General Exhaust clamp positions

[Derbyfella]

So, after I repair the wire to the number plate lights…or earth.
I need to try and identify the noise we can hear over bumps. As I’ve also got a noise at low revs which might just be exhaust rattle I just wanted to know..how, where and what to the exhaust is clamped or bolted or welded to.

Does anyone have any diagrams or pictures?

 

[Ralf S.]

You can do it "analogue"; just jack the back of the car up (ideally both sides but just the nearside will do), stick it on an axle stand, so it can't fall over and then slide underneath it to have a butchers.

The manifold is bolted to the head at one end, and to a clamp that comes off the clutch bell-housing at the other end. This clamp can (i.e. will) rot and yours may just be a sliver of rust but having said that, the manifold is rigid, so this support only prevents stress on the gasket face joint at the head, rather than actually preventing movement. Fit a new one though, if yours is just a shadow of where it once was.

The mid-section with either a "ball" or "tube" flexi section (dep on year) attaches to the manifold, so that end is supported by the manifold and the rusted clamp.

Half way along there should be an "arm" (flat metal or rod) welded to the pipe and that ought to have a rubber hanger to the car.

The end of the mid pipe clamps to the silencer. The silencer has two prongs/rods that are suspended by rubber hangers just behind the bumper.

If you grab the tailpipe, or any of the exhaust along its length and try to shake it from side to side, it should be fairly rigid and not hit the body of the car at all (though that depends how violent you are with the shaking).

If any of the hangers are perished/cracking and allow excess movement then you should replace them. If the hangers are "good" but the system still moves too much you can tie cable ties around the outside of the hangers to stiffen them up a bit. Teh standard hangers have a plastic-cloth strap around them to do the same job and that may be broken, or stretched.. or the exhaust may be not OE and therefore potentially not the precise, correct shape, so could be too close to one part of the car, particularly around curves.

It the "rattle" is a rattle, rather than a thump/clunk then the noise might be the exhaust baffles starting to fall apart. They're spot welded inside the silencer so can become detached but the silencer still work, even though they're now loose in there, and can rattle. There's no cure for that, other than waiting for it to get worse/start falling to bits and fitting a new silencer. A "shake" will tell you.

Attached is a Bosal diagram from a 2013 1.2.. you can see the hangers are mostly the same but one is different.. so also check you have the correct hanger.. a quick fit exhaust centre or previous owner may have used the wrong hangers in one or more places.

If yours is a 1.2 2013 you can search fleabay for the correct hangers using the Bosal numbers. They're a bit dear, but I would use Bosal and/or OE hangers .. I find the cheapest unbranded ones can cause more "banging" and rattling issues... possibly the rubber is not stiff enough etc.


Ralf S.

 

[John202020]

There is clamp that attaches the down pipe to the gearbox, ours had rusted away entirely but I made a new one, other than that there's just 4 rubber hangers near the rear 1 for the center section 3( can't quite remember) the rear box.

Noise over bumps could be any part of the suspension, front or rear?
Rear check the shocks the bushes fail on the original parts.
Front drop links first thought

 

[Ralf S.]

The clamp is visible as part of the manifold in the diagram above.. but it's Fiat part #5181652 @ aboot £13 on ebay.


Ralf S.

 

[irc]

The clamp is visible as part of the manifold in the diagram above.. but it's Fiat part #5181652 @ aboot £13 on ebay.


Ralf S.

Think that should read 51816520

 

[Derbyfella]

There is clamp that attaches the down pipe to the gearbox, ours had rusted away entirely but I made a new one, other than that there's just 4 rubber hangers near the rear 1 for the center section 3( can't quite remember) the rear box.

Noise over bumps could be any part of the suspension, front or rear?
Rear check the shocks the bushes fail on the original parts.
Front drop links first thought

Actually mostly the slightly louder banging seems like passenger side front…. But I can’t get it to do it when I’m pushing and proddig from either below when it’s on stands or from above when it’s on the floor..don’t get me wrong I’m a fairly big unit so the car Is being shifted, but it’s not quite the same as being driven over something.
Hopefully Wednesday I’ll have something to report on the exhaust…

My question regarding suspension parts is how do I see…feel or know that a part isn’t working right if it’s not obviously broken..:bang:

 

[John202020]

So the front you have drop links( try open door stand on sill and rock car side to side ) lower control arm bushes-less likely lower control arm ball joint need a lever to check, steering track rod end-should be obvious, then there's the shock absorber itself/spring/top bearing, I replaced every part of the front suspension, it was silent for couple of years but now makes a noise over certain bumps almost like the spring is loose in the strut

 

[chris3234]

Rear bush in the wishbones is common for pulling out of the arm when they get older so the metal outer parts of the bushing isn't in straight so hot the metal around the mounting

 

[Derbyfella]

So Picture of the front clamp...think that's a bit passed its best.

The second one appears to be a bolted (in effect jubilee clip)clamp that holds the centre section to the front section?

 

[John202020]

I had to remove the bracket from the gearbox in order to heat it up to remove the bolt, the other cut off and replace but put a thin piece of metal and paste under the new one ?

 

[Derbyfella]

What sort of paste?
Looks like there is a small piece of metal between the plate anyway (i think) on the existing bracket.....or were you talking between the bracket and gear box?
ta

 

[John202020]

What sort of paste?
Looks like there is a small piece of metal between the plate anyway (i think) on the existing bracket.....or were you talking between the bracket and gear box?
ta

Looks like a slight blow, so small bit of tin plate and exhaust paste plus clamp? What condition is the flexible in?

 

[Derbyfella]

You can do it "analogue"; just jack the back of the car up (ideally both sides but just the nearside will do), stick it on an axle stand, so it can't fall over and then slide underneath it to have a butchers.

The manifold is bolted to the head at one end, and to a clamp that comes off the clutch bell-housing at the other end. This clamp can (i.e. will) rot and yours may just be a sliver of rust but having said that, the manifold is rigid, so this support only prevents stress on the gasket face joint at the head, rather than actually preventing movement. Fit a new one though, if yours is just a shadow of where it once was.

The mid-section with either a "ball" or "tube" flexi section (dep on year) attaches to the manifold, so that end is supported by the manifold and the rusted clamp.


Ralf S.

Excellent Post Ralf

So the old clamp just fell to bits…my question now….have I got to separate the exhaust sections to replace or manually open the jaws and stress the metal before squeezing shut onto the original clamp lock bolt point. Can’t find any video that shows this for a 500, they only seem to show back boxes etc

 

[John202020]

Don't pull the exhaust apart heat up the new clamp and open up then wrap round.

 

[Derbyfella]

Lovely, that’s what I was going to do, then thought something else, then something else etc etc.

Ta!

 

[Derbyfella]

Worked a treat thanks!

 

[Derbyfella]

Looks like a slight blow, so small bit of tin plate and exhaust paste plus clamp? What condition is the flexible in?

Here is the state of the flexible