Rattling Exhaust

[JayCizzo]

I've been hearing this really annoying rattling coming from my exhaust. Took it in to the place that did my Flowmaster muffler and found out that my cat converter has broken loose inside the down pipe. I'm dropping it off at Saturn today. If had some extra cash I'd be tempted to just buy a ZZP or something but I need to try the warrantee route first. Anyone else have this happen?

[TheWastedYears]

I've had it happen on my Jeep. It's quite possibly the most annoying rattle known to man.

Hopefully your dealership doesn't try to blame it on your aftermarket muffler. Some people have gotten that treatment.

Good luck.

[JayCizzo]

Thanks, hopefully they will cooperate. So far, I have no complaints with this dealership. I'll report back tomorrow with how it turns out.

[bc3tech]

my annoying rattle is my exhaust loose at the tip.... i fucking HATE driving at <760rpms now.... good god i wanna shoot myself. i'm too lazy to fix it :no:

[JayCizzo]

Well, I got the call from Saturn, and big surprise, they are saying they can't get it fixed under warrantee. They are claiming that the entire exhaust has been moved forward (implying that the muffler guy did this) and that is what is causing the rattling, not a broken catalytic converter. I am waiting for the service tech to call and explain this to me in detail (I will be taking notes). Then I will call my exhaust shop guy and see what he says. :disgust:

[bc3tech]

Well, I got the call from Saturn, and big surprise, they are saying they can't get it fixed under warrantee. They are claiming that the entire exhaust has been moved forward (implying that the muffler guy did this) and that is what is causing the rattling, not a broken catalytic converter. I am waiting for the service tech to call and explain this to me in detail (I will be taking notes). Then I will call my exhaust shop guy and see what he says. :disgust:
too bad it wasn't the cat homie... gov't warantee ftw! let us know how it pans out tho

[RL_Clark]

Good luck with that. Of course, if they can find ANY way to get out of paying for it, they will. I'm surprised Saturn of CC didn't say anything about my traction bars and/or DRs when I took it in for the coolant leak. Although, the problem has been ongoing since before the stage II install.
Anyhow, good luck, hopefully they fix it!

[JayCizzo]

too bad it wasn't the cat homie... gov't warantee ftw! let us know how it pans out tho

Well I'm not convinced that it isn't the cat. The exhaust is saying one thing, Saturn's saying another. I would just like to know what the problem is, regardless of whether it's covered under warrantee, so I can get it fixed.

[TheWastedYears]

It IS possible that the exhaust was moved forward, but I kinda doubt it. That's typically something that you hear immediately.

You can always get a 3rd opinion, and then call Saturn HQ to complain.

Did Saturn say what exactly is rattling? If the exhaust has been moved, I would assume that there would be evidence of rubbing. I would request to see that evidence.

[JayCizzo]

Did Saturn say what exactly is rattling? If the exhaust has been moved, I would assume that there would be evidence of rubbing. I would request to see that evidence.

That makes sense. When the service tech calls me back I will ask him these questions. Thanks.

If it ends up being the cat converter I may just replace the downpipe w/ a perf one. What are everyone's opinions on brand and cat vs. no cat?

[RL_Clark]

If you want to stay legal, go with cat. If you don't care, obviously go catless. Warranty wise, if you go anything other than GMPP, they're going to probably void your warranty on any future problems. And they will try to find some way to link said problem to your "performance exhaust system"

[bc3tech]

That makes sense. When the service tech calls me back I will ask him these questions. Thanks.

If it ends up being the cat converter I may just replace the downpipe w/ a perf one. What are everyone's opinions on brand and cat vs. no cat?
i'm a fan of custom stuff anymore... just so much cheaper for the same shit. other than that i've heard nothing but good stuff about ZZP's header/dp combo, so their DP should be pretty good, if you can get it separate.

[bc3tech]

If you want to stay legal, go with cat. If you don't care, obviously go catless. Warranty wise, if you go anything other than GMPP, they're going to probably void your warranty on any future problems. And they will try to find some way to link said problem to your "performance exhaust system"
they can't do that though unless the exhaust is the cause of the problem.... Magnusson-Moss act

[JayCizzo]

If you want to stay legal, go with cat. If you don't care, obviously go catless. Warranty wise, if you go anything other than GMPP, they're going to probably void your warranty on any future problems. And they will try to find some way to link said problem to your "performance exhaust system"

Well if I end up getting a new DP it will be because Saturn didn't honor my warrantee so I won't care about voiding an already voided warrantee. But is the legal angle the only deciding factor? Will the exhaust be to loud and obnoxious without a cat?

