hamhead

After my Maintec Racing Header install, I ran into a problem. I've heard many comments on header buzz here, but I didn't want to diagnose it right away as that. I've went through everything... no exhaust leaks anywhere, piping is several inches away from body all along the route, tore out entire back interior, nothing. The only thing I have left to check is the muffler hanger (the belt is fine tongue.gif)... the screw to the body may have been a little too tight... even though the rubber itself is still in good shape.

This is the problem I am having... even if Its not header buzz, maybe you can point me to the source... its driving me nuts:

If I'm easy on the throttle (below say, 30%) I don't get the buzzing until higher RPM, like 3600. If I get on it, It kicks in very early (3000RPM, sometimes less). It sounds like metal on metal contact. When I lift off the throttle, even in the RPMs where it usually makes this noise (say letting off 3rd gear at 4000RPM), the buzz goes away. In neutral, the problem isn't as apparent for some reason.

It not making the noise in neutral as much, or it not making the noise when I lift off the throttle, leads me to believe the Flowmaster muffler is not the problem. I at first thought I had knocked a baffle loose, but it isn't the case I don't think.

Any ideas? Hate driving the car like it is... quite embarrassing frankly. lmao.gif

mr_jeckel

That sounds like the headers to me. I made it quieter by putting a different muffler on, but it still buzzes. My car is exactly the same way. It picks up at about 3500, but much earlier if I push it. I'm not sure how to fix it.

hamhead

Ham's worst nightmare comes into existence. owned.gif A loud weedwhacker for a Tiburon.

Great. tongue.gif I always have to want every smidgeon of power and end up messing things up.

I'll find someway to fix the darn thing.

HyundaiKitCoupe

you're going to have to specify here whether it's ricer buzz or metal contact buzz. because i don't get any ricer buzz anymore on my car but i do get metal contact buzz. to my understanding it is the result of the chrome tips because it sounds like it is coming from the muffler. with mine, it sounds pretty cool from inside but from outside it sounds like something is loose down there.

do you have a chrome tip? it most likely is from your hangers, one hanger probably is holding the exhaust/muffler more than the other. you might want to tighten your hangers and check if there are no gaps between the ends.

my sister's car has a motoria and has a rattling sound at higher rpm's but i can say it's most definitely the hangers.

hamhead

It came directly after the header install. Granted, I had a few issues with sounds from back in the hatch before the install, couldn't really tell what it was... but it was fine. I haven't heard my car from the outside myself at high RPM, I ran by some close buildings and got to hear it, sounded rather ricerish. That and the reactions I got as well.

I got pissed and floored it in first on the way back to the shop after an unsuccessful trial run, and noticed everyone in every car at the other stoplight staring at me. lmao.gif I can't butt dyno my headers yet cause I'm afraid I'll make a lil child go deaf.

I'll fiddle with the hangars tomorrow.

2kShark

I have a pretty good feeling that it's the lack of a glasspack. You should weld one on their in place of your resonator and most (if not all) of the buzzing should dissapear. I'd recommend something 28" or bigger. I have a 35 incher on there, and the exhaust doesn't buzz at all, low/high.. anywhere!

hamhead

I'm resonatorless. tongue.gif

Maintec Racing -> Stock 11k miles Cat -> 2.25in piping -> Flowmaster 30 Series Deltaflow

I let ya guys know if that bracket on the hangar solves my problem or not. Can't imagine a sound that can drowned out my exhaust coming from one bolt, but you never know.

tibbytib

2Kshark is right, a glass pack will definately solve a lot of your problems with buzzing.

Now this may sound ghetto, and, well, it is, but I found out after putting my car up on jacks and listening to the underneath of the car that a LOT of buzzing was actually coming from the heat shield that pretty much runs the length of the exhaust until the rear axel. Dont believe me, just get under there and flick it with your finger. Damn thing buzzes and echos horribly. I very easily solved this problem by using some polymeric mastic (generic dynomat) and put it between the heatshield and the bottom of the car. The dynomat has not melted, is still there, and has solved my buzzing problem for the last 8 months!. Call me ghetto, I shall take it with pride! But, I will have the last laugh with my buzz and rattle free exhaust!!!! laugh.gif Hope this helps you out! fing02.gif

MK3Design

I have straight piping from the headers back
Maintec to full Motoria with NO cats, glasspacks, etc.

It sounds great, no exhaust buzz, its just f***ing loud. Only thing what buzzes is my hatch glass.

hamhead

Update.

Spent several hours going over stuff again today. I noticed the piping was only half an inch or so away from the gas tank strap, and only quarter of an inch away from the area beside the spare tire well. So I ended up heating the piping up and bending it slightly, and got it moved out of the way. Then I proceeded to whack the old bracket off and fabricate myself a new one out of an exhaust clamp and linked it up to a different stock location. The exhaust has at least an inch and a half of clearance everywhere now.

Good news. Result is the buzzing is out of the cabin. I won't get a headache anymore. I guess the piping was touching there and transferring the vibration to the cabin. The old hanger was pretty stiff. So i got rid of the metal on metal sound I was getting.

Bad news. Header buzz is still present. I guess I had both metal on metal contact and header buzz at the same time. Imagine that at the same time, then you'll know why I've had a headache for the past few days. My exhaust sounds very gay at the moment. The muffler doesn't have the presence it had before the install. So I'm still screwed in a way. It sounds hollow and ricerish, and taching it up past 3200RPM annoys fellow drivers to no end.

Plans for tomorrow. Drilling a hole in the muffler and installing a few baffles. If that doesn't solve my problem (worked wonders on the Corvette), then its glasspack buying time. If that doesn't work, the Flowmaster gets the trash can. If that doesn't work, well I'm screwed.

My dad says the headers have this problem because the motor isn't balanced, and since the exhaust is carried through two pipes for a fairly long way, it causes this. Because the runners on the stock manifold are so short, it doesn't matter. Yet the runners are several feet long on the Maintec before they join into one pipe. Why it effects some of us, and not others, I don't know. Apparently my motor is very unbalanced. tongue.gif

I'll let you guys know what works. tongue.gif

Me and HKC are ending up in the same boat. $740 after starting to modify the exhaust, I'm not happy with it. Not to mention countless hours put into it.