Exhaust Woes

"ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper" (thedlo)
02/24/2017 at 11:39 • Filed to: None

(dont mind the gap, this was before the adjustable coilovers)

There’s a foreign object in my exhaust and its making an amazing rattling sound.

I’m going to try using a magnet on the outside, if the sound stops then I know its metal, if not, its a rock or some such.

I dont want to pull it apart cause most of the bolts look like they would love me trying their resolve. And the day I do pull it apart it would be to replace it with far better quality metal from the turbo back.

My car is old, but I rather it not sound like its falling apart! LOL

Cheers.

DISCUSSION (32)

Matt Nichelson > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 11:42

Foreign object in a foreign car huh?

Rico > Matt Nichelson
02/24/2017 at 11:45

All foreign everything

Ash78, voting early and often > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 11:46

My sister-in-law’s boyfriend just bought a ‘95 A6 2.8, which is extremely rare around here. I think I see one about once every 6 months, and that’s having a very keen eye for VAG cars. I was proud of him...only has 150k on the clock. I immediately thought of your wagon.

Matt Nichelson > Rico
02/24/2017 at 11:46

Foreign all the things

crowmolly > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 11:46

Where in the exhaust? Converter?

Ash78, voting early and often > Matt Nichelson
02/24/2017 at 11:49

We should just build a firewall to put an end to this.

Ash78, voting early and often > crowmolly
02/24/2017 at 11:49

Coming here to ask this. Hit the cat gently with a rubber mallet. You’ll know. More often than not, it’s loose heat shielding or something more benign.

Comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 11:56

Drill some holes:

http://jalopnik.com/the-ford-mustang-gt350-has-holes-in-the-exhaust-for-the-1792364176

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > crowmolly
02/24/2017 at 11:59

No, after, its just pipe after the converters, so something making its way to the lowest part naturally. I did a bunch of tests, Had it on ramps, while the wifey payed with the throttle, the noise is coming from the inside, no heat shield contact etc.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Ash78, voting early and often
02/24/2017 at 12:03

No heat shield contact, it was the first thing I checked. The sound seems to be from a few feet back from the cats, right before the rear tires, which is the lowest part on the exhaust.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Ash78, voting early and often
02/24/2017 at 12:03

Nice! They have a charm about them.

crowmolly > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 12:04

Just pipe? If so, got a shop vac? you can probably attach a garden hose to it and give the exhaust a colonoscopy.

Ash78, voting early and often > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 12:05

If it’s anything like my 2.8 B5, you should be able to unbolt the middle section (which contains the cat) and then fish a coat hanger or something back in there to free up whatever it is. Very weird that a pebble might have worked its way past the muffler and resonator.

wiffleballtony > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 12:05

Don’t worry ICE will take care of that for you

crowmolly > Ash78, voting early and often
02/24/2017 at 12:09

I’m thinking it may be cat substrate. Maybe?

Roadster Man > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 12:11

Put it on jack stands and shake it, that should at least tell you where it’s at. Maybe some strategic cutting and welding (by you or a shop) can solve it.

Ash78, voting early and often > crowmolly
02/24/2017 at 12:11

Good call...when the cat internals break up, the chunks could be small enough to move backwards, especially in a beastly engine like this :D

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > crowmolly
02/24/2017 at 12:12

That sounds like an excellent Idea!

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > wiffleballtony
02/24/2017 at 12:12

LMFAO!

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Roadster Man
02/24/2017 at 12:14

Someone suggested using a garden hose and shop vac, which would work since its straight pipe after the cats.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Ash78, voting early and often
02/24/2017 at 12:16

I dont thing the 22 year old bolts will like that idea. Crowmolly suggested a shop vac and garden hoes, and it would work since there are no mufflers or resonators after the cats.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > crowmolly
02/24/2017 at 12:17

I feel like that would just blow out at WOT.

Ash78, voting early and often > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 12:18

Probably so...since you have no mufflers or resonator, I’m thinking we’re back to a small rock. Time to drill Ford-style “relief holes” in the low points of your exhaust?

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Comes over to help work on your car and only drinks beer
02/24/2017 at 12:20

Ha, I thought of that. But then Id have to plug it afterwords. I might feed a vacuum hose into it.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 13:18

How can you be sure it’s foreign and not domestic? Did you check to see where the object was made?

/jk

JGrabowMSt > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
02/24/2017 at 19:59

The warm weather made my squeaky bushings calm down a bit.

Maybe try some choice words, always works wonders for me.

Also, we need to get together sometime, maybe we should make it a double date to Roy Thai!

Noah - Now with more boost. > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
03/17/2017 at 14:35

- sensible question: could it be a rattling heat shield right next to the exhaust? I have that problem when it’s cold.

- crazy idea: if you can’t find it with the magnets then maybe the hole drilling someone suggested + one of those little LED light + camera on a stick deals could help.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/17/2017 at 14:44

I Solved it, it was one of the rods that hold the 2 pipes together, it was coming off its welds. I just cut it out, now we’re rattle free.

Noah - Now with more boost. > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
03/17/2017 at 15:16

nice! thx for replying with the solution, I’ll have to check that out on my car. It also has straight pipes instead of the last set of mufflers so that could be it.

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/17/2017 at 15:30

You’re welcome.

I used a mechanics stethoscope, and while the car was on, and over ramps I shifted the exhaust around to and listened to the pipes at different parts to find the exact spot. It was crazy, cause you couldn’t see that it was coming off the welds, but with the stethoscope it was able to determine that it was coming from that spot. So I just hammered it off lol.

Noah - Now with more boost. > ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper
03/17/2017 at 15:35

lol the ridiculousness of that situation is classic working on cars BS. Tools needed: stethoscope, hammer. Problem: invisible

ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/17/2017 at 15:46

Me after I fixed it:

Kinja'd!!!