Muffler tip is vibrating/rattling..anyone else get this? How to fix? UPDATE-SOLVED

Hi, I searched this, but only found one thread without any detail. I have noticed that my driver's side muffler tip is vibrating/rattling at idle and at about 3500 rpm. I have stock oval tips on a C4S. Are there clips I can adjust. If I take my heel and softly kick the tip in, it will stop, but only for a short time. And relax...I'm careful...not hurting my car at all! I think there is a screw that sdjusts, but I was also told by the dealer there are some clips and that when they go, they go for good. Not sure if that is accurate. Any advice on a fix would be great. Don't like the car sounds like that when I accelerate. It's not a super loud rattliing, but enough to notice when standing next to the car. THANK YOU. J

there is just a bolt that needs to be tightened. If you look under the tip you will see it. Sometimes the bolt is stuck due to the elements but thats about it. No worries...

I had a rattle similar to that recently, and I thought it might be an exhaust tip. However, I could not get it to stop rattling even if I held or braced , or put my foot against it. A couple of days later I got a CEL, took it to the dealer, and the rattle ended up being a CAT that I had blown.... no wait, that didn't sound right... er.... I mean... it was a bad CAT. New CAT, covered under warranty, and no more rattle. However, your symptems do sound like a loose tip. you should be able to tighten the bolt either on the tip itself or on the "c" clamp that holds the tip to the muffler (#22 in the diagram).

Great....thanks fellas. Why in the world would the dealer tell me that the "clips" have gone bad? I'm really starting to think they don't know what the **** they are talking about. Really concerns me actually, as the other dealers are over 1/2 hour in other directions. He advised me that I would need to buy a new tip or a pair for that matter. And they run like 500 bucks or so. WTF??? Tim...thanks so much. You never cease to amaze with the diagrams you've got up your sleeve. I'll check out the tip tomorrow when I've got time and let you know how it goes. But it's def. the tip as it's easy to get it to stop rattling, at least temporarily for now. Even sticking the toe of my shoe in the opening stops it. Glad I haven't "blown a cat". LOL.....love it..... J

Thanks for the compliment. If it is the tip, then either of the solutions I mentioned above, tightening the nut on the tip or tightening the "c" clamp, should solve the problem.

Hello....got a chance to get under the car tonight. There were a bunch of areas that seemed to vibrate. In this picture, you can see the bottom of the tip with the hole in it. There is a bolt in there....wouldn't turn. Then you can see a bolt, the cleaner looking one on the end of the c clamp. That turned just a bit, but as soon as I turned it.....rattling stopped immediately. I tightenend the other side too, even tho it didn't need it. My setup didn't resemble Tim's diagram too much....I think....but it was a good reference with the c clips. I see the clip the service guy at the dealer was referring to, but there is no way that was even close to going at this point. The double ringed clamp that secures that clip is what needed to be tightened. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Thanks fellas. J

Jon - good for you! Glad that worked out.

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Jon, sorry for resuscitating this old thread, but which dealer gave you the bad advice? PM me, if it's the folks in Nanuet I'll avoid for this. I've got a loudish rattle that's developed over the past couple of weeks, only happens when the motor is up to temp, at idle to low rpm (which led me to think lifters or cats). Changed oil, still making noise. Had it on a lift for oil, everything seems tight when cold/cooling. Didn't have a rubber mallet handy to whack the mufflers with, but will do this week. Opened oil cap while rattling, rattle doesn't get louder, not coming from inside. Stethoscope doesn't seem to think there's anything coming from inside either. Hoping its just a loose clamp somewhere, it's a pain in the *** because it only happens once the car's hot so I can't really mess with the exhaust too much (esp. the cats) to isolate the noise. If it's the cats, emissions warranty, but CPO explicitly doesn't cover exhausts so I don't want to take it in until I know what's up. If it's the cats, I'm not sure they will get replaced easily, since all 4 o2 sensors are all reading OK even when the car rattles. If it's a loose something or other, I'm doing it myself. - Tim, is that diagram 02+?

Hans, the diagram is 99-01. Here is the '02 +, they are pretty much the same.

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It sounds like the clutch rattle. It's pretty much nomal........

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Tip

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My vote is for one of the cats. I've had both replaced in the past two years. Same symptoms. BTW, they were both covered by CPO and I never had a CEL. Good luck!

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Thanks Tim, you're still the greatest! I hope it is the cats, I know they are covered under fed emissions warranty through 8/80K as per my owners manual and confirmed with dealer. I thought I had a rattle in one of the cats back when I had the coil packs replaced under warranty but they couldn't replicate and it seemed to be fine for the past 6 months, but at least there's a history of complaint about the cats ratling though, should make pressing the issues a little easier. I finally found some hockey pucks (what an unexpected saga that turned out to be) so I should have the lil bastard up in the air this weekend to inspect the muffler to cat connection (which is the front runner in my own mind right now), the cans, the tips, etc.

Hi Hans....yes, it was Nanuet, however, that service advisor is no longer working there (I think they issues with him). This was a diagnosis he made over the phone without hearing or seeing my car, and he was obvioulsy not sure what the true issue was, but I got a bit spooked. They are pretty good over there now, and are excellent at making sure warranty work is properly covered. If you are still a bit apprehensive there, I have a client that owns New Country Porsche in Greenwich, which is actually fairly close. Let me know if you want their info. Good Luck, J

Jon, Thanks for the response. I actually have been pretty OK with the Nanuet guys all in all, but if anything goes sideways this time I may ping you for New Country Porsche's info. I actually bought an MB from New Country's benz dealer a few of years ago, and was recently thinking of having them do the B service on that car. Thanks again for your candor HT

Hans...no problem. Feel free to PM me or email me at [email removed] if you need any info... Best, J

just wanted to close the loop on this, it was the cats, replaced by dealer under federal emissions warranty with no cost to me, runs so nice now it feels like a new car (and I swear it's faster! haha)

Hans, That happened to me about 18 months ago. However, you worded your "CAT problem" better than I did. Here is a link to my thread. After you read my opening post make sure you see post #12, it is hilarious! I blew a Cat yesterday.... This just proves that I don't only make fun of Phil. Sometimes I make fun of myself!

hahaha, don't worry Tim, that cat'll be back for more! classic

I am reviving a thread from the dead. I have loud rattle at idle - for a while I freaked out thinking it was the IMS about to grenade... No CEL yet - tried to tighten the bolt mentioned earlier in this thread - didn't change the rattle - I have a feeling it's the CATS....Am going to the dealer tmrw will let you know how it goes.