Cat rattle - replacement ideas?

My '96 has a horrendous exhaust rattle - I did the rubber mallet thing and
it seems to be coming from the cat, the front resonator, or both... hard to
tell. The PO put a Flying Miata system on, I think a catback (front
resonator is not rusty, stainless?, dual-tip not-rusty muffler is labeled
Flying Miata) so I'm thinking the cat is my most likely culprit. I can't
tell if it's stock or not, no labels visible.

I've read thru the review section but a lot of those products don't seem to
exist any more, I can't find them. Any suggestions for a replacement cat
source? Low-$ better and quieter better - I'm not really concerned about
performance and this Flying Miata system is louder than I like anyway.

TIA for any help.

miker

www.rockauto.com has a universal cat for as little as $37, but that may need
some work to install.
or www.finishlineperformance.com (miata-engine-exhaust) for the oem mazda
for $140 (free shipping if over $150 so pick up a couple of oil filters or
new washer jet nozzels - the ones for the tribute are nice).


"miker" > wrote in message
m...
> My '96 has a horrendous exhaust rattle - I did the rubber mallet thing and
> it seems to be coming from the cat, the front resonator, or both... hard
> to
> tell. The PO put a Flying Miata system on, I think a catback (front
> resonator is not rusty, stainless?, dual-tip not-rusty muffler is labeled
> Flying Miata) so I'm thinking the cat is my most likely culprit. I can't
> tell if it's stock or not, no labels visible.
>
> I've read thru the review section but a lot of those products don't seem
> to
> exist any more, I can't find them. Any suggestions for a replacement cat
> source? Low-$ better and quieter better - I'm not really concerned about
> performance and this Flying Miata system is louder than I like anyway.
>
> TIA for any help.
>
> miker
>
>
>

miker wrote:
> My '96 has a horrendous exhaust rattle - I did the rubber mallet thing and
> it seems to be coming from the cat, the front resonator, or both... hard to
> tell. The PO put a Flying Miata system on, I think a catback (front
> resonator is not rusty, stainless?, dual-tip not-rusty muffler is labeled
> Flying Miata) so I'm thinking the cat is my most likely culprit. I can't
> tell if it's stock or not, no labels visible.
>
> I've read thru the review section but a lot of those products don't seem to
> exist any more, I can't find them. Any suggestions for a replacement cat
> source? Low-$ better and quieter better - I'm not really concerned about
> performance and this Flying Miata system is louder than I like anyway.

Are you sure it's not just the heatshield burning through and coming
loose? You can strap it up with some wire (not plastic coated!) to keep
it quiet. Heatshield rattle is normally at 3500rpm.

> Are you sure it's not just the heatshield burning through and coming
> loose? You can strap it up with some wire (not plastic coated!) to keep
> it quiet. Heatshield rattle is normally at 3500rpm.

I banged on the cat with my fist and a rubber mallet, and also tapped around
with my fingers looking for heat shield issues. Nothing seems loose and the
rattle 'sounds' like it's coming from inside, not exterior. My worst rattles
are around idle, especially the higher idle with the AC on.

BTW, I found it instructive to mallet not only on the side of the cat and
resonator but also at each end in a direction lengthwise to the pipe. That's
what made me think it could be just the cat and not the resonator.

miker

> or www.finishlineperformance.com (miata-engine-exhaust) for the oem mazda

Ok, an update.

That vendor has a cat that looks just like the one on my 96, but it says for
90-93. (The other cat available is 2000-up.) Geez, can't they make one for
90-95 and one for 97-08?

Anyway, it looks just like mine but I also looked at the gaskets they sell
and infering from the choices, it suggests the 90-93s have a different front
and rear flange (different gaskets), and the 96 gasket is different than
either of those (same gasket front and rear).

Have I got this right? If so, I still haven't found a cat for a '96 then...

miker

In article >,
"miker" > wrote:

> Have I got this right? If so, I still haven't found a cat for a '96 then...

Pick up the phone and call Tommy Grimes at Finish Line Performance.
Tommy knows more about Miata parts than anyone in the known universe.

--
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, MO
'94C

acording to miata.net they are different... this statement regarding na and
nb differences...
"Exhaust manifold all the way back to the muffler is completely different.
Also, there are differences between the NB manual and automatic exhausts.
They are not interchangable."
like lanny said, call finishlineperformance.com. they don't list everything
on the web site and are very helpful.

