i have a strange rattleing noise coming from beneath my car, it seems as if it is coming from the catalitic converter. it sounds like something tin or aluminum, its an odd sound. it rattles most when the AC is on because the exhaust vibrates more, any suggestions?

and if i should buy a new one, is it worth getting a perfomance one or no, if so what kind? thanx

 

heat shields.

 

the bolts rust through the thin sheet metal and then it rattles till it catches on something, pulls off the chassis, flys out the back on the interstate and kills a van full of children.

rip it off to save your sanity and those young christian children :ugh:

 

Yup, the notorious heat shield chatter. Just take it off.

 

the one in my s10 resonated with a piece of metal across the back of the cab it sounded like an english telephone...gd it was loud :-x

 

ok thanx guys, i was told that there was ceramic on the inside and it probably broke, but i didnt think it sound like that, it sounds more like metal, and i thought it was the shield around it. and i was right.

so if i just take it off, it will be fine, no need to buy a new one? and if i were to buy a new one, would it improve performance, make exhaust louder, or nothing at all? thanx

 

I put clamps around mine, it worked for a while.



Then eventually I just got a stainless steel one.

 

if you take it off it will stop "shielding heat" from whatever area you take it off of. *doy*



the cat proly has ceramics inside it, i dunno, but yeah, they can get busted up and rattle, but it sounds different and can cause a backfire, so youll definetely know that sound.

 

i figured it would stop shielding heat, but does it really matter. will it hurt anything with out it?

 

no, they dont even fit on aftermarket exhaust, nor does the aftermarket exhaust come with them. its basically supposed to reduce cabin heat, which it does quite nicely. without the one on below my shifter the shift knob gets a bit warm, and not from my hand...its from the exhaust