Exhaust Rattle in D (only while stopped)

[tea LC]

The truck is quiet as can be in any other situation except while in drive while i'm stopped... then the damn thing does not stop rattling. I took a looking underneath but didnt see anything that looked wrong. Even checked the FSM exhaust diagram to see what parts should be there.

Has anyone had a similar problem? Being I don't have a garage anymore (F**K!) does anyone recommend a place to have it checked out in central NJ? I've only worked on the truck myself (or with others); i'd rather not get raped at the dealership.

TIA

 

[robjam]

Check the heat shield around the catalytic converter. Sometimes the bolts holding the two pieces together rust off and allow the thin sheets of aluminum to rattle against each other.

 

[BOUNDER]

The truck is quiet as can be in any other situation except while in drive while i'm stopped... then the damn thing does not stop rattling. I took a looking underneath but didnt see anything that looked wrong. Even checked the FSM exhaust diagram to see what parts should be there.

Has anyone had a similar problem? Being I don't have a garage anymore (F**K!) does anyone recommend a place to have it checked out in central NJ? I've only worked on the truck myself (or with others); i'd rather not get raped at the dealership.

TIA

same here - embarassing to say the least - especially in a parking garage!

 

[offroadkid]

My insulator in the hanger behind the muffler is shot causing a rattle at stops in "D." Look there too!

 

[Pete483]

I've got the same thing. It used to be HORRIBLE. Then I discovered that all of the factory exhaust mounts had rusted off and the exhaust system was resting on crossmembers. Now I've fixed that, but I do still have the D while parked only rattle you describe. I think mine may be the heat shields around the top part of the exhaust, where it comes out of the engine compartment, but I'll take a look at the cats now too. My "solution" has been to put it in N when it gets really bad.

 

[rockclmbr]

I've had the same symptom, it was worse after Moab when I broke the rear exhaust mount. AFter replacing I still have a minor rattle when in "D". I also throw it in "N" when stopped to avoid any annoying rattles!

 

[photogod]

Mine rattles or buzzes in drive standing still. I traced it to the two heat shields on the down pipes. Just a bit loose.

 

[CodyRx7]

Ahh...good thread. I just noticed the same noise. I'd be parked at the drive-thru getting fast food somewhere.....and this annoying DEATH RATTLE would start unless I put it in Neutral.

I'm definately going to have to trace the rattle down and get that fixed...definately not a good noise to have when you're pretending to be cool driving a Lexus...

 

[JZenger]

As said before, check the heat shield that can be seen behind the front wheel on the passenger side. The bolts rust and the shield will rattle against the exhaust pipe. I put a couple of big hose clamps around the heat shield. Stopped my rattle. There have been a number of threads on such rattles so I would also check those out. Good luck.

 

[racerdave]

There have been two times that my cruiser has had an exhaust rattle similar to what you describe. The first was when the isolator/hanger just behind the second cat failed.
The second was caused by a crack in the crotch where the two down tubes meet before the cats. A local exhaust shop was able to weld the crack. No more rattles.

 

[vbcrush]

I have it. Broken rear exhaust mount on mine.

 

[Taz]

mine was a crack in the heat sheild above the exhaust manifold

 

[alvarorb]

Same thing happened to me. It was a combination of things. But most annoying was the broken rubber mounts. It was a cheap to fix.
There was also an exhaust leak from the gasket between the cats. My local muffler guy fixed it in a snap.


Alvaro

 

[tea LC]

thank for the input, everyone... i suspect its the heat shield

 

[otis22]

I've had the same rattling symptoms, but when I went under the LC the rattle appeared to be coming from inside the muffler itself. Anyone else found this to be the case?

 

[tea LC]

follow-up:

a local muffler shop removed the small heat sheild near the front cat that was causing the annoying rattling

they also welded the larger muffler to a bracket it broke loose from.. but now the larger muffler has a unique, subtle rattle!!!! its not that bad but not 100% either

i think if the heat shield was remove and the larger muffler left as it was i'd be happier (at least with the sound).. who knows if the entire exhause system could have fallen off eventually

 

[Eric T]

I had what I thought to be an exhaust rattle turn out to be related to the air cleaner intake tube that connects to the drivers side of the engine compartment. Try putting your vehicle in drive with parking brake on and hood popped. I was able to isolate the rattle with my hands.

 

[Newps]

Exhaust rattle was beginning to bug the sh*t out of me. In my case it would only happen in the mornings before the exhaust got up to operating temperature. Only happen at a stop while in "D", other then that it never made any sound. Mine started making notice after "Green Day" trail in Area BFE at Moab. So today I finally pulled the Hanna Quality slider off to see if I could fine the culperate. I have one buster bolt on the cat shield but that did not seem to be the problem. Looks like it was the outside exhaust down tube heat shield. I noticed the two heat shields were touching each other at the top. Compared to the inner tube's heat shield, this one clearly had about a 3/8" spacing between the top and bottom heat shield pieces. I tried to shoot all the suspect bolts with liquid wrench before messing with them. One came off with a wrench; one came off with the dremmel and one snapped off. Honestly I would hate to work at a muffle shop; every bolt they have to work with is toast from excessive heat and rust from moisture. So I just removed the heat shield and will see if this is indeed the offending part. Two test drives later and no more rattle, yea! I will have confirmation in the morning on the way to the office. Anyone know if by removing this heat shield I will have any problems? Obviously I may have a little more heat on the floorboards. Since this is the outside one it should be minimal. I may still try and re-install this heat shield after I have confirmed this is the one making all the noise. I have a feeling may of you are like me and have been suffering with this annoying noise. It took me three months before I had enough. I will report back with an update tomorrow. Here are a couple of pictures of the heat shield I removed.




PS just noticed when I shot the 2nd picture that I did not need to remove the Hanna slider to remove the heat shield. So save yourself the hassle. Although when I begin this project I did not know if it was the cat shield or the down tube shield.

 

[Sackman]

Mine makes the same noise,does it intermittently and sounds like a tin can ratteling when stopped or in drive, its b/c one of my brackets on the exaust broke from hitting it with a tree on the trail... need more ground clearance. actually I kind of like the ratteling noise makes it sound like an old beatter when I drive in the neighborhood.

 

[Cruiser804]

I have had mine off for a couple years now and no problems. Unlike a 97, the 96 head sheild cannot be purchased seperately from the front pipe. $25 v. $1200.00!!