Squeaky exhaust valves/actuators

[EricG]

So I started to notice a little squeak in my car, happened any time I hit the gas pedal. Took it to the dealer and rode around with the tech who verified it. He took my car back to the shop to figure out exactly what it was...I was fearing popped or blown out motor mount or something, he traced it back to the exhaust valves/actuators. So now they are going to replace the whole catback under warranty, I suggested lubing them or even deleting them from the exhaust, they said they can't really do that, anyway it's free warranty work/parts so I should probably not care that much. However I love how my car runs, sounds, not thrilled about it being touched, but this should be pretty basic stuff and I'm waiting an extra week just to have the right technician do the work. Anyone else ever have this issue? It's been doing this for a couple months so I am getting annoyed with it. I wish our exhausts didn't have this piece as part of the system, is it there for noise regulations?

 

[Paladin06]

So I started to notice a little squeak in my car, happened any time I hit the gas pedal. Took it to the dealer and rode around with the tech who verified it. He took my car back to the shop to figure out exactly what it was...I was fearing popped or blown out motor mount or something, he traced it back to the exhaust valves/actuators. So now they are going to replace the whole catback under warranty, I suggested lubing them or even deleting them from the exhaust, they said they can't really do that, anyway it's free warranty work/parts so I should probably not care that much. However I love how my car runs, sounds, not thrilled about it being touched, but this should be pretty basic stuff and I'm waiting an extra week just to have the right technician do the work. Anyone else ever have this issue? It's been doing this for a couple months so I am getting annoyed with it. I wish our exhausts didn't have this piece as part of the system, is it there for noise regulations?

What year is your car?

 

[EricG]

2019 coming up on 25k miles

 

[Paladin06]

2019 coming up on 25k miles

You do know on a 2019 you can remove the spring in the valves and wire them full open without ever tripping a CEL? I did my 2019 Redeye a week after I got the car 2 years ago with no problems.

 

[EricG]

You do know on a 2019 you can remove the spring in the valves and wire them full open without ever tripping a CEL? I did my 2019 Redeye a week after I got the car 2 years ago with no problems.

Hmmmm…well that gives me some food for thought.

 

[drag racer]

mine squeaked from the day i bought it. easily solved with one of the various aftermarket lockout/relocate or total delete options.

 

[Diboblo]

Another solution, for 15+.

https://www.zautomotive.com/product/z_aes_delete/

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Paladin06]

Another solution, for 15+.

https://www.zautomotive.com/product/z_aes_delete/

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

I just had them set full open as part of the tune.

 

[DGatzby]

So I started to notice a little squeak in my car, happened any time I hit the gas pedal. Took it to the dealer and rode around with the tech who verified it. He took my car back to the shop to figure out exactly what it was...I was fearing popped or blown out motor mount or something, he traced it back to the exhaust valves/actuators. So now they are going to replace the whole catback under warranty, I suggested lubing them or even deleting them from the exhaust, they said they can't really do that, anyway it's free warranty work/parts so I should probably not care that much. However I love how my car runs, sounds, not thrilled about it being touched, but this should be pretty basic stuff and I'm waiting an extra week just to have the right technician do the work. Anyone else ever have this issue? It's been doing this for a couple months so I am getting annoyed with it. I wish our exhausts didn't have this piece as part of the system, is it there for noise regulations?

Yes, several times and it will happen again no matter how new your new not broke-in yet quiet system is. I have refused a new cat back more than once.

You can try to spray lube on them as installed and it may clear it. You can certainly lube them properly if you take them off. Self explanatory if you look at them, Eric.

 

[rayzazoo]

WD-40 worked well over the course of 93000 miles.

 

[EricG]

So last week I finally got in at my dealer and got a new catback put on. Has the put on a new supercharger belt(I supplied) and had them do an oil change. Wanted to throw on a new serpentine belt but surprisingly they didn't have one in the parts inventory and they told me they are not available right now. Really, a serpentine belt??? Swapped on a clean air filter too as it's been 10k miles and they get pretty dirty in a year/10k miles out here. Knocked out some basic stuff as I had one of their more experienced technicians working on my car.

Anyway, I have a new different kind of noise, might have a slightly loose component of the catback or a loose heat shield, can't quite place it. It's faint but a little different than before, maybe new catback is just a little louder? Either way, going back to the dealer Friday morning first thing for a quick inspection/ride along to see if we can get it figured out. Can't tell if it's a rattle or vibration or exactly what it is. Seems to be at low speeds when hitting the gas, first couple gears only. I'm just venting more than anything else lol...don't enjoy going to the dealer and waiting very much.

 

[DGatzby]

Let’s see. Today I am doing two of those things, myself. Putting on the RE filter because it is clean and oiled. The Demon filter needs cleaned and re-oiled. Spraying the actuators for about the third time in its life to stop the squeaks you describe.

 

[EricG]

The filter is easy, I'm glad they made it easy to change. I'm getting almost as good at that as the thermostat

You know it's sunny because in the back of my mind I was thinking about what ifs essentially fixing something that isn't broken, my dealer got the catback in and said let's just put the new one on, if it squeaks again we'll pursue other options. Now I guess I've earned myself a little headache over it.

 

[DGatzby]

Done with everything. It all went well. Curious to hear if my valves got more quiet. Going to detail the inside glass and bed the Hawk pads. Then she is ready to rumble!

That rubber coupling between the air cleaner and the throttle body is a SOB sometimes! I always remove it to make the access to the two bottom screws easy.

 

[Diboblo]

Done with everything. It all went well. Curious to hear if my valves got more quiet. Going to detail the inside glass and bed the Hawk pads. Then she is ready to rumble!

That rubber coupling between the air cleaner and the throttle body is a SOB sometimes! I always remove it to make the access to the two bottom screws easy.

When my valves started acting a fool, I sprayed them with some of my motorcycle chain lube. Haven't squeaked in two years.

FYI

Lima Golf Bravo

 

[DGatzby]

Thanks, Bob.

I used spray water resistant silicone today. It did work.

 

[EricG]

That rubber coupling between the air cleaner and the throttle body is a SOB sometimes! I always remove it to make the access to the two bottom screws easy.

I have gotten better at working that rubber coupling loose and out of the way, first time it was a bitch yes...

 

[DGatzby]

For some reason this time it was a bit stubborn going back. Maybe I kept thinking about the post over at the other place where the poor guy spent days getting things back together.

 

[EricG]

So...back at the dealer this morning, rode with technician, noise verified, car put up on lift, stethoscope used in multiple areas...it is determined that the driver's side actuator(on the brand new just installed warranty-replacement catback) has a noise or a rattle/vibration coming from it. Another new catback ordered and will be installed under warranty soon.

 

[EricG]

In a somewhat comical update I did get another new OEM catback installed, this one also started rattling after just a few days, right in that 1800-2200 drone range that the factory catback almost completely filters out. It's funny, my original one definitely did not do this, I drive around with the windows down all the time and these new ones just are not happy on my car. I did tell my dealer and they are like well what do you want to do??? I told them nothing right now. I mainly just wanted to document it I guess for future reference.

Needless to say I did just order the Z-automotive inactive exhaust kit, hope to have that installed by the end of the week and be back to clean exhaust sounds again