Car gets really loud, even when I gently tap the accelerator. - Ford Forums

GStam66 · 01-10-2006, 15:13

Hey, I noticed that my 93 Tempo has been getting louder and louder lately. When it's idling, it makes a sputtering kinda noise, that seems to be coming from under the front driver's seat/passenger's seat area.

When I hit the gas (even lightly) it gets REALLY loud. Almost as if I have no exhaust pipe or muffler at all (I do though, so thats not the problem

). I'm thinking it might be a loose connection from my catalytic converter to my exhaust pipe (friend suggests it might just be a bad converter).

I have also noticed that when I start up my car, even with the windows closed and no vents blowing, that I can smell a little exhaust (can only smell it for a minute or two, until I start driving).

Any advice/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

**Freshmeat** · 01-11-2006, 17:37

Sounds like a hole in your system. It may have rotted apart at a joint, likely the catalytic converter. A bad cat wouldn't do that unless it's rotted through- you could gut it and not notice a sound difference with a stock muffler (trust me- I've done it).
Just climb under there and look for the leak... or take it to a local shop. The nearby muffler shop here does free inspections and welds leaks for $20.

GStam66 · 01-12-2006, 11:34

Well, I'm gonna try to put it up on a ramp, or take it to a shop to get it looked at (gonna have em diagnose it for me, then I'll just fix it myself).

Yeah, I know that noise problems like these can be anything from pipes rattling, to holes, and someone suggested that it might be a loose spark plug

?

But $20 sounds really reasonable.

GStam66 · 01-13-2006, 09:36

Well, I got it fixed last night. It would up being a rusted-to-failure flange (in front of converter) that was broken off of one of the bolts holding it in place and rattling against everything.

Thanks for the advice guys!

**Freshmeat** · 01-14-2006, 07:17

Glad you got fixed up. Nothing like repairing exhaust leaks. I paid $950 for the system currently on my wagon and three months later the H-pipe tore. I had lost the receipt and the shop denied having done the work, so I was out of luck. Drove on it like that for ten months (couldn't even carry conversation while driving 'cause the tear was aimed right at the cab). I finally brought it in and had it patched up and couldn't believe it was the same car I was driving! But... then I was able to hear other sounds, so I had to get to work tightening a million other things so they'd stop rattling!