nsnell19

Please forgive me if this has already been discussed, but I did a search and didn't find anything so.....

My muffler is rattling and clanging something awful. I have an aftermarket muffler on there, the Magnaflow Turbo. Its out of warranty. At low rpms and idle it rattles really loudly and sounds almost like banging a tin can with a big metal spoon. The sound is very tinny. Sometimes it doesn't make the sound at all and sometimes it will only make the sound when the car has been on for a while. Usually when I first start her up it doesn't make that sound. But if I run some errands and start and stop her...but the time I get back home it's rattling horribly. Once I step on the gas to go, it stops.

I took it to a muffler shop and they looked at it and said the muffler was shot. He didn't put it on a lift just got down on the ground to look at it and he shook the muffler and you could hear it rattle. He said thats because everything inside was loose and just moving around. It's $120 for a new muffler...a generic one.

I'm going to take it in for a 2nd opinion. Do you guys think it could just be a loose bolt? The heat shield? Lose exhaust hanger? I really want to avoid getting a new muffler if I can help it.

Also, how much different is the sound going to be with a generic muffler vs. the Magnaflow?

Thanks in advance! I appreciate it!

DOMINION

Sounds like the CAT is dead. Been driving your car with out warming it up have you?
A new CAT could run about $250-$300.

expo1

Since the exhaust is not supported by bolts I doubt that. But we don't know what kind of job was done during the last install. If you look at THIS you will see 4 posts that stick out from the exhaust, those hold up the exhaust quite tight. They go into rubber mounts. A loose heat shield could cause that noise but without photos it would be hard to tell. You should try looking for an used OEM exhaust, you might even get one for free.

nsnell19

I live in LA, my job is only 2 miles away and it doesn't get cold here really, so I don't warm it up very often. Never had a problem with it before, and I've had her for 3yrs. It's a 2004. I don't have an exhaust system, just the Magnaflow muffler my brother had installed when he had the car.

The sound is coming from the rear, not under the car. And when I stop the car and tap on the exhaust pipes with my foot I can hear the sound (not as loud of course, but the same frequency and type of noise) that it makes when it idles or is at low rpms. Would that still be the cat?

I'm taking it in to a different muffler shop on Saturday to see what they say once they put it on a lift and have a really good look. Maybe they'll have an OEM muffler I can get for cheap. Otherwise should I check online for folks in my area that might have one?

Thanks!

swoope

iTrader: (5)

sounds more like a loose cat heat shield.

beers

swoope

iTrader: (5)

more die spamer.

beers