For those of you who have swapped out your midpipe...questions
06-28-2009, 06:25 PM
#1
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For those of you who have swapped out your midpipe...questions
1. When changing your midpipe, assuming all bolts are torqued as tight as possible with human arms, all pipes reasonably met together before clamping, and all pipes clamped 50/50 to each other, is an exhaust leak an absolute certainty if you've installed the midpipe on your own?
2. If there is any kind of exhaust noise coming from the tranny bell housing area, is this a surefire indication of an exhaust leak?
3. What EXACTLY is "trumpeting"?...and can it be confused with an exhaust leak at all?
4. Is there natural rasp associated with an o/r H pipe, such that while revving on idle, it cannot be heard, but while on the street, it's there? I have a noise, a sputtering/ticking that I can only hear while driving under medium-to-heavy throttle, but on idle revving, it's not really there.
5. Is an exhaust leak heard all throughout the RPM range, or only at certain ranges, and if there's a "ticking" noise (more like sputtering, as if you're doing a raspberry with your tongue and lips), does the "ticking" speed up with RPM increase?
6. If I've done everything humanly possible by myself to fix the leak, what procedures might a dealership or exhaust shop (Midas, Monro, Meineke, etc) take, so that I'm not paying for all kinds of crap I don't need?
7. Please share your experiences in identifying, finding, and fixing exhaust leaks.
2. If there is any kind of exhaust noise coming from the tranny bell housing area, is this a surefire indication of an exhaust leak?
3. What EXACTLY is "trumpeting"?...and can it be confused with an exhaust leak at all?
4. Is there natural rasp associated with an o/r H pipe, such that while revving on idle, it cannot be heard, but while on the street, it's there? I have a noise, a sputtering/ticking that I can only hear while driving under medium-to-heavy throttle, but on idle revving, it's not really there.
5. Is an exhaust leak heard all throughout the RPM range, or only at certain ranges, and if there's a "ticking" noise (more like sputtering, as if you're doing a raspberry with your tongue and lips), does the "ticking" speed up with RPM increase?
6. If I've done everything humanly possible by myself to fix the leak, what procedures might a dealership or exhaust shop (Midas, Monro, Meineke, etc) take, so that I'm not paying for all kinds of crap I don't need?
7. Please share your experiences in identifying, finding, and fixing exhaust leaks.
Last edited by East87; 06-28-2009 at 06:27 PM.
06-28-2009, 07:10 PM
#2
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I have the pypes o/r h on my car and it might be leaking because i do hear the ticking noise, but I havent worried about it too much. Emissions testing is coming up for me though, so I will be putting my cats back on this week probably. I think the main way to prevent leaks at the exhaust manifold connection is to use the slide in couplers and make sure you have the exhaust pipes totally centered on eachother when you start to tighten. Hold your hands around both pipes so you can feel the gap around them and hold it so that the gap is even all the way around (the two pipes are concentric). Then have a friend tighten down the bolts evenly (tighten one some, then the other side some). I think that is the only way to get it not to leak at the upper most connection. People have claimed that the h-pipe will leak at the connector part, but mine doesnt seem to do it. This part can be welded together, or you can use some cheap muffler repair junk and kind of bondo the two legs together at the h crossover. For the rear connections, make sure you center the clamps between the two pipes and you should have no leaks. Hope that helps a little.
06-28-2009, 08:54 PM
#3
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I have the pypes o/r h on my car and it might be leaking because i do hear the ticking noise, but I havent worried about it too much. Emissions testing is coming up for me though, so I will be putting my cats back on this week probably. I think the main way to prevent leaks at the exhaust manifold connection is to use the slide in couplers and make sure you have the exhaust pipes totally centered on eachother when you start to tighten. Hold your hands around both pipes so you can feel the gap around them and hold it so that the gap is even all the way around (the two pipes are concentric). Then have a friend tighten down the bolts evenly (tighten one some, then the other side some). I think that is the only way to get it not to leak at the upper most connection. People have claimed that the h-pipe will leak at the connector part, but mine doesnt seem to do it. This part can be welded together, or you can use some cheap muffler repair junk and kind of bondo the two legs together at the h crossover. For the rear connections, make sure you center the clamps between the two pipes and you should have no leaks. Hope that helps a little.
Can anyone else offer their insights?
06-28-2009, 10:12 PM
#5
1. When changing your midpipe, assuming all bolts are torqued as tight as possible with human arms, all pipes reasonably met together before clamping, and all pipes clamped 50/50 to each other, is an exhaust leak an absolute certainty if you've installed the midpipe on your own?
