July 8th, 2009
Question:
Hey I drive a used 2000 Chevy Camaro which I purchased a few days ago. It drives very well other than 2 problems. The first is a humming noise that comes from the rear of the car when I am parked. If I rev the engine up, somtimes it goes away.
The other question is about a very very subtle bumping noise when I am breaking from the rear. It is so subtle that it could be the breaks rubbing,but sometimes it does it when i am slowing down without breaking. I know both of these may seem small, but as a new owner of this used vehicle every little thing sticks out to me.
Can you help me??
Thanks,
Wally
Answer:
Wally,
Sounds like something loose in the exhaust system, probably causing
both issues you are having. The exhaust system is hung from the
chassis with rubber bushings providing for a little bit of movement,
and noise reduction. These rubber pieces wear out over time and need
to be replaced. You can take it to an exhaust shop and let them look
at it, or simply turn up the tunes a little and forget about it ! If
it were me, I would use the problem as an excuse to the wife to get a
new performance exhaust system.
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June 26th, 2006
Question:
Kevin,
I own a 2003 Chevy Monte Carlo SS. It has 130,000 miles on it. It appears to lose power when trying to accelerate when the engine is warm. For example, cruising on the interstate at 70 mph for a short time, engine at normal operating temperature, when I need to accelerate to pass the transmission down shifts, rpm increase, yet speed does not. I think my catalytic converter is becoming plugged. It does not seem to effect acceleration when the engine is cold. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bernie
Answer:
Sounds like the catalytic converter to me too. If this happens at night, pull off the road to a safe stop and pop the hood. Look at the catalytic converter and see if it’s glowing red. You may have to look under the car, and not under the hood to see it. I had an 86 Corvette that had the same problem and the headers and pipes before the converter would glow red due to the blockage. A technician can diagnose this problem too with a pressure check of the exhaust system before the converter. It will show high pressure before the converter if it’s clogged.
A bad O2 sensor could be to blame, but you should be getting a check engine light too. Also a clogged fuel filter may be causing a lean condition at the high speeds you are talking about. I would have it changed if it has not been as well as crawling under the car to look for the red hot converter.
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June 13th, 2006
It’s every guys dream to have his car, truck or SUV go faster than the next. The problem is, there are no real good roadmaps for every car, and a lot of money can be wasted chasing a few extra horsepower.
Let’s look at a few common upgrades that can gain you some horsepower and earn you some respect on the road. The first upgrade that can make the most difference and make your car sound awesome is the exhaust system. Many aftermarket manufacturers are producing bolt-on exhaust systems, which can help free up 5 – 20 HP depending on how restrictive your factory exhaust is. Most systems replace the pipes and mufflers from the catalytic converter back. These are commonly called Cat-Back Systems and can be had for a price of $250 – $750 depending on materials used. Stainless steel pipes will cost you more, but will last a lot longer than plain steel. If you plan on keeping your car more than 50,000 miles or live in a state that uses salt on the roads during the winter, I would suggest stainless steel. I personally like the sound of Flowmaster Mufflers as well as Borla… your taste may vary.
The next most common way to free up some horsepower is a performance air filter. By helping your engine breath better, the air filter will help you get more air and fuel into the cylinder and thus make more power. Be aware that most aftermarket filters will require some kind of cleaning and maintenance to work properly. K&N is my favorite brand and has been around the scene for a long time.
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January 24th, 2006
When you need to replace your exhaust system due to rust or damage, consider an aftermarket exhaust. If you are concerned about price, often times an aftermarket exhaust can be cheaper than the factory system.
I was working on my father’s 1989 Chevrolet Pickup and needed to replace the muffler and tail pipe. The factory parts were well over $200, and a complete aftermarket exhaust was $180. I went with the aftermarket exhaust DynoMax and ended up with a better sounding exhaust tone and a few bucks in my pocket.
I generally buy my exhaust systems from http://www.summitracing.com They have good prices and quick shipping.
Kevin
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