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HELP...sounds like i got a civic exhaust now....wtf

2K views 21 replies 8 participants last post by  Black94ES 
#1 ·
ok ive had a rattling...i thought it was my catylectic convertet shield...when id hit the gas...i could hear it rattle more...and when i start my car you can hear it...its under the car...pretty sure it was the converter shield...ne way last night i was backing out of my driveway and the rattling stopped...but now...it sounds like i have some sort of an exhaust...similar to a civic but a little deeper...whats the problem and is it safe to drive it like this?could my shield falling off cause this? even tho i didnt see it in the yard...HELP
 
#2 ·
Aviation said:
ok ive had a rattling...i thought it was my catylectic convertet shield...when id hit the gas...i could hear it rattle more...and when i start my car you can hear it...its under the car...pretty sure it was the converter shield...ne way last night i was backing out of my driveway and the rattling stopped...but now...it sounds like i have some sort of an exhaust...similar to a civic but a little deeper...whats the problem and is it safe to drive it like this?could my shield falling off cause this? even tho i didnt see it in the yard...HELP
It could be the shield, but it also could be the catalytic converter self-destructing. Converters have been known to break apart internally when they get old and corroded, and I assume hard pieces can travel down the exhaust and get lodged along the way.

Not trying to scare you--just trying to throw out some other possibilities....
 
#5 ·
Kinda sounds like a loose downpipe/header/cat to me. Loose exhaust pipeing near the engine will have a rattle sound to it. Is it really loud?
 
#6 ·
its not exactly a rattle...imagine having a loose shield on ur converer...its kinda a vibrate/rattle...and gets louder as there is more gas...now that rattle is gone...and it sounds like a civic exhaust...is my converer messed or what could cause it
 
#7 ·
I had a rattling that I thought was my converter shield. It turned out that the passenger side precat was just barely making contact with the control arm brace. It would only rattle at idle or low rpm.
 
#8 ·
I just noticed that on my concorde last night too, when i came to a stop and started driving again it sounded almost like a power steering problem but i was like, im not turning or anything and it did it, so i sat there and right around 2k rpms i could here it rattling, just haven't gotten under the car yet from the weather here lately.
 
#13 ·
I had an annoying rattle in my '93 3.3L and it turned out to be the bolts holding the front pipes to the exhaust manifolds. they use a pinch-nut type bolt and if they have been removed and re-used they may loosen and in that case they need to be replaced. not a hard job but a little awkward to get to... :D
 
#15 ·
also...could it be a blown cat...would that do that? or more likely a loose or disconnected pipe?remember the sound and area...

ecship...i had a rattle before..but then when i backed out of my driveway the rattle stopped and the aftermarket exhaust sound started....what could it be?
 
#16 ·
On the 1st gen. (3.3's anyways) there are 2 separate front pipes,each with a pre-cat, that then go into the main cat which has 2 inlets. could be a cracked pipe or one of the clamps broke and the front pipe is separating from the main cat. the pipes connect to the main cat right in the center of the car just about in line with the front of the doors.. that's where I would start looking..also that is the only place on the OEM system there there are clamps , the rest of it is welded..
 
#17 ·
Aviation said:
thanks argus lol sorry about that i just been angry about my car...i hate driving it like this...if it is the pre cat area...what do i check for and what would i need to do? connect loose pipes with new bolts?
It can be frustrating. Be patient, and help will come. ;)

Like I mentioned previously in the post. Check the cat. It is in the area you are referring to where the noise is coming from. Here is something straight from alldata:

LOOSE CORE
If the exhaust system rattles during engine operation, check the catalytic converter for a loose core. With the vehicle raised (for access), tap the catalytic converter with a rubber mallet. If the converter rattles, the core is loose and the converter must be replaced.
 
#19 ·
Aviation said:
also...could it be a blown cat...would that do that? or more likely a loose or disconnected pipe?remember the sound and area...

ecship...i had a rattle before..but then when i backed out of my driveway the rattle stopped and the aftermarket exhaust sound started....what could it be?
Yes it could be a blown cat, that happened to our old 94 New Yorker. We knew the sheild was bad and were taking it in in a couple days, and the day before we took it in for our appointment the whole lower half of the cat rotted off and it sounded like a really powerful civic, but it also made the interior smell like exhaust.
 
#20 ·
ok i still have about 3 and a half weeks left on my "initial" warranty from the dealership...isnt everything covered on that? the guy at the place is giving me problems...also...this problem was around when i got the car but it went away, then it came back...then it got worse...i got one thing fixed a month ago that was wrong with the car the first day also...a wheel bearing...and the e brake...both are requred for inspection...so it leade me to beleive...they have faulty stickers...since they have their own garage...what should i do or say to get this fixed
 
#22 · (Edited)
Sounds like you have two exhaust problems.

Could be your pre-cats (from what others here have said).

Could be your main Cat (get this fixed ASAP, the increased backpressure from the cat breaking down will cause the EGR valve to fail and it's not cheap)

Could be the muffler

Screw the dealership, go to an exhaust shop, they'll be able to tell you what the problem is real quick.
 
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