icex48x

Hello,
I just bought a 99 civic EX.. he replaced the Cat converter about 9 months ago.. but when idling or at low RPM's i hear a rattle and then it decreases as i speed up.. is this the cat converter or maybe the heat shield? only reason i say its the heat shield is because its got a spots where it came unbolted..would it be alright to take my heat shield off? or is there a way to tell if witch one it is myself? im figuring about 200$ to fix it.. and i guess i need to figure it out fast before it messes up my exhaust right? its just a noise and it passed inspection but if its going to mess my exhaust up and cost me more money down the road id rather get it fixed now...

Thanks..

wmac

heat shields tend to rattle.
if you take it off, you might might start a forest fire when you are off-roading!

Jimmy

iTrader: (5)

Get under the car and use a rubber mallet and lightly tap on the catalytic converter and see if you hear anything rattling around.. If so the honey comb in your cat is loose..

Also inspect the heat shield it could be touching the shifter.. if so bend it out of the way..

RunninEg6

like he said ^^^ above me..... also try starting it, since u hear it @ idle look underneath and listen to pinpoint where it comes from

icex48x

Thanks for info but in park it does not rattle..when i put it in drive it starts to rattle untill i start moving... ill put it in drive and have wife hold brake while i look i guess lol.. thanks

Riced-EL

I have the same issue right now. I beleive the honey comb in the Cat is broken. If I were to take it off and shake off it around, would all the crap come right out? Or do I have to replace it? Reason I ask, is b/c this is my beater and it has a D16y7 motor, making the cat easily accessible.

riceburnerryan

yeah i dont think it needs to be replaced... prolly just a loose heat shield or loose honeycomb

civics4lyfe

the heatshield mite not rattle in park. my heatshield rattled as i drove when i first bought my car, four of the five screws that were to hold it on had rust around them, leaving them holding nothing there. just pull it off, its not necessary, and you can pass inspection without it on.

maybe if it isnt the heatshield tho, an exhaust hanger could be loose. is it a stock exhaust? if you get an aftermarket put on, sometimes they bend a giant 'U' and the smallest diameter point on the tip just sits on it, and it can be known to rattle (when not it park, i.e. when ur pushing more exhaust through the pipe than in idle)

civics4lyfe

simple solution: throw some subs in the back, and everything will rattle lol

icex48x

said if its just the honeycomb i dont have to replace? what do you mean.. and lol i already got subs in the back but im having trouble pin pointing weither its the exhaust or cat converter

thanks for info