Y pipe banging...Old story, new to me...
07-11-2006, 11:54 PM
#1
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Y pipe banging...Old story, new to me... I had just a little banging/vibration right as you would accelorate hard from a stop. I thought it might be a broken trans mount. I picked up an Energy Suspension mount tonight. I pulled the stocker off, it looked good, but I put the ES mount on, since I had it. 
Now the y pipe almost rests on the driver's side floor board.
I have to fix it tomorrow!!! Am I better off to go back to the stocker or try to adjust the exhaust with the ES mount?
Now the y pipe almost rests on the driver's side floor board. I have to fix it tomorrow!!! Am I better off to go back to the stocker or try to adjust the exhaust with the ES mount?
07-12-2006, 02:02 AM
#3
I put in a new trans mount a while ago, and it stopped my 1st to 2nd wot y pipe banging, but now I have lt's and from a stop with hard acceleration like you, I get the banging noise too. I think it is the motor mounts.
07-12-2006, 10:15 AM
#5
Motor mounts. There's a reason I try to pimp them off on everyone. 
Did you install the extra plate with the ES trans mount? You can leave it out as well as grind down the preload bumps on the mount. It will bring the trans down and move the exhaust a little bit away from the body too.
Did you install the extra plate with the ES trans mount? You can leave it out as well as grind down the preload bumps on the mount. It will bring the trans down and move the exhaust a little bit away from the body too.
07-12-2006, 01:14 PM
#7
You can also try the Mufflex Ls-1 ypipe bump stop hangar. Scroll down on this link:
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...&vid=3&pcid=54
It worked out for me.
http://www.thunderracing.com/catalog...&vid=3&pcid=54
It worked out for me.
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07-12-2006, 04:03 PM
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Guys...
To stop the floor board banging, use a pry bar to pull down on the header. Place the pry bar between the collector and the frame rail and pull down to get the added clearance that you need. I would suggest placing a rubber hose over the pry bar so that you don't scratch the header, especially a ceramic coated header (a small towel will work too). Make sure to check the header bolts after you pry down on the header. If you still get the banging, you can also replace the trans mount with a poly mount as there is a lot of play with the stock rubber trans mount and under hard acceleration, the y-pipe may bang. Keep in mind that the poly mount is a tad taller, so you might have to pull down on the header again. Motor mount replacement shouldn't be necessary.
Another tip if the driver's side header is hitting the steering shaft...
Just loosen the steering column from underneath the dash. There are 3 or 4 bolts that hold it to the firewall and there is no need to completely remove the bolts. Then have someone use a pry bar to push the steering shaft away from the header. While that person is prying the steering shaft away from the header via the pry bar, go back underneath the dash and re-tighten the steering column bolts. Takes less then 5 minutes. This way you are actually moving the steering shaft away from the header.
If you haven't noticed, the quality control for the f-body isn't that great. That's why the header may hit the steering shaft from time to time. If you actually loosen the steering column like I mentioned, you'll have a lot of play. If that still doesn't give you enough of room, then I would suggest using a pry bar on the header itself. I am not a big fan of the many header systems out there, but you have to expect that some modifications may be necessary when it comes to AFTERMARKET parts. That's just the way it is (not trying to sound like Bruce Hornsby).
My tips are tried and true and will work.
To stop the floor board banging, use a pry bar to pull down on the header. Place the pry bar between the collector and the frame rail and pull down to get the added clearance that you need. I would suggest placing a rubber hose over the pry bar so that you don't scratch the header, especially a ceramic coated header (a small towel will work too). Make sure to check the header bolts after you pry down on the header. If you still get the banging, you can also replace the trans mount with a poly mount as there is a lot of play with the stock rubber trans mount and under hard acceleration, the y-pipe may bang. Keep in mind that the poly mount is a tad taller, so you might have to pull down on the header again. Motor mount replacement shouldn't be necessary.
Another tip if the driver's side header is hitting the steering shaft...
