Exhaust drone/rattle predicament! I need some info and advice!

Red03Mustang · Nov 5, 2004

Well, I have an interesting problem.

My car is starting to rattle in lots of places because of the exhaust. I have a MAC exhaust system. I like the sound, but the loudness is causing my car to develop rattles because of the drone. I have rattles in the front, sides and rear that only occur at drone. They were not there until about 3 weeks after I got my exhaust installed.

I should say this is the second exhaust I have installed. I had Magnaflows welded in first, then decided I wanted a louder system so I went MAC. I like the sound, as I said, but the rattles and buzzings are driving me crazy!

I was thinking about putting on a Ford Racing (FR500) catback. I can get one of those for $300.

My other options were switch out my mufflers. I wanted to ask if this is possible, since I have a MAC catback on. Can the mufflers simply be swapped out with others, and I keep the MAC 2.5 piping? Or would I have to get all new catback materials/system?

I could even go back to the Magnaflows, but I sold the ones I had already so I would have to buy them again. Depending on if I could weld them in or not, I might have to buy a Magnaflow catback anyway, but I do not want to spend that much money. I have already done this once, and I don't want to do it again!

I've tried to fix the rattles and buzzes. Finding them is the hardest part. I cannot find the most aggravating one, which is in the back-right of the car. I cannot tell what it is, but it sounds like a combination buzz/rattle coming from something underneath the car. I have looked the exhaust over with the mechanic that put it on, and neither of us can figure out what it could be.

Any advice would be helpful, either on fixing the squeaks (which I would rather do) or on if I can simply weld in new mufflers, or if I have to get a whole new catback at some point. Thanks!

WhiteDevil69 · Nov 5, 2004

Red03Mustang said:
Well, I have an interesting problem.

My car is starting to rattle in lots of places because of the exhaust. I have a MAC exhaust system. I like the sound, but the loudness is causing my car to develop rattles because of the drone. I have rattles in the front, sides and rear that only occur at drone. They were not there until about 3 weeks after I got my exhaust installed.

I should say this is the second exhaust I have installed. I had Magnaflows welded in first, then decided I wanted a louder system so I went MAC. I like the sound, as I said, but the rattles and buzzings are driving me crazy!

I was thinking about putting on a Ford Racing (FR500) catback. I can get one of those for $300.

My other options were switch out my mufflers. I wanted to ask if this is possible, since I have a MAC catback on. Can the mufflers simply be swapped out with others, and I keep the MAC 2.5 piping? Or would I have to get all new catback materials/system?

I could even go back to the Magnaflows, but I sold the ones I had already so I would have to buy them again. Depending on if I could weld them in or not, I might have to buy a Magnaflow catback anyway, but I do not want to spend that much money. I have already done this once, and I don't want to do it again!

I've tried to fix the rattles and buzzes. Finding them is the hardest part. I cannot find the most aggravating one, which is in the back-right of the car. I cannot tell what it is, but it sounds like a combination buzz/rattle coming from something underneath the car. I have looked the exhaust over with the mechanic that put it on, and neither of us can figure out what it could be.

Any advice would be helpful, either on fixing the squeaks (which I would rather do) or on if I can simply weld in new mufflers, or if I have to get a whole new catback at some point. Thanks!

Well, you definitly wont have to get a whole new catback system. The piping is basicly the same either way. You can just swap the mufflers if you do decide to go that route. As for the rattles, mine do that for me ever since i added the headers and I found my biggest rattle is my ebrake handle. If i simply touch the button on the handle even just barely, the sound stops. It is my only rattle at this point (knock on wood) but there is always the little one inside the dash, no fix i know of either. Good luck, maybe someone will have more experiance with the other rattles for yah. Bryan.

Red03Mustang · Nov 5, 2004

Thanks for your reply WhiteDevil69.

WhiteDevil69 said:
Well, you definitly wont have to get a whole new catback system. The piping is basicly the same either way. You can just swap the mufflers if you do decide to go that route. As for the rattles, mine do that for me ever since i added the headers and I found my biggest rattle is my ebrake handle. If i simply touch the button on the handle even just barely, the sound stops. It is my only rattle at this point (knock on wood) but there is always the little one inside the dash, no fix i know of either. Good luck, maybe someone will have more experiance with the other rattles for yah. Bryan.

I wish mine was only the E-brake handle! I am not so lucky. My car decides to buzz like a bumble bee on the inside.

I have removed everything from the car, such as stuff in the glovebox, loose things laying around, truck items, etc. Everything I can think of. So, it must be something that is actually a part of the car that is doing it. It is so aggravating! As I said, it only does it at drone.

I'm glad I can just weld in new mufflers though. I'm going to the shop right now to see what options I have for the $$$.

Anyone else with rattle troubles and hopefully fixes?

