Ticking in Passenger Exhaust

95stang50 · 07-14-2002, 07:40 PM

i just noticed a constant ticking coming out of the passenger side of my exhaust. i can't hear anything coming from the engine but just in the area of my h-pipe. does anyone have an answer of what it could be?

HiFlow5 0 · 07-14-2002, 08:15 PM

Exhaust leak

VeNuM · 07-14-2002, 09:40 PM

Time for a new set of gaskets

USMC302 · 07-15-2002, 07:24 AM

Definately a leak. How was it installed, most people just wing it with stands and bolst it on. Really it should be put on a drive on lift or something where all of the tires are on the ground, or when the suspension is under load. Chassis flex will loosen or change just slughtly the way you bolted it on, either canting it a little or loosening the bolts. Also be sure to gradually tighten the bolts to the headers on each bolt before snugging one down completely. Besides, our H-pipes don't use the gaskets mentioned above. I was told it can be done, but totally not required and very rare. Good luck.

VeNuM · 07-15-2002, 04:47 PM

My friend tried to get away with not using gaskets. He installed the exhaust himself at a shop with a lift. All I know is he had a nasty exhaust leak so when I did mine I threw some gaskets in there.

USMC302 · 07-15-2002, 06:14 PM

No offense to your friend but he nust have done it wrong, it it very sensitive when installing, I have had 7 mustangs, all which have had exhaust changes by me and never used gaskets and never had leaks, but hey if the gasket works for yall kewl!!!!

jimberg · 07-15-2002, 09:46 PM

Sometimes it is difficult to isolate a sound. They tend to echo through the body of the car. You may just have a header gasket leak. If a header bolt comes loose, it may be enough to allow a portion of the gasket to get blown away.

USMC302 is correct that Mustang headers do not need gaskets between the collector and the h-pipe. They use a spherical joint. You just need to make sure that you torque the header to h-pipe bolts correctly. Also make sure that you have a spring washer between the nut and the h-pipe flange so that it doesn't come loose. If it still leaks, something must be defective.

USMC302 · 07-16-2002, 08:16 AM

Oh yeah, I didn't even realize you might have been talking about header gaskets, yes it is imperative you use gaskets between the header and heads, but on the H-pipe to headers some use a donought gasket but it isn't needed. Food for thought, after you take the H-pipe off 4 or more times the flanges will eventually not seal as well as it did new after all of the torque and on and off. I have seen that happen. Then the gaskets come in handy.

1hot5.0 · 07-16-2002, 04:04 PM

I agree, it very well sounds like an exhaust leak. Do you have the stock H-pipe on there or is it aftermarket? If you have the stock H-pipe or an aftermarket one with cats, you may want to have the cats checked out to see if one of them is bad. My friend has a bbk H-pipe with cats, and he started to hear a ticking noise in the exhaust on the passenger side. Turns out the right cat was out. Let me know what happens.

95stang50 · 07-20-2002, 11:11 PM

Thanks for everyones help, but it ended up not being an exhaust leak. It was accually that my #3 plug wire fried up on my header causing it to missfire.

USMC302 · 07-22-2002, 06:25 AM

Been there done that one, when it happen to me there was a noticable loss in power because of the wire grounding out so it was easy to find and figure out, glad it wasn't a bigger problem than that.! Go 9mm since you have to replace it, summit sales then for $35 I think. Good Luck!

07-14-2002, 07:40 PM	#1
95stang50 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wellesley Ma Posts: 23	Ticking in Passenger Exhaust i just noticed a constant ticking coming out of the passenger side of my exhaust. i can't hear anything coming from the engine but just in the area of my h-pipe. does anyone have an answer of what it could be?