Just loosen the steering column from underneath the dash. There are 3 or 4 bolts that hold it to the firewall and there is no need to completely remove the bolts. Then have someone use a pry bar to push the steering shaft away from the header. While that person is prying the steering shaft away from the header via the pry bar, go back underneath the dash and re-tighten the steering column bolts. Takes less then 5 minutes. This way you are actually moving the steering shaft away from the header.
If you haven't noticed, the quality control for the f-body isn't that great. That's why the header may hit the steering shaft from time to time. If you actually loosen the steering column like I mentioned, you'll have a lot of play. If that still doesn't give you enough of room, then I would suggest using a pry bar on the header itself. I am not a big fan of the many header systems out there, but you have to expect that some modifications may be necessary when it comes to AFTERMARKET parts. That's just the way it is (not trying to sound like Bruce Hornsby).
My tips are tried and true and will work.
07-12-2006, 04:09 PM
#9
Originally Posted by TheBlurLS1
Motor mounts. There's a reason I try to pimp them off on everyone.
Did you install the extra plate with the ES trans mount? You can leave it out as well as grind down the preload bumps on the mount. It will bring the trans down and move the exhaust a little bit away from the body too.
Did you install the extra plate with the ES trans mount? You can leave it out as well as grind down the preload bumps on the mount. It will bring the trans down and move the exhaust a little bit away from the body too.
Ok here's my story on banging y-pipe's
I started with the Mufflex bump stop hanger, did nothing at all. Yes I put it on right, I adjusted the thing a dozen times and it simply DID NOT work. Granted my clearance from y-pipe to floorboard is about a quarter inch which is probably why it was totally worthless.
Then I tried motor mounts (biggest PITA ever w/ headers on BTW) motor mounts did help ALOT, but they STILL did not solve my y banging issue, on a car where the y-pipe has more clearance this would probably be you're final step.
BUuuuuuuuuut. My junk was still banging so I finally got fed up and ghettofied my ride a little bit, I pried the pipe down and shoved a 1.25" piece of heater hose between the floorboard and the y-pipe and wrapped it with a hose clamp to keep it from falling off. I was a little worried that it would melt or something but I did this about 2 months ago and last time I checked it showed no signs of being melted at all.
So it turns out the real solution to a banging y-pipe (for me anyway) was not a 30$ bump stop or a 50$ pair of motor mounts, but a 3 dollar piece of heater hose!!
But please try to do it right first , motor mounts are very worthwhile whether you're exhaust is banging or not.
/thread
Me
07-12-2006, 05:25 PM
#12
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i didn't like the idea of grinding my crossmember so i bent my headers slightly where they "both" hit on the crossmember.it does suck to have to either grind on your car or bend your headers.
07-12-2006, 08:55 PM
#13
Or you could mark the pipe where it's banging, pull the y-pipe off the car. Heat the area with a torch and flatten the pipe a little. Use a hammer or a bench vise. Move on with your lives. Some of you guys act like you will lose 40hp by flattening a pipe a little.
07-12-2006, 09:45 PM
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my headers don't hit anything..and I certainly would not 'pry' them down. It's the y-pipe that most have the problems with it seems.
It's the y-pipe that most have the problems with it seems.
07-12-2006, 09:53 PM
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Originally Posted by HavATampa
Or you could mark the pipe where it's banging, pull the y-pipe off the car. Heat the area with a torch and flatten the pipe a little. Use a hammer or a bench vise. Move on with your lives. Some of you guys act like you will lose 40hp by flattening a pipe a little.
SO VERY TRUE. 
07-13-2006, 01:10 AM
#18
Originally Posted by HavATampa
Or you could mark the pipe where it's banging, pull the y-pipe off the car. Heat the area with a torch and flatten the pipe a little. Use a hammer or a bench vise. Move on with your lives. Some of you guys act like you will lose 40hp by flattening a pipe a little.
The pacesetter Y is already crushed where it hits the body for clearance, crushing it anymore and I would be worried about losing a decent amount of power.
07-13-2006, 09:22 AM
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Originally Posted by Luna
Something about bending my headers all to hell just doesnt appeal to me, I'm not saying its not a good way to do it just to each their own.