Header install....rattling noise?

[gnatsumarboc03]

I install Mac longtubes now the car makes a rattling noise...It almost sound like some metal shaking in a can I'm upload a video in just a second.

The noise reflects off of rpm....just idling it doesn't make the noise, also the car hasn't been tuned for the headers yet either if that helps. I thought maybe it was hitting the k member but I've tried like heater wrap between the closest to hit places, but it still rattles Any suggestions?

Here's a video I just took.

http://youtu.be/d5bh818N6hg


^^^^^

 

[Anabolic]

what kind of gaskets did you use? also are you sure the hedaers are tight?
also how did you install them? are you sure it's the exhaust?
are the flanges tightened?
the new midpipe you installed are you sure the cats arnt blown out "if catted"
there's 100 things that could be wrong. Hard to tell without more detailed script Or being there.

 

[Anabolic]

^ in light of the catted thing, if you did go catted jack the car up and bang on the bottom of eaither cats with your hand and hear if that's the rattle..
start tapping shit with a riubber mallet to see if you can replicate the noise

 

[Cobra03SC]

Check the steering shaft also it was very tight with my mac long tubes. like he said above with the car up, use your hand and beat on the exhaust and listen for the rattle. With the car running its going to be harder to find the spot thats making contact.

 

[03Snake04]

i agree .. with the car up and running/rattling .. you should be able to hear it better or even grab a hold of the exhaust in areas (with gloves) .. if the exhaust is rattling then it should stop or lessen when you grab it

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

I got the bolts as tight as I physically could...

I have an o/r lethal x pipe.

I reused the same original stock gaskets, looked fine to me.

I tried beating around the exhaust etc didnt hear anything.

I got under the car while my dad revved and it sound like its coming from flange area where the lts connect to the x pipe.

I'm look into grabbing the exhaust to see if that works.

I think I'm just take it to exhaust shop I'm kind of tied of dealing with it.

 

[Anabolic]

how did you guys install the headers?

pull the k member? jack motor up? whatd you do

 

[03Snake04]

how did you guys install the headers?

pull the k member? jack motor up? whatd you do

i believe he pulled the k .. it is possible the flanges on the x are crooked when you tightened them to the lt's .. but i don't think it would be loose and cause a rattle :shrug:

 

[Anabolic]

without being there's it's tough to tell. even with a video.
Even when someone says the header bolts are TIGHT are you sure they're tight? lol it's super tough to say, just

just keep poking around underneith until you find what's loose.

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

I pulled the K member, I did the whole install by myself so It could be out of alignment?

I thought maybe the headers were hitting the k member, but I'm starting to think it's something else. At one point I jacked the car put the egr blanket between the header and the k member I didn't hear the noise, but I tried to repeat that and I heard it again. I literally been under the car for hours trying figure it out, but nothing which is why I finally made a thread.

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

The sound to me is more of a metal to metal sound, it's almost like I can feel when driving, I'm probably gone take it by local exhaust just to get an opinion or let them get it on the lift I've spent way too much time on this issue.

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

Just left the exhaust shop got it on the lift, it's not making contact anywhere....but you can clearly hear noise coming from where the headers all meet in the flange area. It kind of sound like something is loose in there. So now I have to take the x pipe back off and take a look inside the driver header. So this might be a quality issue with the headers themselve.

 

[05satinGT]

Pretty sure a common issue when installing longtubes is that the driver side gets so tight against the bottom of the car, causing a noise similar to what you're describing. After flooring it a few times and twisting the motor the headers make a dent in that spot where it's making contact and then the noise will never happen again.

When I did my longtubes this didn't happen to me, but the driver side one was pretty damn close. Maybe see if that's the case. If it is it'll probably go away.

 

[333arod333]

I have heard about macs having some leftover little metal beads on the inside from the manufacturing process. They are near the flange area that bolts up to head. I think this was a problem of the past but who knows. If u have not deleted egr, some have reported those metal beads ending up in supercharger through egr tube.

 

[03Snake04]

he deleted it .. i would imagine IF there were shavings .. that they would get blown passed the point where he is having issues

they should flow right past the catless x pipe

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

Pretty sure a common issue when installing longtubes is that the driver side gets so tight against the bottom of the car, causing a noise similar to what you're describing. After flooring it a few times and twisting the motor the headers make a dent in that spot where it's making contact and then the noise will never happen again.

When I did my longtubes this didn't happen to me, but the driver side one was pretty damn close. Maybe see if that's the case. If it is it'll probably go away.

Good point, the top of the header flange is pretty close to the floor board, I'm have to check that I'm not ruling anything out.

I have heard about macs having some leftover little metal beads on the inside from the manufacturing process. They are near the flange area that bolts up to head. I think this was a problem of the past but who knows. If u have not deleted egr, some have reported those metal beads ending up in supercharger through egr tube.

That closes thing the sound is can describe as also, like some metal getting tossed around in a tin can, but I deleted the egr.

he deleted it .. i would imagine IF there were shavings .. that they would get blown passed the point where he is having issues

they should flow right past the catless x pipe

Thats what I was thinking too, if it was something left over it would been blown out.

 

[TRMI8TR]

Lately I've been reading people having trouble with their longtube headers, unfortunately they're all coming from MAC headers. I was going to buy some, but not no more. I'll just keep saving my money for some KOOKS.
Good luck with you little problem there, I'm sure you'll resolve it.

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

I went with mac, because I had them on another mustang with no issue, even these fitment was great, they look great, just this rattle noise.

I'll post up whenever I find out what the problem actually is before I unleash any bashing on the headers haha

 

[SickBlackMach]

I had a slight rattle when I did my Bassani headers. I had minor contact with the header and frame. I slid a shim under the motor mount and the noise went away.

 

[gnatsumarboc03]

I had a slight rattle when I did my Bassani headers. I had minor contact with the header and frame. I slid a shim under the motor mount and the noise went away.

Meaning you broke it back down? Or you just slid something under there while everythling was still bolted up?