Raspy header and weird noise
 

This is my current setup,

Fa20club 4-1 EL header
Agency power over/front pipe
Magnaflow catback

i'm catless

It's raspy after 3k RPM how could I make it less raspy? Should i change my over/front pipe to get a catted one?

Also,

I get this weird noise in the front that sounds like a tractor , flutter noise.
Nothing is leaking, i got it triple checked at my garage guy.

Could i maybe need a bigger gasket for the header?

Also would the raspy go away once I go turbo?

If your headers are catless you should go with a catted frontpipe
Imo,for having a good exhaust sounds(not to raspy)you need at least one cat

do you have any videos of how it's sounds?

A catted front pipe will help. I don't think 100%, but it will make quite a difference. I do believe that a turbo will muffle some of that in the future as well.

A resonator will help a good amount. I just put one on mine that had the same issue after 3k rpm.

Shouldn't it come with the catback and the front pipe?

I was thinking of putting back my stock front pipe/over pipe, and when i get the turbo i'll put the front pipe/ over pipe back in.

Hmmm, i might just put the stock front pipe/over pipe back..


Funny thing is about an hour after posting, i got a ticket for my exhaust lol

I'll be posting a video tomorrow

it's only raspy when i hit the gas or drive in high rpms 3.5-4

I ordered the cat for the header,

the only problem now, it makes a tracktor noise when i accelerate like a fluttering noise, sounds like something in the front.

flutter noise at low rpm is just how the engine sounds. I know the sound. The raspy can be easily fixed with just a resonator or put back the two with magnaflow ones. You in ontario?

It could be the engine, or an exhaust leak.

I brought the car to two garages and they said no exhaust leak but it sounds like a flutter super annoying. Magnaflow ones are in , it's because i'm catless no cats.
Flutter noise at low RPM, never heard it before until i put the catless headers + overpipe + front pipe catless


I'm in montreal

Check the frame where the overpipe crosses. The first 2 times I had the header installed it was fine, but the third time it wasn't hung properly and rubbed the frame. At higher rpm the sound of the engine would mask it, but it was audible at lower rpm, and when I would turn at speed.

Without cats it'll still be raspy with a turbo.... I was full catless invidia q300 on my wrx and I loved how it sounded but it was loud

It was pulled further away from the frame already, it makes like a nasty ffffff ffffff tracktor noise, its weird. only at low RPMs, i'm thinking it could be because im catless in videos you dont hear it but in person you do.

Hmm, starting to get some cats then lol

if you have an exhaust leak you should be able to see it by inspecting all the gasket locations with a flashlight, all around the ports / joints. You will see black soot. You have to really look for it, not just half ass it. I suspect the shops you had look at it may have just glanced at it or put it on the lift and ran it at idle.

Leak or hitting are most likely as others have said.

Catted/resonated front pipe will help a lot, and the cat in the header will also help. The resonator in the Magnaflow midpipe is rather short. A longer one like in the Perrin/OEM resonated catback will likely get rid of most if not all the rasp.

seconded

Does it sound like metal tacks in a jar or like a flock of pigeons taking off with that little chirpy sound? (not to be confused with the cricket noise associated with the fuel pump)

I'd probably junk the AP frontpipe personally. One of the more raspy ones out there, and people have had problems with fitment and leaking where they bolt up. Dropping a front pipe with a cat in there, and maybe even with a resonator, will get rid of most of the rasp, especially since you've got a decent catback already.

You also need to triple check for an exhaust leak.

Flutter/Pudder is just the boxer engine sound. I have a Rev works header, Resonated Invidia top pipe and Greddy EVO3 exhaust. I have zero rasp though and I have no cats.

This is probably going to sound obvious and stupid, but have you changed the oil since the break-in period?

Just went to toyota to get an oil change, seems as though my magnaflow exhaust is leaking? the pipe between the muffler + resonater.

Hmmm, I might have to change some parts then... Probably going to get the Invidia Front pipe catted + resonated

At first i thought it was the AP but it seems as it's the magnaflow, fuuuuuck i cant live with this sound though.

