Exhaust Rattle

satinghostrider · 04-04-2009, 11:43 AM

Hey Guys,

I have tried trying to single out the rattling on my car for a while now and its driving me nuts.

I have an X-pipe and an ACS race muffler box. I started to have this problem after a long B-Road drive, plenty of high RPM load holding and shifts. It was an amazing drive.

But after that day, I had an unusual noise. On cold start, I dont hear any of the rattling. But once its warmed up, I am experiencing some engine rattle noise at low RPMs. The sound is like metal vibration or tapping noise and it sounds like something is loose when accelerating.

I've noticed when driving at a constant speed with the RPMs around 2000 in any of the gears for example in 3rd or 4th gear around 50 -60 km/hour and you apply the gas quickly there is a metal rattle noise until you reach 3000 RPM or more.

The sound is not apparent if the revs are higher than 3000 RPM and applying the gas quickly and shifting at a higher RPM range.

The sound is minimal if the gas is applied slowly from 2000 RPM and allowing the RPM to climb slowly.

The M3’s are a higher revving engine but with acceleration at cruising speeds and low RPMS shouldn’t make such a noise? Should it?

I tried checking my undercarriage, re-tightening and checking for clearances and all seems ok. Any ideas??

Thanks in advance guys!

psuwcc112 · 04-04-2009, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmariachi

Hey Guys,

I have tried trying to single out the rattling on my car for a while now and its driving me nuts.

I have an X-pipe and an ACS race muffler box. I started to have this problem after a long B-Road drive, plenty of high RPM load holding and shifts. It was an amazing drive.

But after that day, I had an unusual noise. On cold start, I dont hear any of the rattling. But once its warmed up, I am experiencing some engine rattle noise at low RPMs. The sound is like metal vibration or tapping noise and it sounds like something is loose when accelerating.

I've noticed when driving at a constant speed with the RPMs around 2000 in any of the gears for example in 3rd or 4th gear around 50 -60 km/hour and you apply the gas quickly there is a metal rattle noise until you reach 3000 RPM or more.

The sound is not apparent if the revs are higher than 3000 RPM and applying the gas quickly and shifting at a higher RPM range.

The sound is minimal if the gas is applied slowly from 2000 RPM and allowing the RPM to climb slowly.

The M3’s are a higher revving engine but with acceleration at cruising speeds and low RPMS shouldn’t make such a noise? Should it?

I tried checking my undercarriage, re-tightening and checking for clearances and all seems ok. Any ideas??

Thanks in advance guys!

I think you have DRONE my friend...

satinghostrider · 04-04-2009, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by psuwcc112

I think you have DRONE my friend...

I have a slight drone but this is metallic clinging sound. Sounds something loose or hitting but cant figure out what it is. Checked it a few times but clearances look ok.

Cloud · 04-04-2009, 09:20 PM

Happens to my car too. I believe it's normal

satinghostrider · 04-06-2009, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

Happens to my car too. I believe it's normal

Do you have an xpipe??

Green///Hell · 04-06-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmariachi

I have a slight drone but this is metallic clinging sound. Sounds something loose or hitting but cant figure out what it is. Checked it a few times but clearances look ok.

Yeah same here, for a second i thought something under the body had hit something.
It sounded like I had a ring of 20 keys clipped onto something under the car but only when letting off the throttle quickly from higher RPMS

Nice to hear the other x-pipe guys find this normal on their cars. I went down there, and nothing appeared to be loose

satinghostrider · 04-06-2009, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Panda///Monic

Yeah same here, for a second i thought something under the body had hit something.
It sounded like I had a ring of 20 keys clipped onto something under the car but only when letting off the throttle quickly from higher RPMS

Nice to hear the other x-pipe guys find this normal on their cars. I went down there, and nothing appeared to be loose

I only have this when i accelerate from from low rpms and it disappears past 3k rpm. Sounds like some keys jingling. Cracking my head to find the source. It gets much worse once you really nail the car and somewhat reduces onces it cools down but still there. On cold start, I dont get any of this noise. Its only when its fully warmed up.

