About a week and a half ago I had a brand new Magnaflow cat-back exhaust installed at a shop here in South Florida. A day later, and about twice a day everyday since, when I'm driving, there is a strange crackling sound coming from the back of my car. Of course my first thought is there's something wrong with the exhaust, I took it back to the guy, we drove it around for 10 miles and of course we could not recreate the sound, and as SOON as i drove away by myself, it came back. He did get under the car and make sure everything was tight as possible and I could see that it was. The best way I can describe the sound is like a rusty metal gate or door that has not been oiled in a long time, not the squeeky sound but the crackling sound it'd make if you were opening a rusty gate really slowly. I am sure that it is not the mufflers or pipe dragging on the ground, as that'd be a constant and persistent sound, this happens roughly once every other time I drive from point A to point B and happens for 3-7 seconds, never longer. I mean it may be something other than the exhaust system but taht seems very coincidental. ANY advice or help or anything?? Thanks!

 

Accelerating? Decelerating? Idle? Cruise? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Enfynet @ February 13, 2006, 1:40 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Accelerating? Decelerating? Idle? Cruise? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]

As Justin said, we need to know exactly when it's happening. You could possibly have a clearance problem that only rubs under certain conditions. Also, does it happen right after startup when the exhaust is cold or does it happen after you have been driving for a while?

 

And, are you positive it's the exhaust? Could be something you ate.

 

Where are you at in So FLA and where did you have it done?

 

Is it the kinda crackling you get on a stock exhaust? If it is, that's just back-pressure.

 

I hade the same thing happen to me it, it only happened when the car was heated up. My cats were bad, since then i have gone to a hi-flo cat and the problem is gone.

 

Easy one, When his weight is added to the car it sits differently and a hanger (or some other exhaust related item) is no longer interfering because the ride height had changed.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Enfynet @ February 13, 2006, 12:40 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Accelerating? Decelerating? Idle? Cruise? [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]

Accelerating and cruising... never idle and i don't think during decelerating

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Burke0011 @ February 13, 2006, 11:18 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Where are you at in So FLA and where did you have it done?
[/b][/quote]

I live in Ft Lauderdale, FL and I had it done at Nitrostang Racing.... are you nearby?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tw0scoops123 @ February 13, 2006, 11:40 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Is it the kinda crackling you get on a stock exhaust? If it is, that's just back-pressure.
[/b][/quote]

Definitely not - this is not a normal sound, it is a cracking and its intermittent, it may well not be the exhaust but it just seemed too coincidental to start the day after getting the magnaflows installed, this can't be normal

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RPM @ February 13, 2006, 7:51 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
And, are you positive it's the exhaust? Could be something you ate.
[/b][/quote]


Definitely not positive its the exhaust it just seems strange that it started the day after the magnaflow installation and happens everyday since then - its so frustrating, I cannot figure it out... the guy who installed it said he will contact his Magnaflow guy but that he thinks "magnaflow will just laugh at him" since of course when i took it back to the installer, we couldn't recreate the sound

 

Usually what causes that is when you mix pipes , mufflers etc. from different companies and they are usaully diferrnt thickesees in the metal used. They then expand at different rate causeing cracking noise

 

I realize this may be obvious, but the only way to be sure if the noise is caused by the new exhaust is to temporarily reinstall the stock exhaust.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(toolttime @ February 15, 2006, 12:15 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Usually what causes that is when you mix pipes , mufflers etc. from different companies and they are usaully diferrnt thickesees in the metal used. They then expand at different rate causeing cracking noise
[/b][/quote]

This sounds like a very plausible possibility, I have an appointment to drop the car off with the installer of the exhaust tomorrow and he's going to keep it for the entire day and see what's up. Thanks again everyone, and feel free to add more 2 cents if you have any