Exhaust squeaking - please help!

[Maccy]

At first I thought it was something suspension/wheel related, but I've heard a small constant squeak whenever I go over a bump or rough bit of road, getting very annoying now!

It only seems to do it when the car's warmed up, and when idling I could trace the sound to the pipes in the centre of the bumper. Exhaust is a Milltek, complete with large dent in one of the back boxes!
Is it possible that it's lived up to it's name and a crack is producing this sound somehow?!

 

[Reko]

I've had an exhaust squeak with the exact same symptoms as above. It's so loud it was embarrassing. People turned around to see wtf was making the noise :S

I fixed it last week though! It was a rusty screw in the exhaust mount lol. But after a few days it came back! so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread

 

[Maccy]

Yeh, it's getting quite embarrassing now - especially when pulling into the work car park.
Interesting you mention the exhaust mount, I replaced one on the weekend and one of the screws was missing it's head, must've sheered off somewhere in the past! Not sure how to attack that one tbh, could be the cause of the problem though!

EDIT - I did actually create a thread about this last month, was advised to drill it out. Might try that tonight.

 

[Harbinger]

Probably the plastic / rubber bushes shagged, mine were and the exhaust ended up being slightly off centre, banged about with the odd squeak, new rear brackets sorted it.

 

[Maccy]

I replaced one of the mounts this weekend.

 

[Harbinger]

hmmmmm, in that case get a spotter, bounce on the sill, you should hear the squeak but you'll obviously be able to hear where it's coming from, it could be one of the joints is rotten and causing friction etc. but i'd check all the mounts too. the middle ones hardly ever get replaced.

 

[Maccy]

I'm wondering now if it's related to the screw that's missing a head, as one of the exhaust mounts is only held on by 2 screws. The other exhaust mount was replaced last year, as was the centre one (near the cat).
Failing that, I'll take a trip to 519!

 

[Andyman]

Mine does this but pretty infrequent. Always think its the exhaust moving on the hangers

 

[Maccy]

Even though it only does it when it's warm? Mine does it pretty much every few seconds, it's almost embarrassing to drive!

 

[Beasley Clio182]

Spray white grease on the rubbers see if it cures it ! If they are tight in the mount they will squeak !

 

[Maccy]

Hmmm I hadn't thought of that! Will try and pick some up tomorrow and see if that cures it - thanks!

 

[Reko]

Hmmm I hadn't thought of that! Will try and pick some up tomorrow and see if that cures it - thanks!

Let us know how you get on

I dying to get this fixed too

 

[Andyman]

Even though it only does it when it's warm? Mine does it pretty much every few seconds, it's almost embarrassing to drive!

Iv noticed just in general you get more car rattles on the Clio when its a warmer temperature outside. Must be to do with expansion / contraction of plastics and rubbers etc :S

 

[Maccy]

I've covered both mounts in white grease, as well as both metal bars from the exhaust. Both are moving more freely, I'll update with how it sounds later when I've been out!!

 

[Maccy]

Well, what can I say - first impressions suggest it's a million times better!!

However there's still the odd occasional squeak which could be the hanger closest to the cat, I couldn't do this as I hadn't jacked the front up, lack of time.
Definitely try the white grease (strange stuff!) as its improved mine a lot!

 

[Maccy]

Mini update - it's back, but not as bad. Going to attack the mount near the cat tonight to see if that improves it.

 

[Reko]

Thanks for the update, I'll try some white grease

I've sorted mine again though. I just re seated one of the rear mounts, it seems when the screws/bolts rub against the mount as it moves, it makes noise. It could be the cheap eBay mounts I've got ?

 

[Maccy]

I've got cheap ebay mounts too, could be why!

 

[Beasley Clio182]

Glad to hear its semi sorted ! I have a lot of micras at work suffering exactly same problem ! Sometimes pays to move the exhaust by hand to get the grease between the mount and rubber !

 

[Maccy]

Yeh I took the mounts off and was essentially w**king off the exhaust with the mount!

 

[Beasley Clio182]

Yeh I took the mounts off and was essentially w**king off the exhaust with the mount!

​Thatll do it

 

[Maccy]

So just tried to do the centre mount (red one) and it would not budge. Screw came out fine, but it would not slide off the hanger.

I sprayed a load of white grease into it, and all around it, so we'll see if there's any improvement!

 

[Beasley Clio182]

So just tried to do the centre mount (red one) and it would not budge. Screw came out fine, but it would not slide off the hanger.

I sprayed a load of white grease into it, and all around it, so we'll see if there's any improvement!

They can be quite tight that's prop the problem ! If it persist , I'd recommend filling full of WD40 to aid removal , once off clean it up , and fill it full off white grease and re fit buddy should cure it !

 

[Maccy]

Bit of an improvement but still the occasional squeak. Wondering now if it's worth sourcing an uprated Prima rear mount, as it could just be the rubbish cheap ebay mounts...

 

[Maccy]

So to revisit this, the squeak has come back! I've ordered a new exhaust mount and metal bracket from Adam, so not a cheap ebay jobby, and got 3 screws rather than 2, so hopefully things will improve! Will update with progress after I've fitted this weekend.

 

[Beasley Clio182]

Looking forward to hearing the results mate !

 

[Reko]

Bah that sucks. I sorted mine by using s**t loads of WD40 lol. Just completely soaked the entire mount in the stuff. Sorted

Looking forward to see if it's sorted Maccy

 

[Beasley Clio182]

I'd also grease the new mounts before fitment mate !!

 

[Maccy]

Reko - has that cured it for good? It sorted me for a few days and now it's just back to it's squeaking every few seconds!!

 

[Maccy]

So I fitted my new mount yesterday with new bracket, 3 screws holding it in rather than 2 now!

You can tell the difference between the cheap ebay ones and genuine ones - the genuine one is an absolute ball ache to get on! So tight, I had to resort to lots of WD40 and heating the rubber with a lighter so it expanded! Not happy with how the Milltek is sitting now, left pipe isn't straight sticking out of the bumper

 

[Reko]

Doh! lets hope it solves the squeaking lol

And yes, as above, I solved mine for good with WD40. It's not squeaked for weeks

 

[Maccy]

0 squeaks on my way in this morning, so I think a new genuine mount has sorted it!

 

[Reko]

Yay! finally

 

[Maccy]

Thought I'd update - it's come back a little, so I might do the other exhaust mount and see if that helps!