BimmerRob08 · 04-06-2009, 05:47 PM

I'm probebly way off but have you looked with a bright light all around the exhaust pipes/muffler for any cracks? I wonder if after the pipes warm up enough and you start to excelerate through those lower rpm's as the vibrations will be lower frequency, if it's causing the metal to "jingle" then as the vibe's speed up, it cancels out the sound or at least drowns it out. Just an idea.

satinghostrider · 04-07-2009, 11:11 AM

Fixed the problem!!! Its the brace holding the mid section. One of the screws was lose and when the exhaust warmed up, it was hitting the heat shield. Put in another washer there to further push the heatshield in and the sound is gone!!! Feels like I have a new car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BimmerRob08 · 04-07-2009, 12:25 PM

You know what? This sounds crazy but i also today heard the same thing on my exhaust driving in the local area about 30mph low rpm's. It sounded like something dangling, infact I though someone tied a soda can to my car. I can't belive I heard it today for the first time after this post. I had the window down and heard it. So now I'm gonna go put it on a rack and check it out too. This is crazy. Glad to hear you found it, give me some hope.

satinghostrider · 04-07-2009, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

You know what? This sounds crazy but i also today heard the same thing on my exhaust driving in the local area about 30mph low rpm's. It sounded like something dangling, infact I though someone tied a soda can to my car. I can't belive I heard it today for the first time after this post. I had the window down and heard it. So now I'm gonna go put it on a rack and check it out too. This is crazy. Glad to hear you found it, give me some hope.

Trust me this kinda things suck. For almost 1 month I have been going to 3 workshops to get it checked out till i just thought of unscrewing and screwing all the main areas again and found some screws were not tightened causing the heatshield to rattle against the exhaust when its hot. Now I dont have no sound. Just a RAW V8. The force is strong with you BimmerROB. GODSPEED.

Yes this thing happens low RPM and low speed. 2k-3k acceleration and it disappears.

BimmerRob08 · 04-07-2009, 05:17 PM

yep, that has got to be it...I hope. I'll have to put it on the rack tomorrow and let you know. Sure would be real strange if it turned out to be the same thing.

satinghostrider · 04-07-2009, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

yep, that has got to be it...I hope. I'll have to put it on the rack tomorrow and let you know. Sure would be real strange if it turned out to be the same thing.

You know it could be stones/rocks stuck behind the rotors in your rear brakes. If it is, try reversing and going forward a few times and it should come out.

Cheers!

BimmerRob08 · 04-08-2009, 01:26 PM

Well what ever that noise was it's gone now. I put the M on the rack today and checked everything out underneath. Everything is tight, exhaust is tight, no rattles, etc. So what ever it was it's gone. Definitely didn't hear anything like I did yesterday driving around. Maybe it was some stones or something.

PLAY_HRD · 09-06-2009, 02:38 PM

OK it's my turn. After installing my Riss Racing exhaust I've had a "vibration" in the car. It gets bad enough between 2k-3k that you feel it everywhere. (in the seats, shifter, peddles) I've looked up under the car and don't see the exhaust touching anything anywhere. I've also touched the exhaust while running and it seems that there is a lot of vibration coming from the CAT to secondary CAT area. In this area is also some kind of "guide rod" attached to the rear of the transmission. I'm guessing this is where the vibration is traveling into the car from.

1. Is it normal the exhaust upgrades increase vibration in the exhaust to do Resonance?
2. Can I move the "guide rod" to eliminate the path the vibration is taking into the car through the transmission.

MrHarris · 09-06-2009, 05:31 PM

I Have the RR xpipe with hfc. I haven't noticed any vibration that came across as abnormal. You sure it isn't just the increased sound of the xpipe? Could you explain the "guide rod" more? I'll pay more attention for any rattles...

PLAY_HRD · 09-06-2009, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrHarris

I Have the RR xpipe with hfc. I haven't noticed any vibration that came across as abnormal. You sure it isn't just the increased sound of the xpipe? Could you explain the "guide rod" more? I'll pay more attention for any rattles...

