'98 Camaro; rattling noise

I searched through the older threads to hopefully find an answer, but I couldn't - so here goes:

As in the title, I have a 1998 Camaro with 127k miles and there is a disgusting rattling noise coming from beneath it.

The noise certainly sounds metallic, but it's solid (no pinging) and sounds like it's coming from beneath the passenger seat when I'm driving. My first thought was the exhaust was loose and hitting something, so I jacked it and checked it out.

There is a piece of the exhaust that has been replaced (about a foot long), just before it starts to bend upward to go to the manifolds (no catalytic converter in sight). At the 'Y' area is where I grabbed the exhaust and (with a fair amount of force) gave it a multidirectional shake as best I could. It didn't seem to budge and I didn't hear any rattling sound.

Toward the rear end, the muffler is hanging down a bit, and there is a great deal of play in it. I can lift it and push it around - it seems to swing freely. The hanger for the muffler is slid into a slot of a rather large black rubber piece that is hanging from the body of the car.

When I go over railroad tracks, I can hear the exhaust hit against my car, and this seems to instigate the rattling noise - but not always. Sometimes, the rattling starts without hitting any bumps at all. It also happens quite often when I go into reverse to park my car; I cut the wheels to the left and give it some gas and it gives a constant rattle.

The best way I can figure to describe the sound, would be to imagine a 'noise maker' (you know, those old hollow wood blocks with a handle that a kid would spin round and round), but more metallic and no pinging (like a metal hitting against a non-metal).

Any advice (except the kind that suggests I just turn up my stereo to get rid of it) would really be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,



Mike

Welcome Mike. Ok, let's solve your problem. I think is your exhaust......... and to be exact, it a metal plate that kinda holds/guides the exhaust just as it curves to the passenger side. Probably you run over a bump to fast or ran over a rock that caused that plate to bend upward thus causing the exhaust to hit it as it shakes or rattles. Because it does have to have some free play, the exhaust.

Check your motor mounts. If one is bad the torque will make the exhaust system hit on the car. An easy way to check them is to raise the hood. Get in and put it in D and R. Hold on the brake.
Hit the gas and watch the engine to see if it raises up.