My 91 SE was making a tick-tick-tick sound coming from my exhaust in which I thought was a leak. A few people told me it could be my exhaust manifold studs. Without going to a mechanic or anything, my car mysteriously "fixed" itself and even regained some of the power I was losing upon accleration due to the exhaust leak or clog or whatever it is.
Does anyone know what could (have been) or is the issue? A clogged exhaust? Some junk build up that got burned off? I just need some kind of idea in order to go about making sure it gets repaired properly.

Thanks..

 

Leak: Feeling or fact? Clog: fact or Feeling?

Beasts might be healed natuRally. Maxima never.

 

Leak, was feeling - thought to be fact originally.
Clog, feeling - only because after driving and engine revving for a period of time the sound dissapeared. And my car seemed to be getting more speed to accleration (like it had before the hiss or tick-tick sound was apparent)
I thought maybe the clog had been forced out of the exhaust or burned up...but I dunno, thats why I'm here.

I know that the car won't "fix" itself, thats why I'm worried and trying to get some answers and thus why i put the word fix in quotes.

 

heh, hopefully this one makes it my take on it is in the pm. it's nothing to worry about, it's better that the problem is gone than still there or a new problem. some problems with cars actually do seem to fix themselves...usually they re-appear after awhile though:P

 

If it's a stud problem, that means you make have a few broken ones. That will cause a tick sound. The block and the exhast manifold heat and expand at different rates.
Fact being the block heats up before the manifold, the block expands and makes a larger leak. Until the manifold expands and matches the same size exhaust port. Creating the illusion of a 'healing'

Now... I have a sever ticking problem that came and gone, and power would surge a little sometimes. Aswell as lose power, minimailly. It changed eveytime I start. The I have a manifold leak also. But what made the TICKing come an go was my TIMING. The timing belt tensioner got lazy and the timeing belt was wondering. I repalced the timing belt and tensioner and now the really loud random episodes of ticking is over. Now it's just the ticking due to manifold expansion.

 

If pwr output changes (bad KS, cap, wiRings or whatever), the engine pull/angle is different causing changes like leak in exhaust system seals(if smtg loose). Not to forget the mentioned heat expansion.

Possibility = the sound is not performance cause BUT the result of the performance change.

Maybe that fat cat is real full of mice, manifolds about droppin.

 

I'm sorry Wiking, but I am having such a hard time understanding this post..I know you have useful information....but I dont have a clue as to what you're talkin about. It's even harder for me to understand because I dont have much knowledge of cars off the bat, then you add in the different ways of speaking...and now im just confused.

Whats a KS? Caps and wirings...if you'r referring to distributor cap and spark plugs/wires - all that is pretty much brand new. Just spent $500.00 on a tune-up and cv shaft about 3 months ago.

The cat...meaning my catalytic converter??? That probably could use a change considering I replaced everything behind that (the muffler and the piping...sorry i dont know the proper name of that part but the big long pipe that connects the cat to the muff) - However, it must be in decent condition at the very least considering I did pass my emissions very recently.

"Manifolds about droppin" - does that mean it could be that my manifold is about to drop? I hope not.

 

Update: the tick or hissing sound is slowly but surely coming back...Its nowhere near as loud as it was prior to that nite, but i can hear it when driving in an enclosed road (like when cars are on either side of you and the sound ricochets) My car still does feel great tho, I am not as of yet losing any power though.

Besides exhaust manifold studs, is there anywhere else I can look. I just want to be able to look at all possible scenarios of where the leak can be coming from in one shot...(even tho thats probably impossible) but it would be a pain in the case that it turns out not to be my exhaust manifold studs and then id have to come back on here, ask again, wait for a reply, then look again.
I want to avoid going to a mechanic until absolutely neccesary (if possible). Especially for the diagnosing....they rape you for that! One time some garage charged me $20.00 to tell me my window regulator was broken when I went in there, with the panel taken off my door and everything already (so they didnt have to do shyt but look) and I TOLD them "hey, i think my regulator is broke" and they gave me the runaround saying they had to look first before they could quote me on fixing it. Went back...they charged me the $20.00 told me something ridiculous like $150 or maybe even $200 to fix it...so i gave em the 20 told em to treasure it cause its the last of my money that theyll ever see, left had my bf go to advanced or auto zone got the part for $30.00 and he changed it in 15 minutes!

Anyway..thanks for the insight everyone - its really appreciated.

 

there really is no more insight on this topic and there is no avoiding a mechanic or an actual fix. its most likely your exhaust manifod studs. so many people have had this problem thats why they are saying thats what it is. and i myself had the problem, and yes it sounds exactly how u describe. either live with it and eventually lose power or pay the high dollar to get it fixed. if you want somewhere else to check maybe the flex sectin in the y-pipe, but i doubt thats bad. so get a mechanic (somewhere where estimates are free) to look and see if the heads are broke off the studs of either of your exhaust manifolds. you can get answers here, but we are not going to fix your car. you have to take it to a mechanic to get it fixed.

 

I'm sorry ***, but I am having such a hard time understanding this post:
"...a tick-tick-tick...mysteriously "fixed"...leak or clog or whatever..."

hmm>.............................................. ...........................................<mmh

1. If intermittent power loss - check u engine. Replace plugs, wires, cap (if any). Test MAF, KS, CamPos, O2 sensor and so on. Do wirings maintenance, ECU self diag.