Leaks are common but can be stop with some exhaust sealer from autozone
2. If there is any kind of exhaust noise coming from the tranny bell housing area, is this a surefire indication of an exhaust leak?
no they tranny has some metal that tends to cause noises as it is
3. What EXACTLY is "trumpeting"?...and can it be confused with an exhaust leak at all?
trumpeting is not like a leak at all, it will occur around a certain rpm and remind you of a machine gun sound kind of. The exhaust will change sound and it noticeably different.
4. Is there natural rasp associated with an o/r H pipe, such that while revving on idle, it cannot be heard, but while on the street, it's there? I have a noise, a sputtering/ticking that I can only hear while driving under medium-to-heavy throttle, but on idle revving, it's not really there.
normal for the most part, sorta due to the air moving without cats i think
5. Is an exhaust leak heard all throughout the RPM range, or only at certain ranges, and if there's a "ticking" noise (more like sputtering, as if you're doing a raspberry with your tongue and lips), does the "ticking" speed up with RPM increase? if will be less noticeable at higher RPMS due to loudness of the exhaust
6. If I've done everything humanly possible by myself to fix the leak, what procedures might a dealership or exhaust shop (Midas, Monro, Meineke, etc) take, so that I'm not paying for all kinds of crap I don't need?
i mentioned the fix above. Just put the sealant on all points where there is a chance for air to leak and you are good to go.
7. Please share your experiences in identifying, finding, and fixing exhaust leaks.
use soap and water around connections to see if a leak exists if you want.
Leaks are common but can be stop with some exhaust sealer from autozone
2. If there is any kind of exhaust noise coming from the tranny bell housing area, is this a surefire indication of an exhaust leak?
no they tranny has some metal that tends to cause noises as it is
3. What EXACTLY is "trumpeting"?...and can it be confused with an exhaust leak at all?
trumpeting is not like a leak at all, it will occur around a certain rpm and remind you of a machine gun sound kind of. The exhaust will change sound and it noticeably different.
4. Is there natural rasp associated with an o/r H pipe, such that while revving on idle, it cannot be heard, but while on the street, it's there? I have a noise, a sputtering/ticking that I can only hear while driving under medium-to-heavy throttle, but on idle revving, it's not really there.
normal for the most part, sorta due to the air moving without cats i think
5. Is an exhaust leak heard all throughout the RPM range, or only at certain ranges, and if there's a "ticking" noise (more like sputtering, as if you're doing a raspberry with your tongue and lips), does the "ticking" speed up with RPM increase? if will be less noticeable at higher RPMS due to loudness of the exhaust
6. If I've done everything humanly possible by myself to fix the leak, what procedures might a dealership or exhaust shop (Midas, Monro, Meineke, etc) take, so that I'm not paying for all kinds of crap I don't need?
i mentioned the fix above. Just put the sealant on all points where there is a chance for air to leak and you are good to go.
7. Please share your experiences in identifying, finding, and fixing exhaust leaks.
use soap and water around connections to see if a leak exists if you want.
06-28-2009, 10:47 PM
#6
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Matt, trumpeting is a machine gun sound?!?! That sounds suspiciously like what I'm hearing as soon as I give it some throttle...it's more high pitched as if a machine gun is shooting BB's or something, but yea the exhaust note changes, and the popping/ticking sort of dominates the sound. It doesn't necessarily happen at a certain RPM, as I can get above 2500 RPM with very very light throttle, and I don't hear the noise change.
The noise I'm hearing is definitely not omnipresent...only when I get on the throttle a bit. It also appears briefly during cold idle while the engine is warming up. Once warm, the exhaust mellows out and sounds great...even with stock mufflers. Is that also characteristic of a leak?
The noise I'm hearing is definitely not omnipresent...only when I get on the throttle a bit. It also appears briefly during cold idle while the engine is warming up. Once warm, the exhaust mellows out and sounds great...even with stock mufflers. Is that also characteristic of a leak?
06-28-2009, 11:56 PM
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Oh and I'll add that the sound I'm hearing only seems to be coming from the middle of the car as I'm driving by, but I can't be sure. It very well could be coming from the rear, but I just don't frigging know... 
I'm fairly confident that trumpeting should only be heard out of the rear of the vehicle right?...
Upon looking at some Youtube clips, I found this one that really captures what I think my car is sounding like (not the exhaust tone, but the trumpeting on takeoff). When he pulls out of his driveway and gives it throttle, the note changes dramatically, which is almost DEAD-ON with what's happening in my case. Is that trumpeting then for sure?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb9zTBBpstA
I'm fairly confident that trumpeting should only be heard out of the rear of the vehicle right?...Upon looking at some Youtube clips, I found this one that really captures what I think my car is sounding like (not the exhaust tone, but the trumpeting on takeoff). When he pulls out of his driveway and gives it throttle, the note changes dramatically, which is almost DEAD-ON with what's happening in my case. Is that trumpeting then for sure?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb9zTBBpstA
Last edited by East87; 06-29-2009 at 12:05 AM.
