Diagnosing exhaust rattle with borescope camera

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Oct 7, 2012
Messages
5,365
Location
Staten Island, NY
My '06 Camry has had a jingling type rattle at idle for a while now
Especially noticeable at low speeds, drive thru, and with the A/C on
I had suspected it was a loose heat shield, but all seemed tight

There has been 3 different repairs of that exhaust section, because NYC RUST
Flex pipes welded twice, and the hanger reattached after I got rear ended in 2019
I thought it would be wise to take an internal look
So I removed the closest oxygen sensor, and worked my borescope into the system
This is what I found

At some point, an off cut of pipe, or welding slag broke off internally, and is rattling around against the intake of converter #3
Let's see some pictures
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IMG_0014.JPG

IMG_0016.JPG

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IMG_0021.JPG
 
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IMG_0036.JPG

IMG_0039.JPG

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Peep that trans drain plug that I can't stop from weeping :mad:
A fascinating view IMO, because we don't usually get to see these angles
Interesting how the core is labeled 4471 (rear bank manifold/converter)
The obstructing piece of metal is where the Red X is
photo_2022-06-09_22-49-43.jpg
At the inlet to converter #3
Am I losing horsepower I wonder :ROFLMAO:
So I'm not hearing things, and I'm not going loony :cool:
I have no idea how I'm gonna get that piece out
So far I tried a magnet and a vacuum, to no avail
Any ideas?
I'll think about it some more, and try again the next coolish day
 
Maybe you can raise the car up on ramps the opposite direction. Then you can smack the exhaust like you did in the first video to jar the piece lower down.

Also when you used a magnet, did you try a really strong one? Something like this


If it works, maybe you can drag it downward with the magnet and the car lifted up the opposite way.
 
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Nice work. I agree the numbers on the cat are interesting.

how stiff is the shaft of your bore scope? I’d try two things:

1) tape a small strong neodymium magnet to the borescope camera head and force it in.
2) get a bigger, stronger magnet and move the loose metal along kind of like those metal filing tables where you move the filings or a metal ball.
 
Why not hold the piece down with a magnet and just leave/strap the magnet on the outside. I forget, does heat kill magnets?
 
This is actually really cool! Nice work OP! I had an '03 Burb with the 8.1 where some DIY hack had done a typically poor job of installing a "cat back" system and something always rattled in that muffler. Drove me nuts but I sold the vehicle before I ever investigated.

Anyway, being a metalworker with a 2-post I would also be tempted to just cut open (probably 3 sides like a sardine can), peel back and weld 'er up.....
 
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