Muffler banging, but strap is OK

The muffler on my 97 SL2 is banging on the cross member piece, so
I assumed it was the strap. Went to replace it and it's intact!
Loosened it up to lower the muffler, it looks OK. Put it back on
and still have the problem. The muffler side-to-side motion is
OK/within spec, but up and down movement is too great, about
3/4" - 1" so I'm not sure what the problem is. This is the newer
type--stainless strap, and two bolts to remove.

--any ideas why I'm banging? Worn rubber? Metal flex? All the
other hangers the rest of the way are there and look OK.

--how to take the strap off completely? The second bolt (the one
above the muffler) is rusted and in a tough location.


Thanks for your time,

Max

 

I had a similar problem after having an aftermarket muffler put on my 94
SL2. Although the strap seems to be in place, if there are any mounting
brackets loose or the muffler strap is positioned loosely or has slipped the
pipe will bang aginst the underneath of the car when the pipe moves. Another
reason could be that soft rubber mount holding the strap has broken or worn
allowing the movement you described.

jack the car up and look underneath to see where the pipe is hitting,
replace the strap with an OEM strap or if you have an aftermarket muffler,
you will need to get the proper strap. If you cant get that bolt loose,
youll need to cut the strap off and replace the strap and soft mount too,
which is problably your best bet.

marx404

 

I'd check the rubber insulator that the strap is insterted into. It's
mounted directly above the muffler. In case you need a new one, it's
part#35119.