I just installed a used aluminized mandrel Warpspeed y-pipe that came off Jran's car...he's selling his Max soon.

Anyway, my mechanic installed it and when I start the car it has a nice lil purr...cool..

But, when I accelerate (even a lil) at any speed, there's this annoying buzzing sound that comes from the pipe that sounds like angry bees! I thought...I bought a warpspeed so I wouldn't have this problem.. Anyway, what do you guys think could be causing this...is there any way I can get that annoying buzzing to go away? I hate to accelerate cuz it sounds like I have a civic w/exhaust!

 

Title quote:
So is it new or used?

It could be two things:
Flex section is causing the noise, or there is a severe leak coming from the mounting flanges (bad gaskets).

 

My bad..well it's new to me...but yeah it's a used pipe.

How would I be able to tell if the flex secton is causing it? I took my car to a muffler shop and they looked at the exhaust and they said it was alright, there was just a little gap between the cat and b-pipe that they welded together for $30..but the annoying noise is still there!

 

Bring it back and have them take a look. On my '98 there was a bracket that bolted the cat's to the block right near the oil pan. The Y-pipe runs righ along side it. Make sure it's removed, or bent out of the way.

 

Get under the car and hold a tube next to your ear on one end and point the other end at the flex section and the y-pipe to cat mounting flange, etc. Did you use new gaskets?

Btw can you elaborate on the "little gap"? was this pre-existing?

Yeah take it back to the mechanic.

 

The mechanic and I bought new gaskets for the installation but once he got into installing it, he said the ones already on there were in good shape, so we just used those.

When I took it to the muffler shop to check things out, the guy said when I put the y-pipe on it did not fit exactly right, causing the cat and b-pipe to be offset a little bit where they connnect, causing a small gap where the screw wouldn't go in all the way to tighten it. So he said he'd weld it together, and he did for $30. I thought this would fix it, but no, it's something else.

What could it be? I don't think the mechanic could help me out if the muffler shop thought everything was alright.

 

I'm almost positive you have a leak somewhere. My flex section has never buzzed and I have the same pipe as you. I'm not sure how your mechanic just looked at the gasket and said it was good because both of my stock cat gaskets looked fine to me, but both leaked after i installed my y/greddy. Just have someone rev the car up while ur under it (use jackstands) If you have a leak you'll feel it.....

 

The gaskets are crush gaskets and are not intended to be reused. Try new gaskets.

 

Love the sig!

 

somewhat off-topic, but i too am getting the same exact pipe used from someone, and its coming on monday....where can i get new gaskets for it?

 

If it's new from WSP, the three gaskets come with the pipe. Pep boys or a Nissan dealer should have them if you have to buy new.

A word of advice, don't even try to loosen the cat nuts without first heating them for about five minutes each with a propane torch. I rounded one off with a 6 point socket, and it took me quite a while to cut it off. Good luck.

 

Leaking flex section. My first Y-pipe was a Warpspeed and it had a hole within the flex section. But that was a long time ago in their first generation Y-pipes. Since this is used, it's possible it is one of those older pipes. For around $50 you can get a new "lined" flex section from them.

 

ditto that

also, the gaskets are metal crush gaskets; not suggested for reuse.

 

Simple leak test. After the exhaust system is COMPLETELY cold, start the car, lie on you back, and put your hand up close to the flanges for the cat and y-pipe and flex section. You should feel hot air blowing on you hand if you have a leak. Another problem might be that the shop reused the manifold to y-pipe crush ring gaskets which is a no-no. This could make the exhaust VERY loud. With a cold engine, the car supported on jack stands, take you hand and feel around the manifold to Y-pipe flanges.

It takes a good couple on minutes for the exhaust to warm up at idle so you have plenty of time to survey the flanges without getting burned.


Dave

 

ok ill be sure to pick up some new gaskets....if i go to pep boys or something, what exactly do i ask for...?

 

Took it to the mechanic, put it on the lift, and I revved the engine. He found a leak in the Y-Pipe itself. He took it off, welded the leak, and put it back on for $60 (still used stock gaskets). Thank God the sound is gone, but remind me not to buy a used pipe again, I've spent as much as I would have with a new pipe.

$100 - Used Alum Mandrel Warpspeed Y-Pipe
$70 - Original y-pipe installation
$30 - To weld cat/b-pipe together since the y-pipe flange didn't fit right
$60 - To weld the leak in the y-pipe
------
$260!!! That's $15 away from a new SS Warpspeed y-pipe...course I would have had to pay shipping and install...but still!

Moral of the story: don't buy a used part until you have inspected it carefully or just buy a new one!