I don't have the x-pipe, just the RR exhaust. The "guide" looks like a 1 inch piece of sheet metal that bolts onto the back of the transmission then bolts around the exhaust between the primary and secondary CATs. I'm guessing I could remove it with no impact, but want the "experts/M3 gods" to chime in. I defiantly don't think it is normal. I would swear it's touching somewhere, but I've looked. When the car is running you can feel the exhaust pipe near the primary CAT on the driver side vibrate pretty extremely.

MrHarris · 09-06-2009, 05:47 PM

Ah I wouldn't know, I replaced the stock primarys and secondaries. Maybe someone else can chime in

DevJ · 09-06-2009, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elmariachi

Fixed the problem!!! Its the brace holding the mid section. One of the screws was lose and when the exhaust warmed up, it was hitting the heat shield. Put in another washer there to further push the heatshield in and the sound is gone!!! Feels like I have a new car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was about to tell you something was hitting your heat shield! Glad you got it fixed

Messer-schmitt · 09-15-2014, 09:55 AM

I had the same issue on my 2012 BMW F30 Sport. Turns out it was the Exhaust Flap Actuator. Go figure. Hope this helps.

thekurgan · 09-15-2014, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messer-schmitt

I had the same issue on my 2012 BMW F30 Sport. Turns out it was the Exhaust Flap Actuator. Go figure. Hope this helps.

The M's don't have a flap in the exhaust, on either side.

BPMSport · 09-15-2014, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thekurgan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Messer-schmitt

I had the same issue on my 2012 BMW F30 Sport. Turns out it was the Exhaust Flap Actuator. Go figure. Hope this helps.

The M's don't have a flap in the exhaust, on either side.

