Catalytic Converters Going Bad

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Fire0nic3FX

Member
I noticed for the past couple of thousand miles after my car has been warmed up and driven for 15 minutes and I get out of the car, I can hear loud ticking and clicking noises from under the car when idling. Upon further inspection after lifting the car up I pin pointed the noise coming from the catalytic converters. It's like the get super hot then start making these noises.

I know normally metal expands and contracts to heat and that's normal. But mine do it 100% of the time constantly and it never ever stops. It even does it after the car has been shut off until the cats cool down and it stops. The wierd thing is that I passed my NY State emmissions test a few months ago with flying colors. I also have NO service engine soon light on for the catalytic converters. Usually went cats go bad there is a code for the cats when their effiency is running 70% below threshold.


FXP had his changed for the same problem a while back and they told him the cats were rotted out through the inside. I also recall Hollywood saying he had his changed. Seems like it's a warmer climate related thing??


I don't recall catalytic converters lasting that long in the first place. On a Nissan I had they went at like 45K.
 
Can you post a video on what you are referring to....I might have the same thing, although I think that is normal. When i turn the car off, I'll here a few clicks from metal heat, but then after while it goes away....I think this is with most cars no?
 
Yeah I'll get a video up sometime this week.


Some ticking and clicking after it's shut off is normal. Since the metal from them is cooling down it keeps on expanding and contracting. But the problem with mine is that it's doing it 100% of the time when the car is idling after it's been driven for like 15 minutes. It sounds like buzzing ticking/clicking noises in a can. Does yours do it while idling after being driven?

By the way I have 34,900 miles.
 
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I just got my oil changed at 38,500 already....I've been driving like crazy and it ain't stopping. I love this car.

Once you upload the video, I'll see if I have something similar. I have heard ticking noises at idling, but the Infiniti dealer has told me that is normal due to the injectors or some other stuff they mentioned....sorry my lingo is not there.....I've heard it on new Lexus' as well, but this may not be the same noise, that is why I'm asking for the video.
 
check to see if the cats are loose, my hfc's were loose (all three bolts) and it made that clicking ticking noise, i tightened one and it seemed better but I didn't get the chance to tighten the other two yet

i have 42XXX miles
 
I just went outside to check to see if their loose and they don't appear to be loose. So I guess it's not that :-/

This sound isn't coming from anywhere near the engine bay though. It's coming directly from the catalytic converter area. I put my ear up to it "carefully" and I can hear it coming from inside of them.
 
Fire0nic3FX said:
Ehhh.....going to the dealer soon to change my oil. I'll let them look at it.
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"oh yeah we changed your oil.....looks like you need a whole new exhaust since the heat shield on the cat is making a noise and is would be too easy to just take it off....that will be $2000. Should we bill you directly or just chop off your arm and take it now?"
 
So today I checked the bolts and torqued them down a tad more and the cat converters still are making the sound. Actually it was like 102 degrees here today and they sounded even worse. The sound is definately coming from the inside of them. I can hear it very clearly :-/. I'm going to have to tell the dealer to replace them. Believe it or not I haven't been to the dealer in like half a year lol.
 
Fire0nic3FX said:
So today I checked the bolts and torqued them down a tad more and the cat converters still are making the sound. Actually it was like 102 degrees here today and they sounded even worse. The sound is definately coming from the inside of them. I can hear it very clearly :-/. I'm going to have to tell the dealer to replace them. Believe it or not I haven't been to the dealer in like half a year lol.
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Probably because you got scared after they put in the wrong trans fluid and scrapped up the insides of your wheels! :eek.: :bomb: :tdown:
 
I have the exact same problem and the dealer keeps telling me I am crazy. The thing is loud. It sounds like pebbles bouncing around on metal but LOUDER!! It is at idle, it is at acceleration, at cool down, at start up......all the time. There is nothing like driving a $50M and having someone say..... "What the hell is that noise? Your car sounds like sh*t!" Glad to know now I have an area they can pin point the next time I am in the dealer.....under warranty. It is about to hit 100 degrees in Dallas for the summer so the sound will only get worse. Thank you for posting this it is is big help to me. :)
 
Glad to know me and FXP aren't the only ones with this problem. I'm taking mine into the dealer sometime in the middle of next week or so. Since it's getting warmer here, the noise is just getting worse.

And yeah it does sound like pebbles in a can. You described this perfectly. I did a search on Youtube and if you here a sound like bees or pebbles in a can noise from your catalytic converters, it's a sign that the metal inside the catalytic converters are breaking down. You can also check by taking a hammer and lightly tapping on the catalytic converters. If you here a rattle noise, that means they crapped out. Other signs are strong smells of rotten eggs from the exhaust after being driven hard. But mine doesn't have that. I only here those noises from the cats.

---------- Post added at 01:59 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:53 PM ----------
Fxellent said:
I have the exact same problem and the dealer keeps telling me I am crazy. The thing is loud. It sounds like pebbles bouncing around on metal but LOUDER!! It is at idle, it is at acceleration, at cool down, at start up......all the time. There is nothing like driving a $50M and having someone say..... "What the hell is that noise? Your car sounds like sh*t!" Glad to know now I have an area they can pin point the next time I am in the dealer.....under warranty. It is about to hit 100 degrees in Dallas for the summer so the sound will only get worse. Thank you for posting this it is is big help to me. :)
Click to expand...


That's wierd that yours does it on startup or cold start. Mine only does it after you driven it for 15 minutes or more when the cats have reached their maximum heating temperature.

---------- Post added at 03:45 PM ---------- Previous post was at 01:59 PM ----------

Just got off the phone with the dealer. He told me he thinks the clamps to the cat converters may be going bad, but they won't know for sure until they have a look at it. Needless to say he said bring it in this coming wed. I was going to go in tomorrow, but what I need done they don't have any appointments for tommorow until wed.


I'll keep you updated.
 
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