07-14-2002, 08:15 PM	#2
HiFlow5 0 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Springfield, Ma, usa Posts: 706	Exhaust leak __________________ NewEngland Auto www.baystategearheads.com -91 Mustang Coupe, ex 4cyl (sold) -99 F150, 3" lift, 35" Procomps, Magnaflow exhaust

07-15-2002, 07:24 AM	#4
USMC302 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Gallatin, Tn Posts: 1,326	Definately a leak. How was it installed, most people just wing it with stands and bolst it on. Really it should be put on a drive on lift or something where all of the tires are on the ground, or when the suspension is under load. Chassis flex will loosen or change just slughtly the way you bolted it on, either canting it a little or loosening the bolts. Also be sure to gradually tighten the bolts to the headers on each bolt before snugging one down completely. Besides, our H-pipes don't use the gaskets mentioned above. I was told it can be done, but totally not required and very rare. Good luck. __________________

07-15-2002, 04:47 PM	#5
VeNuM Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Downers Grove, IL Posts: 464	My friend tried to get away with not using gaskets. He installed the exhaust himself at a shop with a lift. All I know is he had a nasty exhaust leak so when I did mine I threw some gaskets in there. __________________ 1989 Black Mustang GT Hatchback, Underdrive Pulles, Electric Fan, Cold Air Intake, Headers, Offroad H-Pipe, Magnaflow catback, Steeda Tri-Ax, Fluidyne Aluminum Radiator, Timing at 14*, 3.73's Coming not so soon: 408w Ricer Hater's Club Member #59

07-15-2002, 06:14 PM	#6
USMC302 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Gallatin, Tn Posts: 1,326	No offense to your friend but he nust have done it wrong, it it very sensitive when installing, I have had 7 mustangs, all which have had exhaust changes by me and never used gaskets and never had leaks, but hey if the gasket works for yall kewl!!!! __________________

07-14-2002, 09:40 PM	#3
VeNuM Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Downers Grove, IL Posts: 464	Time for a new set of gaskets __________________ 1989 Black Mustang GT Hatchback, Underdrive Pulles, Electric Fan, Cold Air Intake, Headers, Offroad H-Pipe, Magnaflow catback, Steeda Tri-Ax, Fluidyne Aluminum Radiator, Timing at 14*, 3.73's Coming not so soon: 408w Ricer Hater's Club Member #59

07-15-2002, 09:46 PM	#7
jimberg Registered Member Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Rogers, MN Posts: 2,089	Sometimes it is difficult to isolate a sound. They tend to echo through the body of the car. You may just have a header gasket leak. If a header bolt comes loose, it may be enough to allow a portion of the gasket to get blown away. USMC302 is correct that Mustang headers do not need gaskets between the collector and the h-pipe. They use a spherical joint. You just need to make sure that you torque the header to h-pipe bolts correctly. Also make sure that you have a spring washer between the nut and the h-pipe flange so that it doesn't come loose. If it still leaks, something must be defective. __________________ 351W 89 Mustang GT Convertible

07-16-2002, 08:16 AM	#8
USMC302 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Gallatin, Tn Posts: 1,326	Oh yeah, I didn't even realize you might have been talking about header gaskets, yes it is imperative you use gaskets between the header and heads, but on the H-pipe to headers some use a donought gasket but it isn't needed. Food for thought, after you take the H-pipe off 4 or more times the flanges will eventually not seal as well as it did new after all of the torque and on and off. I have seen that happen. Then the gaskets come in handy. __________________

07-16-2002, 04:04 PM	#9
1hot5.0 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Arizona Posts: 172	I agree, it very well sounds like an exhaust leak. Do you have the stock H-pipe on there or is it aftermarket? If you have the stock H-pipe or an aftermarket one with cats, you may want to have the cats checked out to see if one of them is bad. My friend has a bbk H-pipe with cats, and he started to hear a ticking noise in the exhaust on the passenger side. Turns out the right cat was out. Let me know what happens.

07-20-2002, 11:11 PM	#10
95stang50 Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Wellesley Ma Posts: 23	Thanks for everyones help, but it ended up not being an exhaust leak. It was accually that my #3 plug wire fried up on my header causing it to missfire.

07-22-2002, 06:25 AM	#11
USMC302 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Gallatin, Tn Posts: 1,326	Been there done that one, when it happen to me there was a noticable loss in power because of the wire grounding out so it was easy to find and figure out, glad it wasn't a bigger problem than that.! Go 9mm since you have to replace it, summit sales then for $35 I think. Good Luck! __________________

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