BMurphy · Nov 5, 2004

This sounds more like a resonance rather than a rattle since it is frequency dependent ( drone mode) rather than event like hitting a bump.. I chased one down with a passenger with a good set of ears who put light pressure on various points until we found a buzz from the right rear plastic seat trim.

Good luck

nickthegenius · Nov 5, 2004

I just had a set of the new Steeda full-length subframe connectors welded in last Thursday and 95% of my rattles, squeaks, buzzings, etc. went away. The only one left is at the top of the center stack where the two A/C vents are. I can't figure out what part is actually buzzing but it is annoying.

Take BMurphy's advice and have a friend ride with you and help you out. I've done that in other cars hunting down noises.

Smeech · Nov 5, 2004

I have a similiar issue. I resolved it by keeping my windows rolled down. When they're both down, no rattles/buzzing! Plus you hear the car

I was worried it was the rear end or tranny or something, but now I got over the sound..

Red03Mustang · Nov 6, 2004

nickthegenius said:
I just had a set of the new Steeda full-length subframe connectors welded in last Thursday and 95% of my rattles, squeaks, buzzings, etc. went away. The only one left is at the top of the center stack where the two A/C vents are. I can't figure out what part is actually buzzing but it is annoying.

Take BMurphy's advice and have a friend ride with you and help you out. I've done that in other cars hunting down noises.

The mechanic that installed the exhaust rode with me after I started having the buzzing sound. He was trying to help me figure out what was buzzing. We pretty much came to the conclusion that it wasn't the exhaust itself, but rather the drone from the exahust causing something ELSE to rattle.

I just don't know what in the world it could be. He and I looked at stuff under the car, and I've looked everything inside the car over as well. Something somewhere is just buzzing terribly at drone, and it sounds like it is right at the rear glass, or maybe under the car near the exahust itself.

I'm wondering if it could be one of my mufflers, but I don't know about that. I have Flowpaths, so I don't know if there is anything loose inside them that can buzz like that. I wish I knew more!

Thanks for the responses. Still trying to figure this one out!

Red03Mustang · Nov 6, 2004

maybe it's the same thing.

BMurphy said:
This sounds more like a resonance rather than a rattle since it is frequency dependent ( drone mode) rather than event like hitting a bump.. I chased one down with a passenger with a good set of ears who put light pressure on various points until we found a buzz from the right rear plastic seat trim.

Good luck

Thanks BMurphy. Who knows, it might be MY rear seat trim too. I'm definitely going to have to get someone to ride in the back seat, or drive while I ride in the back, and see if it is something inside or outside the car. To be honest, it's hard to tell. Anyone who's ridden with me seems to think it is the actual exhaust itself, which is why I ask if it is possible that something could be loose in one of my mufflers, maybe?

laser01gt · Nov 7, 2004

I'm sure you probably already checked thiss, but could it be the spare tire or jack not tightened down all the way?

3.8L_of_Pain · Nov 7, 2004

I have been down the same path as you. Here is where I ended up.

First, I just tried weld-in Magnaflow, but it was too quiet. So then the shop cut me a deal. He had some Dynomax 2.5" catback tubing and I wanted Flowmaster 40 mufflers for sound. They sounded good, but when they droned, the whole passenger side dashboard rattled and buzzed. It was ridiculous.

So back to the shop I went. He said that since I had opened the exhaust to 2.5", the Magnaflow mufflers would sound good, not too quiet, and less drone. This is the setup I have now: 2.5" Dynomax tubing and 2.5" Magnaflow wide open mufflers. The sound is excellent, better than the Flowmaster 40s and just as loud, and much less buzzing and rattling.

Red03Mustang · Nov 7, 2004

Could be that.

laser01gt said:
I'm sure you probably already checked thiss, but could it be the spare tire or jack not tightened down all the way?

With me, don't be sure I've already done anything.

Actually I have not checked that. Everything BUT that. I will be sure to check it out. I thought of that when it first started buzzing, but after I got sidetracked looking for other things, I completley forgot to check that.

I'll check that tomorrow if I get a chance and see if that's what is doing it. I'd hate to change out my exhaust just because of a buzz. But, if that isn't it, that is probably the road I will take. I'm seriously considering the ford exhaust, is it the FD500? I think that's the # of it. Anyhow, I imagine it would be slightly louder than stock, and that's about it. Heck, I might even go back to stock. In all honesty, I'd much rather have a car that didn't rattle one bit than one that sounded great on the outside only. I just don't think a car that stickers for nearly $30,000 should have rattles. Maybe I'm crazy to think that, huh?

Thanks for the tips 3.8L of Pain. Who knows what route I'll go if it isn't the spare and the jack.

Exhaust drone/rattle predicament! I need some info and advice!

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