So I had a 3" offroad x pipe with dynomax bullets on my car. I started hearing a loud tick resonating through the passenger side exhaust. I took it to a lift I have access to with the car running I walked up the whole exhaust and the sound was coming from before where the cat would meet the header. I had to put the stock exhaust back on to take it to the dealer. When I put the stock exhaust back on the sound was still there but very faint. The dealer changed the header gasket and I still hear it, but they say they don't. I'm gonna drop everything but the stock H pipe so it will be loud enough to hear. What could this be? If it were the header gasket to begin with I wouldn't expect it to get so quiet when I change the exhaust back to stock. I also removed oil cap to see if it was valve train noise, it is not. Any ideas?

 

What exhaust are you running? A lot of stainless systems are hell to completely seal. My Bassani pipes leak a little and I'm pretty much just gonna live with it. I've tried to seal them up a few times. The problem is some of the stainless systems use a thick walled pipe that just doesn't want to seal well. Also 3" pipe just seems like way too large.

 

I'm putting a Vortech on in a week so 3" should be good. The sound was coming from before anything I changed(the header)

 

Sounds great. Congrats.
Header gaskets have been changed? If so, check them closely for cracks.

 

Do you think 3" is too big with vortech? Dealer just put header gasket on yesterday, is there anything you can think of internally that would resonate through the exhaust , but not affect performance? That's really all i'm worried about I can live with an exhaust leak.

 

No 3" is ok if you're going with a blower. You want as little back pressure as possible when using forced induction.
Sounds like you just have a slight leak. Sometimes it's hard to find them. Inspect your exhaust system really well and you may find some black stains eventually that will point out your leak. Only other way is to get the exhaust system smoke tested which is a PIA but works well.