2. "my manifold is about to drop? I hope not." Mee too Hope not, as u say: "....sound coming from my exhaust in which I thought was a leak."

CAts eat mice. Havent heard ever if Maxima CAT does... BUT you used word "clog". Do I take that seriously or mysteriously? If I take it seriously, I will suggest that as your CAT has porous honeycomb structure it may become clogged. But if clogged CAT is a problem, it will be constant, not intermittent. This is why I guess u have two or three separate problems: Manifold seal leak, possible bad KS.

Have a nice day + pls start learning german ? portuguese?, french???...svenska.

 

- If manifold leaks, tends to have put put put -rhythm, idling.

- If pipe connection to manifold leaks, its more constant. Changing those gaskets; one hour plus 2 x 2$.

- Exhaust leak produces a blk area around leak. Stump igicamera down there, take pics around to pinpoin such...

 

this post was quite informative... thats exactly the problem I have... and what wiking described for the symptoms was dead on for me. I just need to get around to fixing it now

 

I think that's a problem everyone has had.

It sucks, and it's costly to fix if you can't do it yourself, and most people can't because the studs have likely sheared off and need to be extracted from the female thread.
The main thing people should look out for if they do choose to fix it, is to make sure you get replacement bolts (studs) that were made to address this issue. Nissan apparently issues these studs standard now, but I'd still look the parts guy in the eye and ask him "are these the 'upgraded' studs!!??".
Then you will also likely have to have the manifold itself resurfaced and straightened due to warpage.
Once you have shelled out your life savings... VOILA -- you have a quiet car again!

 

Thanks for the advice....I thought that by posting on here, with every reply, my car would magically be repaired!....not

Seriously, I was asking for ALL possible scenarios in order to avoid having to re-post this same issue later on, IF it turned out not to be my exhaust manifold studs. You didnt have to go on sounding like a *****, telling me that you guys arent gonna fix my car.....DUH! Of course you're not, I'm just trying to get all possible problem sources in order for me to relay that to the mechanic I end up going to...It will save me time and money to have an idea and say to the mechanic "hey can you check here" thats all I was asking for. I thought that I had clearly conveyed that in the last post, but evidently not.
Thanks for info by the way (the y-pipe) cause thats exactly what I was looking for point blank...other possible sources of my prob.

 

Thanks Wiking!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

What he said...

 

I can understand clapping your hands in joy seeing a $2 fix, but I still think if it's ticking/hissing -- you have broken manifold studs. It's the most common problem in our cars bar none.
Keep in mind as well, all the things you have your mechanic "can you check this" he/she is charging you by the hour.

Please don't hit me with the '***** stick'

 

The exhaust manifold studs breaking is the NuMBER ONE problem bar none with this engine. it has been discussed here a billion fa fillion times and i wasnt being a ***** i was only stating that you should take it to a mechanic or someone that knows cars, because it shouldnt take them long to figure out what it is. i mean if a mechanic cant pinpoint an exhaust leak in 15 minutes you should leave. they will give you a quote most likely and you can decide to part with the cars puttering or have them fix it. i guess the advice i was trying to give was take it to a darn mechanic and tell them what noise youre hearing and suggest an exhaust leak and let him know youre aware of the exhaust studs being weak on this engine.

 

Well thank you, that is what I will do. All of you guys have been really helpful.

 

There isnt any $2 fix...not sure what you're talking about...I was clapping my hands to the fact that this post was quite informative, which is all I could have asked for.
LoL and I won't hit ya wit the ***** stick...and didnt mean to hit TripleGMax wit it either, it just sounded (to me) like he was putting me down for not going to a mechanic in the first place....sorry if I try to find out as much information as possible before having to spend cash.

 

Alright, one last question before I head to the mechanic....how much should I expect to pay for broken manifold studs. I'm just looking for a ballpark figure so when I go and they quote me I can tell if they're ripping me off or if they're asking a reasonable amount. The mechanic I like I believe has a labor rate of about $65 or maybe even $70 an hour....how many hours of labor and how much for the part(s)....(ballpark figure).

Thanks again everyone.....you RuLe!!!! lol

 

a lot. someone else can tell you a more accurate estimate though i'm sure.

 

300-1100 bucks is a good ballpark.

 

Ouch.

How about this question then:

Anyone in the southern ct area willing to take a look and possibly do a side job for a cute 20yr old girl for a few extra bucks?!? lol...at those estimates-its definitely worth asking!

 

There could be a ticking sound from the injectors and at certain speeds and you are unable to hear it. I just changed out my y- pipe on a 150,000 94 no broken studs just the rusted bolts on the cat and they had to be heat wrenched off.... So maybe checking around the gasket areas without burning yourself of hurting yourself may be the best idea and be safe always. It is always better to pay someone to do something if you can lose more doing it yourself.

 

hmmm that first sentence now makes me wonder considering the sound had vanished for about a week and now suddenly re-appeared after being driven normally again...I thought maybe there was a clog that got burned out (but not completely)...anyway hopefully this nice fellow i met is going to look at it this afternoon as a side job for me....some people are osooo sweet