Rattle or Pinging sound in the exhaust pipe

[Tractor Dan]

So seeing as i have no working air conditioning and drive with the windows down. Every time i pull up to a stop sign or light and idle i hear this strange pinging or rattling sound and i can tell for sure it's coming from the exhaust pipe. It almost sounds as if there are a couple sheet metal screws or something laying in the pipe and as it idles they get blown around. As soon as i give it some gas and take off the sound stops. Currently it runs great. I just took it on a 180 mile round trip and averaged 23 mpg so i don't really think it's anything engine related. I'm thinking maybe its something cat or muffler related with a rotted out baffle?

I cut the exhaust pipe off about 6 to 8 inches after the cat in 2010. My muffler rotted out and so did most of the pipe so i cut it off and bolted a cherrybomb with clamps to the pipe stub left on the cat. So what do yall think it could be? Maybe time to replace a cat or muffler? The cherry bomb is in great shape. Atleast on the outside. No rust at all hardly which is amazing for ohio. I know they are powdercoated but still almost no rust is unheard of. I know all the hangers are tight. Any help would be appreciated because this thing is irritating the living daylights out of me.

 

[shane96ranger]

With the motor and exhaust cool, get under it and hit the cat with the heel of your hand. If you don't hear the rattle there, try the cherry bomb. How do I know the noise you are talking about? See below.

 

[Tractor Dan]

Thanks. Will do before i take off come morning. Looks like you got some rot there. About as bad as my stock muffler and pipe. I tapped it on the ground and actually had chunks of baffle and dust fall out that's how rotted it was.

 

[shane96ranger]

Thanks. Will do before i take off come morning. Looks like you got some rot there. About as bad as my stock muffler and pipe. I tapped it on the ground and actually had chunks of baffle and dust fall out that's how rotted it was.

No rotting, just a crappy job with a torch, LOL. That cat actually had less than 3000 miles on it. It was warrantied though, luckily.

 

[Tractor Dan]

Looks as though my issue is a rusted out heat shield from the old exhaust system and the wire i have holding the back end of the tail pipe up either needs tensioned some or replaced. I forget what size wire it is but my friend uses it to tie derby car doors shut so it's fairly strong.