Rattling MX-3

[UKMX-3]

At the moment my car has numerous issue, all of which are annoying because i cant get my new alloys until they are fixed.

Here's a list.

Drivers side Ball joint is dead, makes a ratcheting noise when the steering is turned.

- new ball joints supplied and fitted £97 per side

Need new front brake pads, very squeeky

- new pads, EBC greenstuff fastroad pads £100 fitted

Old clutch is dead, long live the new clutch

-either OEM MX3/Probe/MX6 or Upgrade i think about £360 fitted

Suspension arm top Bushings dead, car bumps quite badly on uneven roads.

-Polyurethane bushes on the way, no idea how much to fit.




And finally the most annoying....a rattle coming from the exhaust heatsheild somewhere under my car, havent pin pointed it yet, but its coming from somewhere around my Cat....anyone have or had this?

New exhaust time me thinks!!!!!!

[tw1st3d_cl0wn]

I have that annoying rattle too. Haven't really done much of anything to fix it, as I have bigger and better problems to deal with first. But we're in the same boat!

Is it true that it could just be rocks and sand caught up in there or something? Read that somewhere. Read something about the heatshield maybe being cracked. I looked underneath and don't see any holes anywhere, so if there are any, they are really tiny. Or maybe I just didn't look hard enough.

Anyway, good luck with your car.

[neutral]

...And finally the most annoying....a rattle coming from the exhaust heatsheild somewhere under my car, havent pin pointed it yet, but its coming from somewhere around my Cat....anyone have or had this? New exhaust time me thinks!!!!!!

Don't go with new exhaust quite yet. (Unless ya just need an excuse to get one ) Stock exhaust sys has several heat shields - around the cat but also some of the piping. Very common for rattles to develop when a shield gets loose or more often, one end of the shield will lose a corroded retaining bolt/strap and start vibrating at certain rpm's. I fixed this type prob twice, in different spots, by just throwing on a regular large stainless hose clamp and snugging it down. Start by tapping on the exhaust system to isolate the source and see if that's not the prob. Cheers and luck.

[DJsMX-3]

If the rattle sounds like small rocks in a tin can at certain rpm's or when you flip the throttle, its most likely the catalyst in your cat that has begun to break into little pieces... Have that too and its a really enoing noise, but going to replace with a highflow cat of some sort and the problem will be fixed

[georgechicken]

The most common cause i see for the exhaust related rattle is actually a current issue on my car... nothing to be terribly concerned about though... next time you stick your head underneath the car, look at the flex joint on the exhaust (its the braided-wire piece of piping just after the collector pipe assembly--manifolds and downpipes--and just before the catalyst). You'll see a round metal flange on the front and back of it, and you'll likely see either one or both hanging down or dangling from it... They rust themselves loose and eventually break free since the flex pipe is where the 'bending' of the exhaust system takes place to accomodate the front-to-back motion of the motor. You can get a grinder and cut it in a couple of places and slide them off if this is indeed your case. Good luck!

Daniel

[UKMX-3]

Ahhhh,

I had that last year and cut of a small rust metal O- ring that was pretty badly corroded, maybe something else has come off....

I really shope its not the cat, although it does sound like stones in a can.........

Anyone in the UK know how much a new high flow cats going to cost?

[Teal_93]

I have the same rattle when you blip the throttle. It only came after I put my headers on. Now I just went through & redid my whole exhaust from the headers back, put a cherry bomb in place of the cat & custom welded my whole exhaust, Then have my muffler in the back. The noise isn't quite so bad, but I still have it. It sounds like it's coming from the flex pipe, but i have no flanges on mine as it is welded to my header collector.

I guess it's a mystery??????

[J0HN_R1]

I can almost gaurantee the rattle is the heat-sheild behind the rear exhaust-manifold... Mine has rusted free around the bolt and vibrated loose... It drones at certain rpm's, but goes away during other rpm's...


so annoying...