06-29-2009, 02:16 AM
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The noise I'm hearing is definitely not omnipresent...only when I get on the throttle a bit. It also appears briefly during cold idle while the engine is warming up. Once warm, the exhaust mellows out and sounds great...even with stock mufflers. Is that also characteristic of a leak?
i have the same noise with my Bassani Catted X. real faint ticking when you get on the throttle. Will and used exhaust donuts and made sure it was on even and tightened it evenly. the noise was still there. if you put your hand up by it you cant feel any leaks even when revving. Have you tried to feel for a leak? I finally just said screw it. With the radio up the tiniest it you cant hear it anyway.
06-29-2009, 08:46 AM
#9
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Exhaust leaks....so annoying.
If you have any exhaust leaks and you want to hear them.....do this:
Get on a road going about 30mph, and put your car in 5th gear.
Then push the gas pedal to the floor. Putting your engine at full throttle at a low speed will make any exhaust leak you have reveal itself.
Leaks sound like a burst of rushing air, but not like a turbo blow off, more like you blowing a short burst of air through a small hole in a piece of paper.....(are you tearing a hole in a piece of paper right now to test this out?) ;-) Seriously...this is a good way to identify any exhaust leaks.
Exhaust leaks are more prone in areas of high restriction.
In my case, the exhaust clamps in front of the aftermarket hi-flow cats was the worst. I couldn't get them tight enough to kill the leak. So I had to get them welded on by a shop.
Clamps should suffice at all junctions after that. That video you showed us, is not the sound of an exhaust leak.
If you have any exhaust leaks and you want to hear them.....do this:
Get on a road going about 30mph, and put your car in 5th gear.
Then push the gas pedal to the floor. Putting your engine at full throttle at a low speed will make any exhaust leak you have reveal itself.
Leaks sound like a burst of rushing air, but not like a turbo blow off, more like you blowing a short burst of air through a small hole in a piece of paper.....(are you tearing a hole in a piece of paper right now to test this out?) ;-) Seriously...this is a good way to identify any exhaust leaks.
Exhaust leaks are more prone in areas of high restriction.
In my case, the exhaust clamps in front of the aftermarket hi-flow cats was the worst. I couldn't get them tight enough to kill the leak. So I had to get them welded on by a shop.
Clamps should suffice at all junctions after that. That video you showed us, is not the sound of an exhaust leak.
06-29-2009, 10:27 AM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Newark, Delaware
Posts: 1,259
Exhaust leaks....so annoying.
If you have any exhaust leaks and you want to hear them.....do this:
Get on a road going about 30mph, and put your car in 5th gear.
Then push the gas pedal to the floor. Putting your engine at full throttle at a low speed will make any exhaust leak you have reveal itself.
Leaks sound like a burst of rushing air, but not like a turbo blow off, more like you blowing a short burst of air through a small hole in a piece of paper.....(are you tearing a hole in a piece of paper right now to test this out?) ;-) Seriously...this is a good way to identify any exhaust leaks.
Exhaust leaks are more prone in areas of high restriction.
In my case, the exhaust clamps in front of the aftermarket hi-flow cats was the worst. I couldn't get them tight enough to kill the leak. So I had to get them welded on by a shop.
Clamps should suffice at all junctions after that. That video you showed us, is not the sound of an exhaust leak.
If you have any exhaust leaks and you want to hear them.....do this:
Get on a road going about 30mph, and put your car in 5th gear.
Then push the gas pedal to the floor. Putting your engine at full throttle at a low speed will make any exhaust leak you have reveal itself.
Leaks sound like a burst of rushing air, but not like a turbo blow off, more like you blowing a short burst of air through a small hole in a piece of paper.....(are you tearing a hole in a piece of paper right now to test this out?) ;-) Seriously...this is a good way to identify any exhaust leaks.
Exhaust leaks are more prone in areas of high restriction.
In my case, the exhaust clamps in front of the aftermarket hi-flow cats was the worst. I couldn't get them tight enough to kill the leak. So I had to get them welded on by a shop.
Clamps should suffice at all junctions after that. That video you showed us, is not the sound of an exhaust leak.
Thanks, I'll try your suggestion for sure before I take it to someone.
i have the same noise with my Bassani Catted X. real faint ticking when you get on the throttle. Will and used exhaust donuts and made sure it was on even and tightened it evenly. the noise was still there. if you put your hand up by it you cant feel any leaks even when revving. Have you tried to feel for a leak? I finally just said screw it. With the radio up the tiniest it you cant hear it anyway.
If a machine-gun-like ticking when on the throttle is not an exhaust leak, then I think I'm mistaking trumpeting for a leak...which is fine by me for now.
Thanks for your input, guys.