LOL! flock of pigeons, but more like a tracktor at a farm,

I think i'm gonna get the Invidia front pipe catted/resonated, if that doesn't help i'll have to get the headers catted.

I went to Toyota today and he was able to take a look at it no problem, he showed me that there was infact an exhaust leak in the catback.



Now i'm deciding wether to change my whole set up, or what.. SRT headerback sounds siiiick! but i need something quiet but mean. to go along with my EL headers

Sorry to hear you have an exhaust leak. no fun. You should contact the manufacturer, or get new gaskets, or try a workaround for now to see if it helps. Exhaust leaks can definitely add tons of volume.

I brought it to 3-4 garages and everyone told me basically to fuck off lol
So i ended up buying an invidia cat back Q300 + invidia front pipe resonated , should be getting it this week. hopefully i don't have the same problem!

post a video once they're installed!

Will do :D

Sorry to bump an old thread but I'm having the same low RPM "tractor" noise. I've inspected all of the gaskets and no leaks. I even replaced all of the gaskets just in case and inspected the flanges; again, no leaks. The noise is driving me crazy though.

Is it just a noise from the thin wall construction of UEL headers? Curious to know what you found.

Heyy, I'll be getting the car on the lift later today, I'll see if I can find something.

Have the same noise as well. Got all gaskets changed in header and checked for leaks. Someone told me it was just due to the thin steel tubing. Happens around 2000 rpm for me.

Same here, last night I did another check and all gaskets are good, no carbon anywhere, can't see any leaks with soapy water spray or paper check. Same low RPM putter noise. Maybe header wrap is in my future?

by any chance have you guys changed your spark plugs or clutch?
just a random question.

Check the water outlet on the driver side and make sure the header is not rubbing there. My Fa20 4-1 rubbed the shite out of that aluminum fitting that one of the primaries runs right on top of.

As for rasp, don't waste your time with anything other than a Q300 or some other suitcase muffler, or a turbo.... front and mid pipe make very little difference when running a catless header. I went down that road already and tried several combinations of front pipes and cat backs. Only thing that tamed the rasp was a Q300 catback. A turbo will tame it as well.

Have not done so.

I had checked found no occurrence of rubbing. Have Borla UEL Headers.

Any luck?

No on both counts. I own a 13 and 14 frs, both with the OFH and both have the same noise. Header wrap will be my next step I think.

I think that's what I will do as well. I didn't have a chance to remove my headers and inspect it the other day.

I did change the spark plugs. No noticeable difference. I did realize that my turbo is leaking on the backplate near the intake(oil on it). I'll be getting it checked out this week. What headers is everyone running who is having issues?


That was my old set up running now FA20 header and a custom 3" turbo back.

I have this issue with the open flash header.

I'm starting to think it's just a normal sound.

I had that awful fluttering noise too, it sounds like leaves rustling or air puttering coming from where the header is. It was apparent when the windows were down and driving next to a wall. I have the Open Flash Header 3. I'm not sure if it was an exhaust leak or it was because of the thin walls of the header so I tried to take care of both. I went back under my car and swapped out the stock header gaskets for grimspeed ones, used permatex copper on the gasket for the overpipe to header connection, used permatex copper on the overpipe to front pipe connection and finally DEI titanium wrapped the headers and overpipe. After all that, the rustling noise is gone. It sounds like a tight closed system now. The sound in general coming from the header is much more quiet now but still has that nice deep rumble, sounds more mature to me. I can enjoy my car again.

I have the gruppe-s header and it does the same thing, same for a lot of other people on that thread. I have the stock CBE and FP so it's a lot more noticeable. Will wrap my headers soon then and see if that takes care of it

EDIT: Fixed now! just didn't tighten the bolts in the middle well enough due to them being hard to reach. It was in fact a leak. Used a crow's foot and extension socket to tighten them.

I know I am hella late here, but I have been dealing with this fluttering for months now.


Did making it tighter eliminate it entirely? How tight did you go? Specs say it should be like 22ftlb and I am worried about going over that.