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My 97 OBW with 5MT (97k miles) has an unusual sound when depressing the clutch pedal in the lower gears. The sound is a metal on metal vibration, but not a grinding or anything. This only happens when shifting from 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd.

 

Also, it only happens when I shift around the 3K RPM mark. If I shift at 2500, it doesn't happen, and if I shift at 3500 it doesn't happen. The noise occurrs briefly and only while the RPMs are in that 3K range.

 

Also, if I engine brake down a hill and leave it in the 3K range, I get that sound with a little more consistency.

 

This seems like a loose piece of metal being excited by the 3000 RPM range. Anyone have any ideas what might be vibrating?

 

Thank you!

Reid

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  • 2 months later...

My 98 Forester is making a similar rattle, 2nd and 3rd seem to really make it happen when down shifting or plugging the engine down a hill. I thought it might be some heat shild or something loose. Can't pinpoint it, only happens while drivig(wife won't hang out the window to help diagnos. No clutch or tranny problems to speak of.

I'll check it out and get back to you. Do you/anyone else have any other ideas on what it might be, or things I should check while I'm under the car?

 

 

Thanks again,

Reid

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I had this problem a year or two ago, it turned out to be the heat shields around the exhaust pipe and catalytic converters. There are several exhaust shields, the first being on the y-pipe (header). Those make a terrible rattling sound when loose. There are also shields on the catalytic converters, and heat shields bolted to the floor of the body that can rattle. I would jack up the car and check all those pieces for looseness before I do anything too crazy.

 

I, too, originally thought it was transmission noise because of its relationship to certain rpm's when shifting. But alas, it was not...

 

 

There are several solutions to fixing a loose heat shield.

 

Do a search under exhaust rattle or heat shield, and you'll find a lot of useful info.

 

Matt

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Thank you for the info your Bigness, most helpful for my "hanging by a thread" heat shields. Could they make them any cheaper?

 

 

I had this problem a year or two ago, it turned out to be the heat shields around the exhaust pipe and catalytic converters. There are several exhaust shields, the first being on the y-pipe (header). Those make a terrible rattling sound when loose. There are also shields on the catalytic converters, and heat shields bolted to the floor of the body that can rattle. I would jack up the car and check all those pieces for looseness before I do anything too crazy.

 

I, too, originally thought it was transmission noise because of its relationship to certain rpm's when shifting. But alas, it was not...

 

 

There are several solutions to fixing a loose heat shield.

 

Do a search under exhaust rattle or heat shield, and you'll find a lot of useful info.

 

Matt

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sounds like the exhaust shroud, i have the same problem in my 97 legacy outback, it's not a huge problem, just creates that annoying sound that you are talking about, take it to a muffler shop and have them tack weld it, i've just been too lazy to get around to doing it, shoudln't be more than 20 bucks......

 

 

My 97 OBW with 5MT (97k miles) has an unusual sound when depressing the clutch pedal in the lower gears. The sound is a metal on metal vibration, but not a grinding or anything. This only happens when shifting from 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd.

 

Also, it only happens when I shift around the 3K RPM mark. If I shift at 2500, it doesn't happen, and if I shift at 3500 it doesn't happen. The noise occurrs briefly and only while the RPMs are in that 3K range.

 

Also, if I engine brake down a hill and leave it in the 3K range, I get that sound with a little more consistency.

 

This seems like a loose piece of metal being excited by the 3000 RPM range. Anyone have any ideas what might be vibrating?

 

Thank you!

Reid

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No, I don't think they can make them any cheaper. They seem to be designed to fail prematurely...

 

 

You can buy new exhaust shields and replace them, or try welds, screws, hose clamps, etc, or combinations of different tactics to hold them in place. The problem is the shield itself usually isn't damaged, it is the attachment points that wear out and disintegrate. At least on my car, most of the metal is intact, just not the parts that secure it.

 

Matt

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(un)luckily for me, I am a welder and work with stainless steel, so you know what I am going to do. I will wind up making my car weigh much much more with the all new ten gauge stainless heat shrouds.(double wall, of course) I really do appreciate the help.

 

 

No, I don't think they can make them any cheaper. They seem to be designed to fail prematurely...

 

 

You can buy new exhaust shields and replace them, or try welds, screws, hose clamps, etc, or combinations of different tactics to hold them in place. The problem is the shield itself usually isn't damaged, it is the attachment points that wear out and disintegrate. At least on my car, most of the metal is intact, just not the parts that secure it.

 

Matt

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