"miker" > wrote in message
...
>> or www.finishlineperformance.com (miata-engine-exhaust) for the oem mazda
>
> Ok, an update.
>
> That vendor has a cat that looks just like the one on my 96, but it says
> for
> 90-93. (The other cat available is 2000-up.) Geez, can't they make one for
> 90-95 and one for 97-08?
>
> Anyway, it looks just like mine but I also looked at the gaskets they sell
> and infering from the choices, it suggests the 90-93s have a different
> front
> and rear flange (different gaskets), and the 96 gasket is different than
> either of those (same gasket front and rear).
>
> Have I got this right? If so, I still haven't found a cat for a '96
> then...
>
> miker
>
>
>

flyin miata has a aftermarket one for $199. probably should call them to
confirm that it is direct fit...
http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?...umber=06-76000

"Christopher Muto" > wrote in message
m...
> acording to miata.net they are different... this statement regarding na
> and nb differences...
> "Exhaust manifold all the way back to the muffler is completely different.
> Also, there are differences between the NB manual and automatic exhausts.
> They are not interchangable."
> like lanny said, call finishlineperformance.com. they don't list
> everything on the web site and are very helpful.
>
> "miker" > wrote in message
> ...
>>> or www.finishlineperformance.com (miata-engine-exhaust) for the oem
>>> mazda
>>
>> Ok, an update.
>>
>> That vendor has a cat that looks just like the one on my 96, but it says
>> for
>> 90-93. (The other cat available is 2000-up.) Geez, can't they make one
>> for
>> 90-95 and one for 97-08?
>>
>> Anyway, it looks just like mine but I also looked at the gaskets they
>> sell
>> and infering from the choices, it suggests the 90-93s have a different
>> front
>> and rear flange (different gaskets), and the 96 gasket is different than
>> either of those (same gasket front and rear).
>>
>> Have I got this right? If so, I still haven't found a cat for a '96
>> then...
>>
>> miker
>>
>>
>>
>
>

never mind. that one is not street legal for 96/97.

"Christopher Muto" > wrote in message
m...
> flyin miata has a aftermarket one for $199. probably should call them to
> confirm that it is direct fit...
> http://www.flyinmiata.com/index.php?...umber=06-76000
>
> "Christopher Muto" > wrote in message
> m...
>> acording to miata.net they are different... this statement regarding na
>> and nb differences...
>> "Exhaust manifold all the way back to the muffler is completely
>> different. Also, there are differences between the NB manual and
>> automatic exhausts. They are not interchangable."
>> like lanny said, call finishlineperformance.com. they don't list
>> everything on the web site and are very helpful.
>>
>> "miker" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>> or www.finishlineperformance.com (miata-engine-exhaust) for the oem
>>>> mazda
>>>
>>> Ok, an update.
>>>
>>> That vendor has a cat that looks just like the one on my 96, but it says
>>> for
>>> 90-93. (The other cat available is 2000-up.) Geez, can't they make one
>>> for
>>> 90-95 and one for 97-08?
>>>
>>> Anyway, it looks just like mine but I also looked at the gaskets they
>>> sell
>>> and infering from the choices, it suggests the 90-93s have a different
>>> front
>>> and rear flange (different gaskets), and the 96 gasket is different than
>>> either of those (same gasket front and rear).
>>>
>>> Have I got this right? If so, I still haven't found a cat for a '96
>>> then...
>>>
>>> miker
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

My local dealer quoted me $536 for a new cat. <thud>

www.finishlineperformance.com had an oem cat for $140, but only for 90-93. I
spoke with Tommy who, as described, knows his stuff. He said Mazda even
issued a part number for a 94-97 cat but for some reason haven't made it
available. He suggested I check...

Moss Motors www.miatamania.com, who could supply my '96 with a Jackson
Racing hi-flow for $200 or a generic for $110. Reading the Miata.net reviews
makes the JR sound a) loud, and b) short-lived, while the Moss generic
seemed ok; so I've ordered the generic and gaskets for $137 total (shipped).

The Flyin Miata catback *shouldn't* be rusty/rattling inside if it's really
stainless, so once the system is apart I'll bang on it again to confirm it
was the cat before replacing any more.

Thanks for everyones help/suggestions!

miker