What is this? | FerrariChat

What is this?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by richard_wallace, Jul 29, 2004.

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  1. richard_wallace

    richard_wallace Formula 3

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,956
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Richard Wallace
    #1 richard_wallace, Jul 29, 2004
    I have my 95 355 Spider - started it up today left it run for a few minutes... Came back and noticed behind the car (passenger side) - I have a bunch of "Glitter looking stuff" by the exhaust pipe... Not a ton of it - but a small handful... I noticed a very little bit coming out of the exhaust - then no more coming out... The color of the glitterwas almost goldish or maybe chrome color - the flakes are very small hard to distinguish - with some white flakes as well..

    I am assuming it is the cat(s)? but I did not assume it would be goldish in color... Could it be something else...

    Any suggestions?

    Rich
     
  2. klfpaul

    klfpaul Karting

    Apr 7, 2003
    158
    Murrieta, CA
    Full Name:
    Kevin Paul
    #2 klfpaul, Jul 29, 2004
    It could be bits of the fiberglass or steel wool type internal packing within the muffler. It's the loss of this material that one of the causes of muffler's getting louder as they age. I assume it's not from the packing material that is around the heatshield on the headers. "Cat" material is a brown chocolate color and looks like grit (fine sand) when it decomposes.

    -Kevin
     
  3. GTO84

    GTO84 Formula Junior

    Dec 13, 2003
    565
    #3 GTO84, Jul 29, 2004
    Cats can be silver and whitish grey, beige flakes in the exhaust tip.
     
  4. FL 355

    FL 355 Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2002
    1,665
    Ft Laud
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    Frank Lipinski
    #4 FL 355, Jul 29, 2004
    Look carefully at the valve covers and timing belt covers....do you see it there also?
     
  5. richard_wallace

    richard_wallace Formula 3

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,956
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Full Name:
    Richard Wallace
    #5 richard_wallace, Jul 29, 2004
    No - It is clearly just coming out of the exhaust area...

    I also did notice some packing material as I looked a little closer - looks like fiberglass (white in color).

    I just had a buddy that does car restoration on older american hot rods take a look - He actually said the same thing as you guys - either cats or packing material... His comment was "Darn cats - this type of car shouldn't have 'em any way"...

    Looks like a little bit broke up and came out of the left exhaust - didn't really get louder so must not be quite dead yet...

    Thanks for confirmation guys.

    Rich
     
  6. GTO84

    GTO84 Formula Junior

    Dec 13, 2003
    565
    #6 GTO84, Jul 29, 2004
    You're lucky.
     
  7. FL 355

    FL 355 Formula 3

    Nov 3, 2002
    1,665
    Ft Laud
    Full Name:
    Frank Lipinski
    #7 FL 355, Jul 30, 2004
    Look at it this way....because you have OBD 1 you can replace them with straight pipes and not worry about the check engine light :)
     
  8. richard_wallace

    richard_wallace Formula 3

    Feb 6, 2004
    1,956
    Cincinnati, Ohio
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    Richard Wallace
    #8 richard_wallace, Jul 30, 2004
    My thoghts exactly :)
     
  9. Birdman

    Birdman F1 Veteran

    Jun 20, 2003
    6,687
    North shore, MA
    Full Name:
    THE Birdman
    #9 Birdman, Jul 30, 2004
    Don't let it go too long, one theory on the common melting of 355 headers is due to overheating from clogged cats. Headers get expensive.
     
  10. davey_jones

    davey_jones Formula Junior

    Sep 28, 2002
    781
    wherever it's sunny
    Full Name:
    Dave
    #10 davey_jones, Jul 31, 2004
    Good point! A good set of pipes would be around $300. Let it go too long and the repair would be.....$$$$ Much more maybe..
     

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