Air chattering sound at low revs
 

Hey,

I notice this air chattering sound at low revs, but it tends to dissappear as the revs build up. I only noticed this after having my headers installed (X force 4>2>1 equal length). All gaskets were replaced except the dump pipe one when they were put on so i dont think it will be any of those gaskets. I also smell exhaust fumes from above the turbo area, smells the same as the fumes you get from the muffler.

Im thinking its one of the slip joints leading to the up pipe section, but if it was you would think that the sound would get worse and louder at high revs, yeah? The other slip joints on the manifold are where the crossover pipe would be, but i cant smell any fumes from around there. The car still goes hard, and if anything, harder with the headers on but this sound is just annoying.

Any ideas on what it could be? Normal?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Cheers
-Nick

Sounds like a header leak, especially with the exhaust fumes smell you're getting.

Did you buy them 2nd hand? If so, they could be cracked.

Yeah i initially thought a header leak but when i boot it, it doesnt get louder .. You would get like a screamer type sound if it was a leak? or not necessarily?

I bought them second hand off Tino, they were on his old setup.

Not necessarily.

Check for a crack, sometimes a crack can "seal" itself rather than open up (or not get any worse), when you're on the noise.

Hmm ill get it checked out.
It doesnt really make sense as im still making and holding boost fine.

wait for the headers to carbon up.

They were already pritty carboned up as they were second hand and ive had them on for close to a month now, driven everyday.

maybe its still there at high revs, but you couldn't here it due to louder exhaust or engine noise?

yeah maybe .. Thing that stumps me is that the car still runs fine and as it should. Boost hits and holds, and doesnt drop, whereas it should if there was a leak.

Ill get it checked out as soon as i can, but not TOO concerned about it as the car still runs fine.

Anyone else had this problem with these headers or similar? What was the problem and how did you fix it?

Took it down to Tenagah today to get it diagnosed and yeah, it was an exhaust manifold leak. Leaking from all the slip joints ..

They reckon it might have been caused by the ceramic coating, saying that after u coat them and join all the pieces together, the fitment is all good when the coat is fresh and new. But when the coat wears away, it beings to leak as the fitment isnt as snug as with the coating.

Just gonna go back to the stock manifold with an aftermarket up pipe(wrapped) and maybe change the cross over pipe aswell.

Anyone willing to take these off my hands when they are off(should be in the next 2 weeks)? Im sure theres a way around the leaking joints. P.M me if your interested, ill let them go real cheap.


Cheers
-Nick



EDIT:

[url]http://www.perth-wrx.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14512[/url]

If your interested in the headers, they are number 2 in the above thread, first post. They also have black heat coat on them.