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eli (ali) Latif (Ninja_eli)
New member
Username: Ninja_eli

Post Number: 13
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 7:51 pm:   

Hi Joseph, I was thinking the same as you as I have heard this has happened to others before, quite often in fact. I looked at the little hose that runs from the valve to the big hose(very technical I know!) and although it was a little loose it (you could turn it around and pop it off and on easily), I tightened it but it hasn't cured the problem. Reading the handbook, I think it makes sense as basically I am not getting the howling sound that comes in when the engine is at load, i.e. 4000 revs in most gears but lower in others. I think that is only directly related to the bypass valve. I might have to pop it into the dealers. Funnily enough, it did this several months ago but it just disappeared and went back to normal. How annoying is that? How tight does the clamp have to be? For the sake of not hijacking this thread and for future reference for others I'm going to start a new thread with regards to this. Thanks in advance for your help.

Fraser, that seems to be a common leakage point in the 355. I still had one leak afterwards but it was really chucking it down and I had to open and close the window again and it was sorted. Hope you get it back soon, you actually get to miss the little bugger. I am pretty sure the rattle you talk of is no problem either. Manu and I were blasting around in my 355 today so that he could have a listen to both my problem and your rattle sound. We both agree it sounds very much like what you describe.

Also, be careful with oil as I just checked mine after a couple of thousand miles and it was a little low, needed nearly a litre. Keep an eye on it, checking once a week is good. They can be such troublefree cars you forget that they need a little more attention than your usual runaround!

Regards
Joseph Caretti (Pino)
Junior Member
Username: Pino

Post Number: 100
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 12:37 pm:   

Ali, it sounds like your exhaust bypass valve isn't opening as Fraser mentioned. Perhaps the vacuum line from the valve to the vacuum pipe has become undone. The line is held on by very small clamps that can become loose.
Fraser (Basher)
New member
Username: Basher

Post Number: 8
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 12:22 pm:   

Yep that is exactly where it leaks....they are picking it up tomorrow and also going to listen for the noise I can hear so hopefully will be able to pass it off as a no worry next week...
eli (ali) Latif (Ninja_eli)
New member
Username: Ninja_eli

Post Number: 12
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Tuesday, November 05, 2002 - 8:11 am:   

Fraser, get them to change the seals. You have only 3 months to get this done though, as its only part of the goodwill charter, and not the actual warranty. Is it leaking from the side mirror area? I have noticed that it is better to pull the window down and then up again to make sure the window seals properly. It didn't leak at all on Saturday, even though it was chucking it down.

I hope the 355 is sorted tonight sound wise, otherwise its a trip to the dealers.
Fraser (Basher)
New member
Username: Basher

Post Number: 7
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 12:09 pm:   

Ali - there was someone at Brands with this problem and it was down to a faulty valve (I assume exhaust valve) which it was going in to have done after he had put it through its paces on the track.....

Oh and PS..looks like I have the same problem you did with the driver side roof seals - leaks through and runs down into my window controls ....
eli (ali) Latif (Ninja_eli)
New member
Username: Ninja_eli

Post Number: 11
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 11:58 am:   

Fraser, I think the rattle you are talking about sounds similar to mine. Its either what has been posted here already, or, what Maranellos reckon it is: the clutch. Apparently it makes that rattling sound.

Regarding the oil measurement, I assume you mean the engine oil?

First off, remember that the indicator between low and full is only 0.6 (or did he say half?) a litre. So basically don't go overfilling it. Its not like most cars which is a litre between markings on the dipstick.

You have to have the engine running for a while (best to do it after a good run) and then check the dipstick (which is also the place where you top up the oil). Its the metal ferrari cap on the offside (drivers side RHD).

Use the same oil as the dealers do, which is the Shell Helix Ultra. It should use about a litre every 3,000 miles, depending on how you drive.

Be careful to use a towel or something as it gets f**king hot!

Now, can anyone help with my "loss of howling sound" problem? Please... pretty please?
Fraser (Basher)
New member
Username: Basher

Post Number: 5
Registered: 10-2002
Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 10:41 am:   

I have a similar sort of noise that I noticed yesterday after a 100 mile trip (to the NEC car show -bit crap wan't it !).... when car was idling after a long run I thought i could hear an odd rattle at the rear (hard to describe this sound in words really) but I am not sure if it is the exhaust or something else...(is that the gearbox right at the back between the pipes?? Technical guru aren't i !!!!) I am not sure whether it is from this but it sounds rather metallic (like cogs turning but catching irregularly - but this could easily be an exhaust rattle) dunno why I am asking really as I will just get a dealer to check it for safety - but once on the run it is fine - no noise or crunching or anything like that...just was concernewd to see if anyone thinksit might be the gearbox/clutch or whatever the silver box is at the back (god I sound like such an ass describing that !!!)......

PS.. How hard is it to get an oil measurement on these cars !!!

PPS... overrevved it twice in the tunnel yesterday too as I could not hear it over the racket we were all making - but glad to see it did cut out over 9k....thank god !!
eli (ali) Latif (Ninja_eli)
New member
Username: Ninja_eli

Post Number: 10
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Monday, November 04, 2002 - 4:50 am:   

In my 98 355 Spider I can hear a rattling sound like something is loose too. Sounds a bit like the exhaust might be loose. Its not always there when cold but when it is, it normally disappears when hot, although you can still sometimes hear it momentarily when you are waiting at the lights.

