Exhaust or driveshaft problem....

[CarTrader29]

I recently noticed something was either hitting the exhaust or driveshaft. I think its the heat sheild that is in the front between the cat and driveshaft. Is it possible to remove or cut this piece out? Its really annoying. It happens most of the time for alittle bit but goes away later on. I went under the car and was shaking the exhaust pipe and notice the cat hitting the heat sheild but I doubt thats it cuz the faster I accellerate the faster the tapping sound makes. I pushed the sheild abit away from the cat and driveshaft and there is some slight clearance.

 

[eagetal96]

i had the exact same problem, i took it took an exhaust shop and they just took a plyers and ripped it out, havent heard any noise since. im sure you could just do it yourself too but i thought it was something more serious at the time

 

[CarTrader29]

i guess i'll rip it out this weekend.

 

[CarTrader29]

anyother possibility that it could be something else? I'd like to make a quick list on what areas to check.

 

[Greg Collier]

It could be the cat is completely burnt out.

 

[CarTrader29]

Ok I bent the heat shield back(the one between the driveshaft and cat) and its still doing it. The odd thing is when I drive and brake lightly it does that tapping shit. The minute I step on the brake hard it goes away. How do I tell if its the heat shield on the brakes?

 

[Greg Collier]

Have you ruled out a cv joint?

 

[CarTrader29]

well the thing is... this started happening after I swapped my rims with a fellow member. I know what a cv joint thats bad sounds like and what symptoms. I have a feeling its a heat shield at the brakes... just dont understand why it would tap sometimes and not all the time. Maybe one is bent somehow?

 

[CarTrader29]

ANyone?

 

[CarTrader29]

still making noise on the way to work..... anyone have any ideas?

 

[Greg Collier]

Possibly one of your brake pads is rubbing against the rotor or the dust sheild. Lift the car and spin the wheels.

 

[CarTrader29]

how can the brake pad rub on the dust shield?

 

[Greg Collier]

The rotor.........not the pad. The pad against the rotor, or the rotor against the dust shield. You said the noise started after you changed the wheels, maybe it's the rim rubbing against something. Raise the car and spin the wheels.

 

[CarTrader29]

its not a grinding sound its a clunking sound. I know the rim isnt an issue cuz its OEM. Plus I had 18s before and went down to 17. I even bent the dust sheild away from the rotors and its still doing it. It sounds like its coming from the driverside rear. I have no idea where to start. And also like I said before it doesnt make the noise all the time but its frequent. Its like if I took a hammer and hit your exhaust pipe. It makes a clunking sound. Faster I drive the faster it clunks untill the sound goes away....

 

[CarTrader29]

I know now this is brake related. When I got home it was clunking. I parked the car and started stepping on the brakes. I could hear slight clunking sounds from the rear driverside. Everytime I step on the brake I hear a light clunk. Is this the Dust sheild?

 

[Greg Collier]

I would have to say NO. A deep clunking sound, sounds more like a drive shaft , CV joint, strut, spring, sway bar, something more substantial than a thin dust shield. Are the lug nuts tight?

 

[CarTrader29]

yea there on tight... what explains me being at idle at a stand still and applying the brakes and hearing a clunk? When I step on the brakes I can hear it sometimes. I bent the sheild back and I didnt hear consecutive clunks like before but when I'm on the highway and local street and apply the brakes I hear a clunk sometimes. It almost sounds as though I took a rock and hit the dust sheild. You can feel the clunk like the driveshaft. I can just hear it.

 

[Greg Collier]

You mean you "can't" feel it "just" hear it? So when you apply the brakes the car crouches down and you hear the noise. At the begining of this problem it made a tapping noise at the front of the car the faster you went. Then you bent the cat heat shield back. Now you think it's something at the back when the back the brakes are applied and you can hear it at a stand still when you apply the brakes. It's all just kinda shooting in the dark. If you push down on the back of the car can you hear a noise? I'd pull the rear wheels off and look at the calipers, pads, dust shields, CV joints, struts, etc. Look inside the rims if there is any new scuff marks.

 

[CarTrader29]

Will do! I'll let u know whats going on. Thanks for being the only person determined to help me...

 

[Greg Collier]

No problem.................

 

[binaryrotary]

Whats wrong again exactly? Just kidding. Put it up in the air and check everything over. It's got to be the exhaust. Brakes wouldnt clunk unless the pad was seated in the rotor improperly. Check over your u-joints.

Ben
2003 Mazdaspeed Protege
1990 Eagle Talon TSI

 

[CarTrader29]

I'll probably check this tomorrow if its not too cold... :laugh: