Exhaust/Muffler Rattle at low speed/rpm?

[Akedos]

I couldn't really find anything in searches so I turn to this. I've been hearing a rattling sound from my exhaust when I'm in low gear and have power going to the engine. It tends to be around 1500-2000 RPM in 1-2 gear (manual ******). Not sure what it is. It sounds like a pipe smacking into something solid rapidly from engine vibration. Or maybe something broken inside? I have no CELs... and I tried to wiggle the exhaust to see if it was solid and it sure seems it to me. Anything else I should look at? It doesn't make the sound when idling. And it goes away at higher RPMs. Makes me feels pretty certain it's one of those frequency/resonance specific things.

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Perhaps one or both of your Catalytic converter is starting to burn out and you hear the insides starting to rattle.

 

[Porkchop]

I would also check the cat shelds those little spot welds are known to go bad and rattle at differnt speeds might be worth checking.

 

[Akedos]

I would also check the cat shelds those little spot welds are known to go bad and rattle at differnt speeds might be worth checking.

I'll take a look when I have a chance. I assume you are just referring to the shielding that is around most cats right?

Perhaps one or both of your Catalytic converter is starting to burn out and you hear the insides starting to rattle.

I know the cats are built into the whole one piece exhaust system. But I've wondered, would a local muffler shop be able to cut out and replace the cats with new ones?

 

[Ry' N Jen]

I'll take a look when I have a chance. I assume you are just referring to the shielding that is around most cats right?

I know the cats are built into the whole one piece exhaust system. But I've wondered, would a local muffler shop be able to cut out and replace the cats with new ones?

Could be the cats or the shielding.
Any exhaust shop should be able to just replace the Catalytic converters for you.
The OEM cats are your best bet as far as quality.

 

[Dave]

Cats are not cheap. You said you had no MIL so you probably got a loose heat shield as mentioned.

Dave

 

[Ry' N Jen]

Cats are not cheap.

Dave

No kidding, our 11 cats eat us out house and home!

 

[tommudd]

Crawl underneath and start banging on the cats, mine sounded like the lowerend of the motor was ready to go , but the left side cat was loose inside.

 

[RookieLibertyist]

Perhaps one or both of your Catalytic converter is starting to burn out and you hear the insides starting to rattle.

i have the same problem. when i got my brakes done last week i had them check and they said it the converters. so ry is right. atleast for me.

 

[Banditsteve]

Vibration/Rattle

Hi Akedos,

Checking exhaust/cats/heatshields would be the first place to look as stated by Ry etc but if nothing appears to be loose there and all else fails, take a look at the link to one of my old posts where I tried to describe the "vibration" I was suffering with. After countless hours I sort of grew to live with it, but as part of routine maintenance, I replaced the serpentine belt tensioner which unbelievably cured the vibration noise!!! Totally unrelated as it may seem, nothing else was replaced or fiddled with on that date so it had to be that. Have you replaced your belt tensioner recently or is it due for renewal? I have the 2.4 4 ****** so not sure what the replacement mileage/time is for your engine belt tensioner but someone will chip in and tell you.
My belt tensioner showed no signs of wear or roughness in the bearing etc and everything semed fine with it but obviously it needed replacement.
I replaced it with a Gates tensioner and have had no problems with the vibration/noise issue since.
Like I said, its only another option if the exhausts seem ok.
Hope this is some help to you.

Cheers, Steve :smokin:

http://www.jeepkj.com/forum/f196/any-2-4-petrol-manual-drivers-out-there-46719/

 

[Akedos]

Got under there this weekend to check things out... tapping things with a hammer, working my way back. Finally got ALLLLL the way back to the tail pipe and just barely spotted the last exhaust/muffler hanger had snapped off at the exhaust pipe. The exhaust was rattling against the hanger and making the noise. Pried it out of there, now I just have to put a new piece back in their to secure it up again. Thanks for the replies guys.