The new ones do

04-04-2009, 11:43 AM	#1
satinghostrider Major 178 Rep 1,432 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 M3 ZCP LCI II Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Singapore iTrader: (1)	Exhaust Rattle Hey Guys, I have tried trying to single out the rattling on my car for a while now and its driving me nuts. I have an X-pipe and an ACS race muffler box. I started to have this problem after a long B-Road drive, plenty of high RPM load holding and shifts. It was an amazing drive. But after that day, I had an unusual noise. On cold start, I dont hear any of the rattling. But once its warmed up, I am experiencing some engine rattle noise at low RPMs. The sound is like metal vibration or tapping noise and it sounds like something is loose when accelerating. I've noticed when driving at a constant speed with the RPMs around 2000 in any of the gears for example in 3rd or 4th gear around 50 -60 km/hour and you apply the gas quickly there is a metal rattle noise until you reach 3000 RPM or more. The sound is not apparent if the revs are higher than 3000 RPM and applying the gas quickly and shifting at a higher RPM range. The sound is minimal if the gas is applied slowly from 2000 RPM and allowing the RPM to climb slowly. The M3’s are a higher revving engine but with acceleration at cruising speeds and low RPMS shouldn’t make such a noise? Should it? I tried checking my undercarriage, re-tightening and checking for clearances and all seems ok. Any ideas?? Thanks in advance guys! __________________ 2018 F80 LCI II ZCP ///M3 Mineral White M-DCT\| Sakhir Orange Interior\| \|M Performance Exhaust\|
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04-04-2009, 09:20 PM	#4
Cloud Lieutenant 62 Rep 484 Posts Drives: AW 2009 E92 6MT Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Rowland Heights iTrader: (0)	Happens to my car too. I believe it's normal
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04-06-2009, 05:47 PM	#8
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	I'm probebly way off but have you looked with a bright light all around the exhaust pipes/muffler for any cracks? I wonder if after the pipes warm up enough and you start to excelerate through those lower rpm's as the vibrations will be lower frequency, if it's causing the metal to "jingle" then as the vibe's speed up, it cancels out the sound or at least drowns it out. Just an idea.
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04-07-2009, 11:11 AM	#9
satinghostrider Major 178 Rep 1,432 Posts Drives: 2018 F80 M3 ZCP LCI II Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Singapore iTrader: (1)	Fixed the problem!!! Its the brace holding the mid section. One of the screws was lose and when the exhaust warmed up, it was hitting the heat shield. Put in another washer there to further push the heatshield in and the sound is gone!!! Feels like I have a new car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! __________________ 2018 F80 LCI II ZCP ///M3 Mineral White M-DCT\| Sakhir Orange Interior\| \|M Performance Exhaust\|
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04-07-2009, 12:25 PM	#10
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	You know what? This sounds crazy but i also today heard the same thing on my exhaust driving in the local area about 30mph low rpm's. It sounded like something dangling, infact I though someone tied a soda can to my car. I can't belive I heard it today for the first time after this post. I had the window down and heard it. So now I'm gonna go put it on a rack and check it out too. This is crazy. Glad to hear you found it, give me some hope.
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04-07-2009, 05:17 PM	#12
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	yep, that has got to be it...I hope. I'll have to put it on the rack tomorrow and let you know. Sure would be real strange if it turned out to be the same thing.
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04-08-2009, 01:26 PM	#14
BimmerRob08 Major 110 Rep 1,311 Posts Drives: 2008 M3, Space Gray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: KIKR (ABQ), NM iTrader: (0)	Well what ever that noise was it's gone now. I put the M on the rack today and checked everything out underneath. Everything is tight, exhaust is tight, no rattles, etc. So what ever it was it's gone. Definitely didn't hear anything like I did yesterday driving around. Maybe it was some stones or something.
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09-06-2009, 02:38 PM	#15
PLAY_HRD GOT M 15 Rep 138 Posts Drives: 2023 BMW M550i xDrive Sedan Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Triangle, VA iTrader: (0)	OK it's my turn. After installing my Riss Racing exhaust I've had a "vibration" in the car. It gets bad enough between 2k-3k that you feel it everywhere. (in the seats, shifter, peddles) I've looked up under the car and don't see the exhaust touching anything anywhere. I've also touched the exhaust while running and it seems that there is a lot of vibration coming from the CAT to secondary CAT area. In this area is also some kind of "guide rod" attached to the rear of the transmission. I'm guessing this is where the vibration is traveling into the car from. 1. Is it normal the exhaust upgrades increase vibration in the exhaust to do Resonance? 2. Can I move the "guide rod" to eliminate the path the vibration is taking into the car through the transmission. __________________ Last edited by PLAY_HRD; 09-06-2009 at 03:45 PM..
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09-06-2009, 05:31 PM	#16
MrHarris yodog 197 Rep 5,025 Posts Drives: '86 Corolla Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Diamond Bar, Ca iTrader: (5) Garage List 2009 BMW [10.00]	I Have the RR xpipe with hfc. I haven't noticed any vibration that came across as abnormal. You sure it isn't just the increased sound of the xpipe? Could you explain the "guide rod" more? I'll pay more attention for any rattles... __________________ 2009 E92 M3 \| Alpine White \| Black Extended \| Advan RS \| Turner Test Pipes \| Dinan Axle-Back \| OETuning \| Eibach Springs \| UUC SSK \| VRS Front Lip \| VRS Type I Diffuser \| Matte Black \| RPi Scoops \| MS Filter \| Yokohama AD08 \| F1 Pinnacle Special Thanks: Gintani \| OETuning \| eAs
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09-06-2009, 05:47 PM	#18
MrHarris yodog 197 Rep 5,025 Posts Drives: '86 Corolla Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Diamond Bar, Ca iTrader: (5) Garage List 2009 BMW [10.00]	Ah I wouldn't know, I replaced the stock primarys and secondaries. Maybe someone else can chime in __________________ 2009 E92 M3 \| Alpine White \| Black Extended \| Advan RS \| Turner Test Pipes \| Dinan Axle-Back \| OETuning \| Eibach Springs \| UUC SSK \| VRS Front Lip \| VRS Type I Diffuser \| Matte Black \| RPi Scoops \| MS Filter \| Yokohama AD08 \| F1 Pinnacle Special Thanks: Gintani \| OETuning \| eAs
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09-15-2014, 09:55 AM	#20
Messer-schmitt Private 3 Rep 65 Posts Drives: 2012 BMW 328i Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Iowa iTrader: (0)	I had the same issue on my 2012 BMW F30 Sport. Turns out it was the Exhaust Flap Actuator. Go figure. Hope this helps. __________________ '12 Jet Black 328i 6MT Sportline Originally Posted by JBasham Caddy ATS . . . finally, a decent rental car option.
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