02-26-2017, 12:34 AM
As I was driving ( the tiptronic ) home after work Friday evening I suddenly started hearing a metallic rattle, which kept getting considerably louder when I was slowing down, approaching stop signs or stop lights .
When stopped, either in gear or at idle, the sound was not as loud as it was when slowing down but still very audible. I revved the engine a few times and always after about 3 K rpm the noise faded quite a bit . ( when stationary that is, when driving at 3 k rom I could still hear it, but again starting to fade as I was getting to the 4 - 4.5 rom level ). As for location of the sound it, it seemed to be coming from under the gear shift console, perhaps just a little more on the driver's side of the car . However, when changing gears or accelerating, decelerating there was no bump or clank or anything of the sort; very smooth shifting except for that annoying rattle which was scary, particularly given my experience with this car which never seems to cease breaking down one way or another. I pulled over to the side of the road, opened the hood, looked at everything I could with a flashlight since it was already dark by then, then took a chance and turned on the engine letting it idle for a minute or two, trying to listen and see if I can pinpoint anything in there from which the rattle might emanate. While I did hear the noise, it still sounded as if it came from the bottom of the engine, or under the car anyway but closer to the front , as opposed the rear half end segment of the car. Walked back there also listening for stuff . I did look under the car as well with the flashlight but did not notice much of anything which appeared out of place. Got back in the car, thinking it's a cracked flex plate , or a rod bearing gone bad or some other impending disaster, and decided to have the car towed home before I managed to do anymore damage and get stuck on a freeway or another inconvenient place .
So got home, had a couple of stiff drinks and went to sleep . This morning as soon as sufficient light was out there I started checking around again, and while peeking once more under the car I noticed a bracket / clamp just dangling loose around the neck of the catalytic converter. Gave it a push and it moved freely back and forth , up and down ... needless to say, that metal ring on the exhaust pipe is almost undoubtedly the source of the noise. No idea what caused it to break off from where I imagine it's welded to the frame, but will have the car up on a lift tomorrow at a friend's shop and will check out if there are other weak exhaust mounting points, while we're welding this thing back in place The entire exhaust set up, front to back, feels to be solidly in place though ( tried to pull, push it , but it hardly budges ). So the pessimist that I am ( not by nature , but purely by experience with this lemon of a 968 ) I expected a catastrophic issue to have occurred so you can just imagine my relief when I saw what it was this morning . To my credit though, before I started thinking flex plate or engine bearings or transmission stuff, my first thought was that it sounds like a heat shield above the exhaust pipes or muffler or whatnot . Not sure why I did not look closer at everything around the whole exhaust before calling the tow truck and worrying about what broke down, while riding all the way home. Nkte to self : carry a flask filled with vodka, or tequila , or scotch , for these occasions !
So if any of you guys hear scary noises, before panicking as I did, look around first for loose thingamajigs which may make contact with the exhaust ..
When stopped, either in gear or at idle, the sound was not as loud as it was when slowing down but still very audible. I revved the engine a few times and always after about 3 K rpm the noise faded quite a bit . ( when stationary that is, when driving at 3 k rom I could still hear it, but again starting to fade as I was getting to the 4 - 4.5 rom level ). As for location of the sound it, it seemed to be coming from under the gear shift console, perhaps just a little more on the driver's side of the car . However, when changing gears or accelerating, decelerating there was no bump or clank or anything of the sort; very smooth shifting except for that annoying rattle which was scary, particularly given my experience with this car which never seems to cease breaking down one way or another. I pulled over to the side of the road, opened the hood, looked at everything I could with a flashlight since it was already dark by then, then took a chance and turned on the engine letting it idle for a minute or two, trying to listen and see if I can pinpoint anything in there from which the rattle might emanate. While I did hear the noise, it still sounded as if it came from the bottom of the engine, or under the car anyway but closer to the front , as opposed the rear half end segment of the car. Walked back there also listening for stuff . I did look under the car as well with the flashlight but did not notice much of anything which appeared out of place. Got back in the car, thinking it's a cracked flex plate , or a rod bearing gone bad or some other impending disaster, and decided to have the car towed home before I managed to do anymore damage and get stuck on a freeway or another inconvenient place .
So got home, had a couple of stiff drinks and went to sleep . This morning as soon as sufficient light was out there I started checking around again, and while peeking once more under the car I noticed a bracket / clamp just dangling loose around the neck of the catalytic converter. Gave it a push and it moved freely back and forth , up and down ... needless to say, that metal ring on the exhaust pipe is almost undoubtedly the source of the noise. No idea what caused it to break off from where I imagine it's welded to the frame, but will have the car up on a lift tomorrow at a friend's shop and will check out if there are other weak exhaust mounting points, while we're welding this thing back in place The entire exhaust set up, front to back, feels to be solidly in place though ( tried to pull, push it , but it hardly budges ). So the pessimist that I am ( not by nature , but purely by experience with this lemon of a 968 ) I expected a catastrophic issue to have occurred so you can just imagine my relief when I saw what it was this morning . To my credit though, before I started thinking flex plate or engine bearings or transmission stuff, my first thought was that it sounds like a heat shield above the exhaust pipes or muffler or whatnot . Not sure why I did not look closer at everything around the whole exhaust before calling the tow truck and worrying about what broke down, while riding all the way home. Nkte to self : carry a flask filled with vodka, or tequila , or scotch , for these occasions !
So if any of you guys hear scary noises, before panicking as I did, look around first for loose thingamajigs which may make contact with the exhaust ..
(This post was last modified: 02-26-2017, 01:08 AM by ds968.)
