Today, I park my car at work like I always do. I open the door with the engine still running and I hear some kind of "ticking" noise coming from under the car. I get down to see what it is and sure enough it's coming from the exhaust somewhere near the cat area.

The noise is like a loud ticking clock. "Tick, tick, tick". It's sort of like the sound you hear when you shut off your car and hear very soft tingling all over, caused by the heat.

Well, the specific noise I'm referring to is the same way, BUT with a "tick" twice a second and about 5x louder. Neither my cat nor the rest of the exhaust has holes. When I drive, it sounds perfect...no vibrations, rattles, or fart-like noise whatsoever.

Could my cat be going? If so, how do you know when (or if) to change it? Maybe it's something else? Anyone experience this? Thanks.

Having the same problem I think. Do you hear the same sound when you give it gas? I don't notice the sound until I drive by something and the sound reflects back. I'm thinking it's a slight exhaust leak and the only way I can figure it out will be to go under my car this weekend. I'm just praying that the VQ does not suffer from the same problem the VE did on my old maxima(exhaust manifold bolts breaking off). That was a costly issue.

maybe u have a bomb in there?
I think it might be a leak

yeah, perhaps it's a leak, but I honestly don't think it is...based on the ticking alone.

I have the same sound coming from the cat area after I put in my Y-pipe and b-pipe. When the car was stock the noise didn't exist.

That's what we get for messing with the engineer's specs. In the end, all these mods we do to our cars, causes probs. But it's oh so fun.

It could be the pipe cooling down. cause ur not passing as much hot exhaust through it.

leak...

i remembered this one time i had a leak so big my engine roared...that was kinda fun...kinda stupid but you know...gotta look at the brighter side of life!

i have a sound after i installed my y-pipe, its more of a ticking in the form of a rattling, if u understood that one. it only makes the sound wen im in "D" though. im thinkin loose bolts or something....any thoughts on that one?

yup...the stock y pipes tend to do that....i changed everything..even the cat...bought a cat from CE...its been making ticking sounds for the past months since i had it..i complained about it...took them a whole month to decide that they cant do anything...

Mine keeps ticking for a few minutes after the engine has been turned off. It has to be loose bolts on the cat? When it gets hot it expanded and when it cold it contracts. Still not sure though.

the ticking during cooldown is totaly normail stalk pipes do it too, if you drive hard and get home and idle the exhost will start to cool and will tick as the metal contracts. I dont think thats what this thred is about thou

...you're right, it's not

MADNUt is correct. Ticking noises from the exhuast is dued to rapid contractions from the exhaust pipes because it cooling. When driving, the exhaust pipes experience temperature in excess of 2000 degrees farenheit. Once you turn of the engine, the ambient temperature will rapidly cool the pipes.

2000 degrees?

chea, combustion temperature an reach even higher.

he's correct in what he said, but that is NOT what this thread is about.

Please reread my post and then maybe provide some help. I specifically stated that the common ticking-all-over exhaust sound after one turns off his/her car is NOT what I'm referring to.

probably an exhaust leak.

i have this problem as well. it is because i ****ed up and re-used the gasket after beating the **** out of my cat to get it off for the STS install. if that is where it is comming from check that. When i had my muffler put on i told the guy to check what it was and he put some kind of sealent there which ended the problem but the stuff wore off in a week and now i am back to the ticking.

ummm try holding yoru e brake...if u can feel the ticking or rattling from there its your b pipe b/c i have that problem 2 but only when i go over speed bumps and turns really fast...

I think it's just the exhaust cooling down. When I first got my 02 Grand Prix brand new..It did the same thing and I was scared sh!tless...I was like this is a brand new car but I consulted with my bro-in-law and he said it's normal. Altho I was never able to hear it when the car was still on but it still be a problem.

I had the same ticking after I had a custom catback installed, it didn't really bother me, but when I was getting my muffler replaced, the guys said it was definitely my new resonator making the ticking sound while cooling off. They said it was perfectly normal and not to worry about it if I could stand it. Luckily I can, so I just let it go.