I was told it was nothing to worry about by the dealers.


There is one other thing that is bugging me though. The sound from the 355 is not currently "proper". Its not giving the hollow howling sound it should when the valves come into play. It just sounds the same from 1,000 revs all the way up. No howling sound at 4K revs or when the engine is loaded. It did this once four months ago but it went away. Its now doing it again. What can this be? Its really annoying me as that sound is what I love about the car, I might as well be driving around in my Supra otherwise.

Please help!
Chris A. (Asianbond)
Junior Member
Username: Asianbond

Post Number: 83
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Sunday, November 03, 2002 - 11:14 pm:   

I have the same problem in my 348, it goes away when warmed up.
Jeff (Jeff_m)
New member
Username: Jeff_m

Post Number: 12
Registered: 9-2002
Posted on Saturday, November 02, 2002 - 8:28 pm:   

I have a 96 spider with 7800 miles without the tubi (it will be installed next week) and have the same rattling noise when first started cold. It is also gone in about five minutes after warm up. I will have the dealer that is putting on the tubi take a look and see what they think it is and report back. Hopefully not a big deal.
Ernesto (T88power)
Member
Username: T88power

Post Number: 850
Registered: 2-2001
Posted on Saturday, November 02, 2002 - 1:47 pm:   

On my 360, I also had this rattle I could hear coming from the rear. After hours of searching for it, it turns out one of the brackets that holds the Tubi tips together had broken along the joint. It was very hard to notice, since it looked OK, except when you separated the tips by hand, then you could tell they were loose. I had both sides resoldered and problem gone. The reason why you may not hear it after you get moving is that once you are moving the exhaust/engine/road noise covers it up. You should inspect the Tubi for cracks along the brackets.

Ernesto
Michael Klein (Malibumk)
New member
Username: Malibumk

Post Number: 41
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Saturday, November 02, 2002 - 11:24 am:   

Good input all:
Very helpful and I'll feel/listen around the BP Valve to see if that's it.
Several of you are discribing the noise I experience on the way out of the garage in reverse....but it takes more than that 120 feet or so before it goes away. In fact on occasion I think I hear it (hot) while de-clutching from a stop...before the other noises take over and while the engine dips below idle momentarily.

Since the concensus is the BP valve,1)is there a fix?? 2) is the valve part of the emmissions system and thus covered by the 7/70?? or 3) is there a decent home fix??

Thanks all, this is what the CHAT is all about for me. MIKE
John Li (Pchop)
New member
Username: Pchop

Post Number: 28
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 10:48 pm:   

Doody, I believe this is valve specific. On the 95 355s, the valve is located near the rear of the car in the center. You can identify it by looking for a metal circular cap and rattling sound comes from the mechanism under the the metal circular cap.
Mr. Doody (Doody)
Member
Username: Doody

Post Number: 568
Registered: 11-2001
Posted on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 7:16 pm:   

so is this a tubi-specific problem or are we talking about the factory stock bypass valve?

i get this noise, and i don't have a tubi (though my mechanic says i have the throatiest stock 355 exhaust he's ever heard).

sorry about my general ignorance on how these subsystems all go together!

doody.
John Li (Pchop)
New member
Username: Pchop

Post Number: 25
Registered: 6-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 5:46 pm:   

MK: it's the bypass valve. My 95 spider is my first Ferrari, so I was paranoid at every noise. I just had it brought to the dealership for a second opinion and they told me that the noise is from the bypass valve, because the valve has a slight space built into its design to compensate for expansion when the engine gets hot.
Robert Ziino (F355bob)
New member
Username: F355bob

Post Number: 26
Registered: 8-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 5:20 pm:   

My 95 with a Tubi does the same thing. Lasts only 30 seconds and mostly when the you are backing out of my garage also. It is the bypass from what I have heard from the guys at Tubi. Pretty common.
Do the cats fail on these cars because I was thinking of getting bypass pipes made for mine?
Mr. Doody (Doody)
Member
Username: Doody

Post Number: 566
Registered: 11-2001
Posted on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 4:41 pm:   

malibumk: is the noise slightly noticeable at idle, but quite prominent once you let the clutch out in gear (ie: as you back out of your garage)? the whole thing goes away roughly when the alternator whine stops (when stuff starts to warm up)?

doody.
Joseph Caretti (Pino)
Junior Member
Username: Pino

Post Number: 98
Registered: 4-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 3:19 pm:   

Some people (especially with Tubi's) have reported that the bypass valve rattles after some time.
I have not experienced this as of yet; *Knocking on wood* 3000 miles on w/Tubi.
Also, catalytic converters tend to disintegrate on these cars. I was NOT so lucky in this case.
Michael Klein (Malibumk)
New member
Username: Malibumk

Post Number: 38
Registered: 5-2002
Posted on Thursday, October 31, 2002 - 3:07 pm:   

This, my second 355 (a '97 with 18k miles) also has a sheet metal sounding rattling noise upon cold start. It seems to be exaust related....maybe from the cat's. It deminishes as the car warms and even goes away or very nearly so, when fully warmed. It has a TUBI muffler as did my '96 which had a similar athough not so loud noise.

Any ideas or suggestions??

If its faulty exaust I should be able to get it fixed under the 7/70k emmissions warranty. It has not had either exaust manifold replaced for the typical cracking, and I don't see or hear any evidence of cracks there or anywhere else.

Thanks all in advance. Mike

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