bloody Cat/heatshield

[markfleet]

Took my car for its service today and mentioned to the garage about the annoying exhaust rattle when accelerating (normally starts at 2500rpm to just over 3000).

Anyway they found the problem to be a bolt missing on the heatshield which attatches to the CAT or something? apparenlty they tried putting a new bolt in but the nut on the inside of the CAT is loose so theres nothing that the bolt can screw into and its the nut rattling around making the noise.

They said that there was nothing much I could do except replace the CAT so I though fair enough, ill just live with it cos its not too bad.

Got it back and now its much worse . Rattles a bit even when idling now and anything under like 3500rpm

Does anyone know any tempory fixes cos its doing my head in?

 

[andyj]

take the CAT off and try shaking the bolt out ?!?

I've got a similair rattle on mine, but it's the heatsheild on the downpipe, the spot weld on the bottom has cracked off, and needs re-doing.....

 

[ibiza_95]

can you just take thew heat shield off the downpipe or is that in advisable? i think ive got a rattle and from what people have said im aiming it at the heat shield. dont have a welder so next best thing if itd be ok would be to pull it off

 

[andyj]

heatshield around the CAT etc is ok to remove, and quite easy... but the one around the downpipe is rather more difficult to remove, and I probably wouldn't want to either, unless you fancy a nice warm dash lol

 

[ibiza_95]

well, my little engined 1.4 has the exhaust mani at the front, will see if i can see, might not have any shields at all to be fair, havent even looked, but can hear a rattle (slight) on just over idle when pulling away

 

[markfleet]

How easy would the CAT be to take off? Not sure how I would get under it either as i have drive on ramps but they wont get under the front bumper

Im wondering if its the nut making all the noise or just the heatshield making all the noise because it is obviously 1 bolt less. The sound is a very loud almost grinding sound.

How easy is the shield to take off? could i do it without raising it at standard ride height? and realistically is there any risk taking it off?

 

[MinxGTi]

God my rattles all the time! i've sort of got used to it now and ignore it lol!

 

[andythom]

well, my little engined 1.4 has the exhaust mani at the front, will see if i can see, might not have any shields at all to be fair, havent even looked, but can hear a rattle (slight) on just over idle when pulling away

It should be fine to pull off

The 1.4 and below just has a thin metal sheet wrapped round, when i had my 1.0 it rattled like a biatch, it came off when i had it on the ramps doing the wishbones

 

[C11PRA DC]

take the CAT off and try shaking the bolt out ?!?

When I removed the CAT Heat Shield on my mk2 the bolts attach to square nuts in recesses behind brackets welded to the outside of the CAT. Ground off the boltheads down to the brackets and pushed the nuts out the back! Definately no need to remove the CAT!

IIRC there are 2 Nut/Bolts to the rear and 1 at the front which secures to a U clip behind (like a screw).

Go softly with the grinder though as not to cause damage to the CAT (and if you wanted to refit the shield - the brackets!).

Ramps give enough room.

Be careful with the sparks! - good idea to get that weeping fuel line fixed before you start

 

[KarenJ]

could this be the "bag of nails" sound that mine is doing sometimes from underneath the middleish of my car when accelerating?

 

[KarenJ]

Took my car for its service today and mentioned to the garage Does anyone know any tempory fixes cos its doing my head in?

that is why car stereos were invented just turn it up

 

[Fl@pper]

replace the cat ?

wtf is this world coming to - fitters nowadays - never any techs or mechanics left to deal with lol

solution could be to spot weld the nut in place or in preference just spot weld that part of the heatshield on

takes 5 mins tops - did it on mine

id prefer to leave it on - at least its some protection from bumps and dry grass anyway

 

[markfleet]

could this be the "bag of nails" sound that mine is doing sometimes from underneath the middleish of my car when accelerating?

thats the one!!

I do normally have my music on loud so dont notice but you still cant help knowing that other people can hear it so its still embarassing driving it like that.

Its going back to the same garage tomorrow morning as since the service there is now a knocking sound from the front of my car (does it particially when going slow and then lifting right off the accelerator). Ill get them to look at the exhaust again.

 

[Maximuss]

The main rattly part is the sheild on the downpipe.

Sorted mine out with an extra large cir-clip, one on downpipe sheild and another around cat and it's sheild. Tighten as tight as poss.

AND..........

PUKKA - no rattling ever again!!!!

 

[jlovie]

My CAT heatshield went in the skip sometime last century.

 

[markfleet]

anyone know hos i could get the car up the drive on ramps?

tested them before ny sliding one under the front but the bumper touched the ramp before the wheel did and im not sure if ill be able to get to it by lifting the back up

 

[ibiza_95]

jack it from the side?

drive onto some wooden blocks to lift it up a bit if you cant get the jack under.

 

[Smithy]

had my downpipe spot welded about 6months ago, rattle starting to come back slightly, but only around 2500-3000 revs when cold. Once car's up to temp there's no rattle though.

Cat heat shield went ages ago, also a contributing culprit.

The garage blokes sound like chimps, tell them to spot weld first then determine whether you need a new cat ...I think you'll find the rattles stop and they'll be embarassed

 

[C11PRA DC]

anyone know hos i could get the car up the drive on ramps?

tested them before ny sliding one under the front but the bumper touched the ramp before the wheel did and im not sure if ill be able to get to it by lifting the back up

I had the same problem so I used ramps to get up the main metal ramps.

1 Inch thick wooden planks matching the internal width and 2/3 the length of the metal ramps resting on one of the cross runners about half way up and heavily supported underneath by blocks.

This flattens the climb out enough to clear the bumper!

 

[markfleet]

I had the same problem so I used ramps to get up the main metal ramps.

1 Inch thick wooden planks matching the internal width and 2/3 the length of the metal ramps resting on one of the cross runners about half way up and heavily supported underneath by blocks.

This flattens the climb out enough to clear the bumper!

yeah will probably try that and just take the heatshield right off, atleast for now cos the sounds so annoying. Especially now ive obviously gotta drive round with my windows open