YACT: My car thinks it's a bass boat!

[Chaotic42]

So I'm driving 30 miles to the nearest "city". I'm going 60-75 the whole way. I get into town, and I hear a "ricer". I laugh. I pull off, because I made a wrong turn, and I realize that the ricer is me!

My car sounds like a bass boat. It's really bad around 1000-1300 rpm. At first I thought it was a blown sparkplug, but I'm not losing compression, and I can smell no fumes.

There is a cut in my muffler, but it *looks* manufactured. Is this a sign that I need a new muffler? How much should it cost?

Thanks in advance, O great wrench-heads!

 

[NutBucket]

Could be a blown exhaust manifold gasket. I remember once I was pissed off and took a parking lot speed bump too quick and the muffler section popped out of the midpipe on my (ricer) exhaust. Man that was loud.

 

[ingenuiti]

It's probably your exhaust system. If your muffler seems fine you might have to replace the A or B pipe, which are both connected to the muffler.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Could be a blown exhaust manifold gasket. I remember once I was pissed off and took a parking lot speed bump too quick and the muffler section popped out of the midpipe on my (ricer) exhaust. Man that was loud.

That sounds expensive.

Is this something that will damage the other parts of the car?

 

[goodoptics]

I agree with every one here. This one should be exhaust system related.

 

[notfred]

You can't tell if your muffler has a hole in it, but you managed to perform a compression test?

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Could be a blown exhaust manifold gasket. I remember once I was pissed off and took a parking lot speed bump too quick and the muffler section popped out of the midpipe on my (ricer) exhaust. Man that was loud.

That sounds expensive.

Is this something that will damage the other parts of the car?

Actually an exaust gasket would be pretty cheep (as long as it's not the header<=>manifold one and is a manifold<=>catalytic converter one)

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Scootin159

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Could be a blown exhaust manifold gasket. I remember once I was pissed off and took a parking lot speed bump too quick and the muffler section popped out of the midpipe on my (ricer) exhaust. Man that was loud.

That sounds expensive.

Is this something that will damage the other parts of the car?

Actually an exaust gasket would be pretty cheep (as long as it's not the header<=>manifold one and is a manifold<=>catalytic converter one)

Header gaskets are like $8/set for my mustang.

 

[JeffreyLebowski]

Originally posted by: notfred
You can't tell if your muffler has a hole in it, but you managed to perform a compression test?

ROFLMAO

 

[goodoptics]

Originally posted by: notfred
You can't tell if your muffler has a hole in it, but you managed to perform a compression test?

A hole in the muffler shouldn't impair the accuracy of a compression test.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: notfred
You can't tell if your muffler has a hole in it, but you managed to perform a compression test?

Well, I've had a car blow a spark plug before. I know what it does to the car. My acceleration was fine, the engine behaved as it usually does, and I lost no fuel (as best I could tell).

It's just louder.

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: notfred
You can't tell if your muffler has a hole in it, but you managed to perform a compression test?

Well, I've had a car blow a spark plug before. I know what it does to the car. My acceleration was fine, the engine behaved as it usually does, and I lost no fuel (as best I could tell).

It's just louder.

in other words, you didn't do a compression test....you just went by "feel".

Anyways, with the car running, go alongside the car (NOT UNDER IT, and with it in Park & w/ the e-brake on) and see if you can tell what end the sounds coming from.....that'll rule out a muffler pretty quick.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Scootin159

Anyways, with the car running, go alongside the car (NOT UNDER IT, and with it in Park & w/ the e-brake on) and see if you can tell what end the sounds coming from.....that'll rule out a muffler pretty quick.

It's the back, no question that it's coming from the exhaust.

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: Scootin159

Anyways, with the car running, go alongside the car (NOT UNDER IT, and with it in Park & w/ the e-brake on) and see if you can tell what end the sounds coming from.....that'll rule out a muffler pretty quick.

It's the back, no question that it's coming from the exhaust.

Well about the only exaust component in the rear is the muffler.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Scootin159

Well about the only exaust component in the rear is the muffler.

Yeah, I know

Ok, well, I'm going to call up a shop today to make an appointment.

I didn't want to assume anything, since I need my car to survive. Is it ok to drive back and forth to work with a swiss-cheese muffler?

Thanks everyone, I'll buy you a drink in 9 months....

 

[HomeBrewerDude]

don't go to one of those places that does a life time warranty on mufflers... they use really cheap mufflers just so that you have to come back in every 18 months or so. take it to a real mechanic and get a good muffler (if that is what you need).

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42

Originally posted by: Scootin159

Well about the only exaust component in the rear is the muffler.

Yeah, I know

Ok, well, I'm going to call up a shop today to make an appointment.

I didn't want to assume anything, since I need my car to survive. Is it ok to drive back and forth to work with a swiss-cheese muffler?

Thanks everyone, I'll buy you a drink in 9 months....

You could drive your car forever without any muffler without any noticeable difference (other than the noise....which could get you a ticket).

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Scootin159

You could drive your car forever without any muffler without any noticeable difference (other than the noise....which could get you a ticket).

Yeah, I asked someone with some experience here, and they said the same things that you guys did. They also said that it was only about as loud as a normal pickup truck. I suppose in theory I can just ignore the problem.

I'm going to take it in on Friday. Thanks all

 

[LAUST]

Originally posted by: NutBucket
Could be a blown exhaust manifold gasket. I remember once I was pissed off and took a parking lot speed bump too quick and the muffler section popped out of the midpipe on my (ricer) exhaust. Man that was loud.

agreed, manifold gasket

 

[Chaotic42]

Well, after coming home and looking at my Haynes Repair Manual, it says that rattling and noise can come from bad mounting brackets and hangers.

If this was the case, would the noise change with the RPMs?

 

[Scootin159]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Well, after coming home and looking at my Haynes Repair Manual, it says that rattling and noise can come from bad mounting brackets and hangers.

If this was the case, would the noise change with the RPMs?

the vibrations from the engine would change, so yes. It should actually get quieter though if it's a hanger rattle as RPMs go up, get louder if the muffler's damaged.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Scootin159

the vibrations from the engine would change, so yes. It should actually get quieter though if it's a hanger rattle as RPMs go up, get louder if the muffler's damaged.

Hey! That's good news then. It's bad around 1000-1300, but gets quieter up around 2K, and I can barely hear it when I shift (32-3500).