[RL_Clark]

Like I said, they will try to find a way to link it. As long as they can't directly link the problem to your aftermarket mod, you're golden.
The local dealership said something about possible warranty voidage if I installed my Garrett H/E. I argued that it's a part that will actually improve the thermal efficiency, thus the life, of the engine. Also, that if something went wrong with the i/c system due to my aftermarket h/e, i'd fix it myself or pay for it. They tried to say that had I installed it, this coolant issue wouldn't have been under warranty. Mind you, it's the engine coolant I'm having issues with, NOT i/c coolant.

Well if I end up getting a new DP it will be because Saturn didn't honor my warrantee so I won't care about voiding an already voided warrantee. But is the legal angle the only deciding factor? Will the exhaust be to loud and obnoxious without a cat?

In my personal experiences, yes and no.
1987 Toyota p/u with 22R motor: no cat, Turbo Muffler, and new pipe all the way back. Sounded nearly stock, not too loud at all until the mani rusted out.
2001 Saturn L300 with L81 3.0L V6: Magnaflow Muffler, 2.5" pipe, Magnaflow high-flow metal core cat: Loud as holy hell. It sounded mean upon start up, but DAMN! If I got on it, I think people across town knew.

[bc3tech]

get a hi-flo resonator :D

[JayCizzo]

I already have a glasspack resonator. That made a huge difference over the stock resonator. It eliminated the raspyness when at high RPM's and gave it a nice low tone.

[bc3tech]

I already have a glasspack resonator. That made a huge difference over the stock resonator. It eliminated the raspyness when at high RPM's and gave it a nice low tone.
really? exactly what i need... brand / price / vendor?

[JayCizzo]

http://www.jonesexhaust.com/PDFs/0906WebGlasspack13-16.pdf

Pretty sure mine was the A3534S-8

[bc3tech]

http://www.jonesexhaust.com/PDFs/0906WebGlasspack13-16.pdf

Pretty sure mine was the A3534S-8
there is no 3534 :freak: :lol:

[JayCizzo]

Ooops, I meant A3524S-8

It was 29" total length, 2.5" in/out. Not sure if the casing was 2.5, 3, or 3.5.

Oh and BTW, :thefinger:

[bc3tech]

Ooops, I meant A3524S-8

It was 29" total length, 2.5" in/out. Not sure if the casing was 2.5, 3, or 3.5.

Oh and BTW, :thefinger:
:nofu:

[Ahriman is BRUTAL]

mine is rattling all ghetto sounding and shit too... but its b/c my moroso spiral flow is falling apart... just like everybody esles.

[TheWastedYears]

I'm SO glad I never bought aftermarket for my car. They all seem to be shit.

[Ahriman is BRUTAL]

I'm SO glad I never bought aftermarket for my car. They all seem to be shit.

what? resonators? only ones i have ever heard of anybody haveing a problem with is the moroso's, and thats only people who are running stage tune fuel maps and whatnot. its too rich, to much fuel goes down the exhaust it gets to hott and the welds in the spriral melt... :shrug:

[JayCizzo]

Well, I picked up my car yesterday. It seems the problem is not as cut and dry as once thought. The rattling is intermittent and the tech hadn't even heard it until they put my car on the lift while I was there. Basically I'm screwed on warrantee work if it is my cat because the exhaust shop cut into my down pipe to make the resonator fit.

Also, the tech said he's had two redlines have the cats go and each time it was a massive drop in power, which I'm not having. So...it could be that some of the welds in my Flowmaster muffler have come undone inside.

I will take it back to the exhaust shop and have the guy look at it more thoroughly.

[bc3tech]

yeah i gotta say the times i've heard about cats going, or getting clogged anyway, it's nearly always accompanied by a severe loss in power and, on an F/I car, a noticible drop in boost numbers. :shrug:

thanks for the update :)

[RL_Clark]

When my cat crapped on the L300, it was definitely a loss in power. By loss of power, I mean, the car was not driveable (max speed I could obtain was ~15mph).

[bc3tech]

When my cat crapped on the L300, it was definitely a loss in power. By loss of power, I mean, the car was not driveable (max speed I could obtain was ~15mph).
:jawdrop:

[TheWastedYears]

On our cars, it's typically an increase in boost. Like.... stupidly high numbers. 18psi on a stock pulley, etc.

Best thing to do is get under the car and bang on the exhaust from one end to the other.