Muffler rattle - oh darn
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 543
Likes: 24
From: Riverside CA
Muffler rattle - oh darn
My '02 is experiencing a sound that appears to me to be possibly a lose baffle on the right side muffler.
It does appear to come in more under part throttle and load.
I've something about springs and is possibly what I'm actually hearing? My car only has 27k miles and I've under it (not on the lift yet) and taped on the muffler with my fist and cannot get it to "rattle".
Any thoughts?
Eric
It does appear to come in more under part throttle and load.
I've something about springs and is possibly what I'm actually hearing? My car only has 27k miles and I've under it (not on the lift yet) and taped on the muffler with my fist and cannot get it to "rattle".
Any thoughts?
Eric
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,868
Likes: 770
From: Kelso Washington
St. Jude Donor '09, '13, '15
When my Flowmaster baffles cut loose, there was a clanging noise only when I hit bumps, not about rpm's or load.
Sounds like you have some work to do while you are laying under the car and someone revs the car a bit while you listen.
Heat shields are notorious for making weird noises but I'm not certain there are any on the C5. Anyone know here?
Could be a mount too.
Exhausts can create an oscillation effect that makes parts behave, and sound, unusual when they are loose.
Hope this helps......could still be what you suspect.
Sounds like you have some work to do while you are laying under the car and someone revs the car a bit while you listen.
Heat shields are notorious for making weird noises but I'm not certain there are any on the C5. Anyone know here?
Could be a mount too.
Exhausts can create an oscillation effect that makes parts behave, and sound, unusual when they are loose.
Hope this helps......could still be what you suspect.
Last edited by Oh 2 Fun; Nov 28, 2011 at 10:02 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,561
Likes: 1
From: Oakland Ca
St. Jude Donor '09
Yep I had Flowmasters with rattling baffles. First it was just the right side then it was both. Mine just got louder and when people started staring as I drove down the street it was time to get rid of them. 
Pro
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 586
Likes: 0
From: Glendale CA
Is yours stock exhaust or aftermarket?
Usually cheaply-designed systems (not trying to knock on any brand but there have been complaints on "glasspacks" and Flowmasters blowing out) have the fiberglass packing blow into the walls of the muffler and continually cause a rattling noise (I believe its the perforated metal pipe that rattles against the body of the muffler, since there is no more good fiberglass to hold it in place)
I'd just get a quality exhaust, like B&B Borla Corsa GHL or the like....ya can't go wrong on these brands for quality
Usually cheaply-designed systems (not trying to knock on any brand but there have been complaints on "glasspacks" and Flowmasters blowing out) have the fiberglass packing blow into the walls of the muffler and continually cause a rattling noise (I believe its the perforated metal pipe that rattles against the body of the muffler, since there is no more good fiberglass to hold it in place)
I'd just get a quality exhaust, like B&B Borla Corsa GHL or the like....ya can't go wrong on these brands for quality
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 835
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles CA
When I bought a used Corsa I was convinced it had a loose baffle. My plan was to cut it open and tack weld the baffle. I backed out at the last minute though because when I removed the exhaust I didn't hear anything shaking inside.
There was a known issue with the stock H pipe that at certain RPMs would cause a resonance that sounded like a loose baffle. GM would replace them for free on Z06s with a corsa X pipe to cure this. I decided to buy a cheap X pipe on ebay to give it a shot and sure enough no more rattle.
If you shake your exhaust and can hear something rattling inside then you may want to consider having a muffler shop cut open the muffler and fix it like I was planning on doing. If you shake it and don't hear anything loose, than I would say there is a chance it's not the muffler.
There was a known issue with the stock H pipe that at certain RPMs would cause a resonance that sounded like a loose baffle. GM would replace them for free on Z06s with a corsa X pipe to cure this. I decided to buy a cheap X pipe on ebay to give it a shot and sure enough no more rattle.
If you shake your exhaust and can hear something rattling inside then you may want to consider having a muffler shop cut open the muffler and fix it like I was planning on doing. If you shake it and don't hear anything loose, than I would say there is a chance it's not the muffler.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
My first C5 had flowmasters on it when I bought it. I too had the baffles break loose. I actually cut them open, rewelded the baffles and welded them back shut. Ended up selling them and getting Borla Stingers =)
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 543
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From: Riverside CA
Thanks for the comments and feedback.
Mine is all stock and should be for sometime.
I'll get the Vette on the lift this weekend - had to order a set of Race Ramps to fit curb so that the '02 would clear.
From the sound, it does appear to be the right however, with resounance, it could be anywhere like the x-pipe.
More to follow.
Eric
Mine is all stock and should be for sometime.
I'll get the Vette on the lift this weekend - had to order a set of Race Ramps to fit curb so that the '02 would clear.
From the sound, it does appear to be the right however, with resounance, it could be anywhere like the x-pipe.
More to follow.
Eric
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,868
Likes: 770
From: Kelso Washington
St. Jude Donor '09, '13, '15
Wow....that's funny.
The OP doesn't have Flowmasters it seems, but when I mentioned my problem with the FM's, a lot more people with that brand had the same problem.
It's too bad though because FM's sound great!
The OP doesn't have Flowmasters it seems, but when I mentioned my problem with the FM's, a lot more people with that brand had the same problem.
It's too bad though because FM's sound great!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 5,474
Likes: 50
From: = From Toronto = 9/11/01 FDNY 343 Never Forget
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'13-'14
Is yours stock exhaust or aftermarket?
Usually cheaply-designed systems (not trying to knock on any brand but there have been complaints on "glasspacks" and Flowmasters blowing out) have the fiberglass packing blow into the walls of the muffler and continually cause a rattling noise (I believe its the perforated metal pipe that rattles against the body of the muffler, since there is no more good fiberglass to hold it in place)
I'd just get a quality exhaust, like B&B Borla Corsa GHL or the like....ya can't go wrong on these brands for quality
Usually cheaply-designed systems (not trying to knock on any brand but there have been complaints on "glasspacks" and Flowmasters blowing out) have the fiberglass packing blow into the walls of the muffler and continually cause a rattling noise (I believe its the perforated metal pipe that rattles against the body of the muffler, since there is no more good fiberglass to hold it in place)
I'd just get a quality exhaust, like B&B Borla Corsa GHL or the like....ya can't go wrong on these brands for quality
Rant off,
