G04T

iTrader: (2)

Installed my JBA catless mids today, paired with a magnaflow catback and stock headers for the time being. I pulled the GTO covers off the heads for a little more light and everything looked perfect. Finished up the install, everything sealed tight, used original gaskets on the back with high temp and used the JBA adapters for the front (where the mids connect to the headers) and cleaned everything up. I'm hearing a bit of a ticking now that I didn't notice before. It almost sounds like a bit of a lifter tick but I don't see that starting randomly over a two hour period. I thought it may have been an exhaust leak at first but I can really only hear it when the engine is under load. It's very subtle when free revving, I can hear it standing by the engine bay but not if I'm in the car driving. Just wondering if anyone has had any similar experiences or can think of anything I'm overlooking. Thanks again for any help.

G04T

iTrader: (2)

Went out this morning with a little more light and checked for anything loose (spark plugs, header bolts, etc) and found nothing. It doesn't sound like an exhaust leak to me and I don't see anything that broke off rattling around or anything like that. Only noticing it on the drivers side.

kjcmusic17

It's probably a leak. I wouldn't have reused the gaskets. My last f-body had a leak that sounded like a tick at the manifold gaskets.

G04T

iTrader: (2)

+1.

Turned out not to be an exhaust leak, but you got me looking in the right direction. After a little web research I found the steel flanges JBA provides with their mid pipes for the stock headers are notorious for being a little to loose and causing rattling and/or a ticking sound when they bounce off the flange on the headers. Some high temp took care of the issue. Thanks again.