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Rattle/creak after dropping exhaust at low RPMs/accelerating from a stop.

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
So, a few days ago, I dropped my exhaust down so I could remove the tips. All went well. While doing that, I noticed the clamp I had gotten when I put my downpipe on (MAP catted\resonated) downpipe was rusted to hell, and slightly loose on the downpipe side. So I ordered a new clamp and some muffler sealant, and planned on doing the Diggs method of putting it back together. While waiting for that to come in, I buttoned everything back up nice and tight (as tight as I could with a rusty clamp), and went on my way.

Now, when I accelerate from a stop at low RPMs, I have a pretty nasty rattle\creak. Here's some quick videos of it. I thought it was just due to the rusty clamp, but after getting the new replacement, doing the aforementioned Diggs method install with muffler sealant, double checking everything is tightened up again, I'm still having the rattle\creaking.

Any ideas of what to check?
 

Desslok

Autocross Champion
Location
PA
Car(s)
2019 Rabbit
I have used muffler sealant before (on a muffler with u bolt clamps) but never had to remove the pipes. What kind of nightmare would that be?
 

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
Sounds like the exhaust hitting a heat shield.

I don't recall seeing it even being close to the heat shield, but I plan on getting back under the car today, and I'll check for that. Thanks.

I have used muffler sealant before (on a muffler with u bolt clamps) but never had to remove the pipes. What kind of nightmare would that be?

Two separate things. I had to remove the pipes to cut off the exhaust tips, because I had no clearance to get to the tack weld on the top of the pipe with it on the car.
 

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
yeah something is touching somewhere

how will it ever come apart? it wont, lol

Yeah. In hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea, since my plan for emissions is put my stock downpipe back on for a day or two. When I have to take my downpipe off, I'm fully prepared to have to remove the entire exhaust with the catted part of the downpipe, and fight with it off the car.

There isn't anything touching that I can see. I got underneath today, tightened everything again (which most didn't move), and still have it. I took a bunch of pics I'll throw in an album when I'm at my computer, maybe someone else will see something I didn't.

It's weird, it only creaks/rattles if I'm coming from a complete stop, and only if I start to accelerate immediately. Rattles for half a second. If I'm at a 2mph roll and accelerate, doesn't happen. I'd think if something was touching, it would happen more frequently.
 

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
are the 2 pegs that go in the grommets too far forward and touching the subframe?

So I finally was able to get back under the car. I was convinced this was going to be the issue, because nothing was touching anywhere when I checked last time. Here's some photos, featuring my lovely sealant job. And it was a pronounced enough sound, where the pegs touching the subframe could cause that noise. But that wasn't it. Plenty of clearance. In my frustration, I just took off the downpipe. Luckily, the sealant was brittle enough to just break off by twisting the clamp. Put my stock downpipe back on, and nothing. No noise. And man, that is not a fun job to do yourself when you only have a floor jack and jackstands that'll get it 14" off the floor. Probably will put the MAP downpipe back on this weekend, and hope there's no noise.
 

ishman_99

New member
Location
The Woodlands, Texas
Car(s)
2015 GTI
Yeah. In hindsight, it probably wasn't a good idea, since my plan for emissions is put my stock downpipe back on for a day or two. When I have to take my downpipe off, I'm fully prepared to have to remove the entire exhaust with the catted part of the downpipe, and fight with it off the car.

There isn't anything touching that I can see. I got underneath today, tightened everything again (which most didn't move), and still have it. I took a bunch of pics I'll throw in an album when I'm at my computer, maybe someone else will see something I didn't.

It's weird, it only creaks/rattles if I'm coming from a complete stop, and only if I start to accelerate immediately. Rattles for half a second. If I'm at a 2mph roll and accelerate, doesn't happen. I'd think if something was touching, it would happen more frequently.
Got a 2015 GTI with the same problem. I have a MAP stage 1 downpipe and got a resonator delete today, plus an APR intake. Big rattling/creaking I can hear and feel with my pedal on accel from a stop but not from a roll. I was thinking maybe the CV shaft on the drivers side or (hopefully not) my transmission. Did you ever figure it out?

Your videos can make me confirm I have the same problem. Sounds exactly like mine :/
 

uberdot

Autocross Champion
Location
Ten Forward
Car(s)
Silver 2017 6MT
Check your v band clamp and make sure its bolts aren’t rubbing the heatshield. My clamp rotated after some time and had my bolt rattling against the heat shield only on take offs. Felt like it was coming from the front driver side or transmission and it was It was also producing fake knock it seems. Put a new clamp on and oriented the bolt in a different way and take offs are very buttery now.
 

Acadia18

Autocross Champion
Location
The Greater Boston Metropolitan Area
Car(s)
2019 Golf R
Got a 2015 GTI with the same problem. I have a MAP stage 1 downpipe and got a resonator delete today, plus an APR intake. Big rattling/creaking I can hear and feel with my pedal on accel from a stop but not from a roll. I was thinking maybe the CV shaft on the drivers side or (hopefully not) my transmission. Did you ever figure it out?

Your videos can make me confirm I have the same problem. Sounds exactly like mine :/

It was my exhaust, but not sure what was causing it. I took the entire exhaust off and put it back on, noise gone. Never came back. The car version of "turn it off and back on again".
 

uberdot

Autocross Champion
Location
Ten Forward
Car(s)
Silver 2017 6MT
It was my exhaust, but not sure what was causing it. I took the entire exhaust off and put it back on, noise gone. Never came back. The car version of "turn it off and back on again".
I’d wager dp related.
 

ishman_99

New member
Location
The Woodlands, Texas
Car(s)
2015 GTI
Check your v band clamp and make sure its bolts aren’t rubbing the heatshield. My clamp rotated after some time and had my bolt rattling against the heat shield only on take offs. Felt like it was coming from the front driver side or transmission and it was It was also producing fake knock it seems. Put a new clamp on and oriented the bolt in a different way and take offs are very buttery now.
Is this the clamp that connects the downpipe to the resonator?
 

uberdot

Autocross Champion
Location
Ten Forward
Car(s)
Silver 2017 6MT
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