Exhaust Hole?

[seeka]

Had the windows down today going through a built up area and as I accelerated up around 2500-3000 rpm I could hear what sounds like a hole in the exhaust somewhere.

While idling the engine sounds fine and even if I rev the engine while stationery all sounds well. Its just when I'm on the move going through the gears (around the 2500 rev mark) when the exhaust note gets a lot louder. At decent speeds and high revs it sounds normal.

Haven't noticed any drop in performance either.

Any ideas?

 

[DanB720]

If its coming from the front area its likely a cracked manifold of blown flexi.

 

[seeka]

If its coming from the front area its likely a cracked manifold of blown flexi.

Sounds like its coming from the rear or directly underneath me when I accelerate. Almost like a 'flapping' sound.

 

[DanB720]

Get a friend to rev the car while you try locate it underneath. You may need to remove the diffuser as this is where the backbox is tucked away.

 

[seeka]

Get a friend to rev the car while you try locate it underneath. You may need to remove the diffuser as this is where the backbox is tucked away.

That's the thing, I can't hear any difference when the car is stationery and I rev it. Its only when I'm accelerating while on the move.

 

[DanB720]

I very much doubt its the exhaust then. You would hear a hole in the exhaust when the car is stationery.

 

[seeka]

Crap! I better get it checked so. Cheers

 

[seeka]

I very much doubt its the exhaust then. You would hear a hole in the exhaust when the car is stationery.

Right, just checked it while cold. Gave it a good few revs. Definitely coming from underneath the car towards the front. It sounds just like the time the back box fell off my 106GTi

 

[6705russell]

I could sense/smell fumes in the cabin whilst stationary, also noticed when I opened the driver door I could hear a slight warble, I knew something was not right, got it up on the ramp and the centre silencer had fractured around the weld, week later the other side of the silencer fractured on the weld. Had it removed and a new silencer fitted in - £60 job done.

 

[Chris]

Have you got under the car and let someone else rev it whilst you listen?

 

[sevenfourate]

Have you got under the car and let someone else rev it whilst you listen?

This.

Bit of tissue on some pliers (Look for the tissue to start flapping), soapy water around a joint (Watch for bubbling - not too helpful once exhaust warms up though), chalk-dust (Will blow away if leaking) or a tube or piece of hose to your ear (For those harder to reach spots) can all help diagnose a blowing exhaust or joint.......

 

[seeka]

Have you got under the car and let someone else rev it whilst you listen?

Not yet. I had a listen while cold this evening, gave it a few revs and definitely coming from the front end underneath and sounds like a hole somewhere but I know f*ck all really so it could be anything. I'll take it down my mechanic in the morning.

 

[Chris]

If your not sure thats best, if its from the front it could be the flexis, or when I had my 197 the flanges at the top of the manifold had cracked and that both made exhaust blowing sounds.

If your lucky it could be around the joints to the cat/end of the manifold and something could just tightening or need a bead of weld to stop it which would be an easy fix!

 

[seeka]

If your not sure thats best, if its from the front it could be the flexis, or when I had my 197 the flanges at the top of the manifold had cracked and that both made exhaust blowing sounds.

If your lucky it could be around the joints to the cat/end of the manifold and something could just tightening or need a bead of weld to stop it which would be an easy fix!

Just praying its not the manifold. Damn car is starting to cost me too much. There's no unusual sound coming from the engine bay from what I can tell and the performance is just fine when I accelerate. Its just the sound it makes... which is actually quite nice

 

[seeka]

Flexi pipe has a hole. Now I have to decide what to do next :/

 

[Big Ben]

Flexi pipe has a hole. Now I have to decide what to do next :/

Won't be a problem until MOT time. Toyosport new manifold seems a popular choice

 

[Dystant]

Flexi pipe has a hole. Now I have to decide what to do next :/

Yeah I've done some research into this and had a bit of help from Shuv.

Your options are either repair or replace.

Problem is to get the exhaust manifold off it's about 6 hours labour as it involves dropping the subframe. So to repair your talking 8 hours labour in total, just to repair the flexis.

You can replace it with a genuine manifold, but I've heard this is £900 just for the part from Renault and that's without labour.

Or as mentioned above you've can replace with the Toyosport manifold which you can get on eBay for about £200, which does seem to be the logical thing to do with having to pay for a lot of labour anyway.

Then you've also got the problem of the the issue occurring again, so it's recommended to upgrade the upper and lower engine mounts to help reduce the amount of pressure that gets put on the flexis.

I'm currently planning to replace my manifold with a Toyosport one, upgrade the engine mounts, upgrade the exhaust system and then get it remapped... which is looking to be around £1300 in total... nothing's ever simple with these cars is it! Lol.

 

[seeka]

Won't be a problem until MOT time. Toyosport new manifold seems a popular choice

Was thinking that and was even enjoying the extra warble from the car this morning until the engine light started flashing (which indicates a fuel issue) so I brought it straight in. Looking at the Toyosport one on eBay now.

 

[seeka]

Yeah I've done some research into this and had a bit of help from Shuv.

Your options are either repair or replace.

Problem is to get the exhaust manifold off it's about 6 hours labour as it involves dropping the subframe. So to repair your talking 8 hours labour in total, just to repair the flexis.

You can replace it with a genuine manifold, but I've heard this is £900 just for the part from Renault and that's without labour.

Or as mentioned above you've can replace with the Toyosport manifold which you can get on eBay for about £200, which does seem to be the logical thing to do with having to pay for a lot of labour anyway.

Then you've also got the problem of the the issue occurring again, so it's recommended to upgrade the upper and lower engine mounts to help reduce the amount of pressure that gets put on the flexis.

I'm currently planning to replace my manifold with a Toyosport one, upgrade the engine mounts, upgrade the exhaust system and then get it remapped... which is looking to be around £1300 in total... nothing's ever simple with these cars is it! Lol.

Doesn't the Toyosport one require a re-map?

 

[Dystant]

Doesn't the Toyosport one require a re-map?

Bit of an unknown here I think... I personally would remap but according to this thread, looks like someone has fitted it with no remap and had no issues.