhaust system it increases in temperature and ignites inside the exhaust instead of the combustion chamber. The noise can be exaggerated by fitting a decat or full decat exhaust system. But the main cause of pops and bangs is the ECU and the fuelling of the car. 
How do I make my car backfire with deceleration?
Download Article Download Article The term ‘backfiring’ describes any instance where car fuel is combusting somewhere other than the combustion engine. While this is usually something you’ll want to avoid, an explosion in the exhaust or air intake systems will have a pretty impressive effect.
- 1 Consider the reasons that cars backfire. While backfiring can be done manually with relative ease in old cars, it’s important you have an understanding of what backfiring is, and what causes it. A misplaced spark or unexpected burst of fuel or air will cause a loud burst from the engine.
- It’s important to keep in mind the reasons why regulating systems were installed in the first place. Excessive backfiring is very unhealthy for your vehicle, and can ultimately result in having to replace parts.
- 2 Start your vehicle. Bring it to a steady rev. Prepare the vehicle as you regularly would. Normal safety checks (including dripping oil) are much more important here, as you’ll be charging an open flame.
- The location in which you do this must be open, and relatively free of things that might get caught by the flame.
Does sugar in the fuel tank work?
As the legend goes, the sugar will dissolve in the gas tank. Then, when the gas is brought up into the engine, the dissolved sugar will caramelize. This then coats the engine’s components, completely ruining it. However, the truth is that sugar does not dissolve in gasoline.
Why do some cars have 4 exhaust pipes?
Asked by: Lawrence Cuthbert, Jarrow An ordinary car’s exhaust is designed to duct toxic gases away from the engine and through a catalytic converter (to remove some of the pollutants) and a silencer (to reduce engine noise). The diameter of an exhaust pipe, and the number of twists and turns it takes, affects the friction on the escaping gases, which increases the back pressure at the cylinders.
This increases the energy required to push the gas out the exhaust pipe and thus reduces the engine’s torque. Using wider pipes or dual exhausts reduces the wall friction and back pressure, so torque increases. But if the pipes are too big, the gas expands, cools and slows down, which makes it harder to push out, so the back pressure increases and torque drops again.
Most ‘showy’ exhaust pipes are too large for their engine and reduce torque at all but the highest rev ranges. Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.
Where can I cut my exhaust to make it louder?
1. Drill Holes in Exhaust ($0-$25) – The least recommended, but the cheapest way to create a louder exhaust sound is to drill small holes in the exhaust which will cause an exhaust leak and therefore create a louder sound. With your power drill and 3/8″ bit, you simply put four to six holes in the exhaust pipe.
These holes should be drilled before the muffler but after the catalytic converter. If you put it before the cat, you could allow dangerous gases to enter the atmosphere. As the engine releases sound, the waves will make their way through the system, but a few will escape through the holes before they can be quieted through the muffler.
However, this method is definitely not recommended over the others as it can lead to more exhaust fumes in the cabin which is bad for your health. It can also lead to your car failing a smog test, If you have an annual inspection of the car in your country, it can also cause problems.
Who put the banana in the tail pipe?
If you have seen the movie Beverly Hills Cop, then you might be familiar with the scene where the main character, Axel Foley, shoves a few bananas up a car’s exhaust tailpipe to stall out a car.
Who said banana in the tailpipe?
Axel Foley : What? Y’all the second team? Detective McCabe : We’re the first team. Detective Foster : Yeah, and we’re not gonna fall for a banana in the tailpipe. Axel Foley : You’re not gonna fall for the banana in the tailpipe? It should be more natural, brother.
Can I eat bananas in the morning?
– While eating a banana on its own might not be ideal as a breakfast meal, enjoying a banana before your morning meal or as part of a balanced breakfast could be beneficial. In fact, one medium banana contains about 3 grams of fiber, a plant compound that slows stomach emptying to increase feelings of fullness and support regularity ( 1, 8 ).
- Unripe green bananas also contain a specific type of fiber called resistant starch, which resists digestion in the gastrointestinal tract and promotes gut health ( 9 ).
- Bananas are likewise a great source of several key nutrients that your body needs, including potassium and vitamin C ( 1 ).
- Potassium is involved in fluid balance and muscle contractions and may help reduce your blood pressure ( 10 ).
Meanwhile, vitamin C supports the immune system and may help protect against inflammation and chronic disease ( 11 ). summary Eating bananas before breakfast or as part of a balanced meal may help promote satiety and aid digestive health. Bananas contain several important micronutrients, including potassium and vitamin C.
- The location in which you do this must be open, and relatively free of things that might get caught by the flame.