I've done numerous searches & found not a single mention of this...

The other day I noticed a "rattle" or vibration from the exhaust system of my 2005 V6. When I got under the car and listened closely, I found the noise was coming from this "roller" on a bracket attached to the "intermediate" pipe. I tightened the bolt that runs thru the roller and it stopped rattling... problem solved BUT it got me wondering about the function of this odd component - WHAT IS IT?

Does anyone know?

The picture in the following link (see item 6) will show you what I'm talking about...

http://bradbarnett.net/service_man/P...loded_View.pdf

 

Vibration damper, I believe.

 

Yep, that's it.

Or in the case of Rick's car "vibration creator"

 

HAHA! YES.. ironic that the damned thing was doing the exact OPPOSITE of it's intended function!

Thanks guys, vibration damper is the only thing I can think of too.. Funny thing is that after eliminating the vibration I could feel the car running better & stronger!

As an engineer I'd explain that the performance was hindered due to the "resonant frequency" of the exhaust system being disturbed by the vibrations, thereby causing less than ideal conditions for proper flow through the pipes. Once the vibrations were eliminated, the exhaust was "tuned" properly, and flow/performance was improved.

 

I asked the same question many moons ago:

http://forums.bradbarnett.net/showthread.php?t=442318

BTW, I did finally go to dual exhaust and found another damper on the muffler!!! And I did not sell the car as I eluded to on my last post on the linked thread. In fact, we ended up doing this to it:

 

Willie that car looks FANTASTIC!

You must have put SOME pile of money into it... weren't you saying you couldn't aford the gas? HAHA!

Major PROPS - I really like your choices of mods - you've got great taste!

 

Ya know Willie, I've been looking VERY closely at the picture you posted of that "thingy" and I'm becoming more inclined to believe it's a DRIVESHAFT CATCHER - it's there to prevent the driveshaft from "pole-vaulting" your rear axle over the front in the event that your universal joint broke (see it located forward of the bracket?).

Just LOOK @ the bracket's design.. it's a sturdy U-shaped bracket with a ROLLER @ the end designed to come in contact with an object that spins the SAME way a driveshaft would do!

The "H-Pipe" of the dual exhaust on a V8 does the same job.. that's why the GT doesn't need the "thingy", only the V6 does.

I'd need to call a Ford engineer to get verification, but I'm pretty sure that's what it is...

 

Thanks Rick. It was a long progression of events, from wanting to sell the car to where it is today. Believe me, it was not planned this way. Long story short: Only one week of owning the V6 was enough for me to say this car would in no way replace my '03 Cobra. Having driven a 390 hp / six speed car for years prior, I could not get myself to accept driving a V6 auto for my daily driver. So only eight days after purchasing the V6, I bought a red '05 GT. And instead of selling the V6, my wife decided she'd rather sell her mini-van!! Then I found this website (and 05stangKC). I bought all the GT500 conversion parts from him and installed them on my GT. Last year, I was very fortunate to have an opportunity to buy a new '08 GT500 for MSRP. When I explained this to my wife, she gave me to buy it..!! Then we had to sell either my 5-speed GT or her automatic V6. I offered to "give" her my GT, keeping our "twins" but she said she did not want a stick car for a daily driver. That sealed the fate of my GT (and retention of the sonic blue V6). Prior to selling it, I returned it back to stock, including the Whipple. So for a fleeting moment, we had two cars that looked like twins. Instead of selling my red GT500 parts, I painted them and installed them on my wife's car. That's how it came to be.

I like your thought process on the "thingy". Your reasoning sounds valid.... interesting.... Since I no longer have the V6 muffler, can you examine the "thingy" on it just to see if it has a similar design? I'm curious.....

Willie

 

Willie,

Thanks for sharing the story.. and again, your cars are GORGEOUS! The EPITIOME of a Mustang IMO!

I don't have a V6 muffler anymore either.. mine was left @ the shop when I put the GT muffler on mine along with a CAI & Tune. I don't remember.. was the "thingy" on the muffler a ROLLER? I don't think so.. think it was probably just a rubber bumper...

 

It's not a roller, just a flexible vibration damper.

There is no way a thin stamped arm attached to an even thinner walled exhaust pipe, and supported on only one side, is going to contain a 40lb driveshaft if it lets go at speed.

 

That's sound reasoning Torch Vert; I just can't understand the reason for a ROLLER as a vibration damper.. when the bolt going thru the roller loosens even slightly, it RATTLES! IMO the bracket is pretty beefy, but it's true that attaching it on only ONE side would be DUMB if you want it to support the driveshaft! I guess we'll never know for SURE how the "thingy" REALLY works unless somebody knows a Mustang engineer.