Exhaust packing falling out?

[jamtay]

Hi Guys,

 

Long time reader, first time poster. Sorry if this already has a thread about it, I couldn't find one, so a link would be great if there is. I've just purchased my first car, a BA XR6T ute which I worked for in-between uni over the summer and had it for about a month now. Absolutely love it, wish Ford would keep making them!

 

However, when I was backing into the garage last night, I began to hear this loudish rattle which sounded like it was coming from the exhaust and I hadn't heard it before. But decided I would look at it later. Well today when I went to go for a drive, I drove out of the garage, until I noticed what looked like some string type stuff hanging out of the exhaust pipe. Im assuming this is the exhaust packing.

 

I pulled out about a foot of it, but decided to stop when there was more coming out.

 

The packing felt wet as well, should it?

 

What part of the exhaust pipe is this actually coming from? Is it the muffler? Which one centre or rear?  

 

Is it a sign the Cat converter has carked it? 

 

I was thinking of getting the centre muffler removed because I didn't really want to spend the money on a new exhaust straight away, but is this a sign that I should be replacing the exhaust? 

 

I was also going to book it in for a service next week, should I get the mechanic to look at it then, or just take it to a muffler place?

 

Overall, just looking for you guys advice on what it means and what I should do to fix it.

 

Cheers, James.

 

 

Edited 14/05/16 04:29 AM by jamtay

[MattyP]

Best idea is to listen to it if its getting loud or you get a CEL come on

CEL would be a good indication the cats gone

Or you have spiders up your tailpipe 

I just came to lol at the thread title

[jamtay]

Thanks mate, going to book the car in for a service for this week so will see if they can figure it out at the same time. Car had a rattle under the cat converter this morning and still pooing out more exhaust packing. The CEL hasn't come on yet either.

 

Cheers.

[discostig]

It will get wet inside (heh) normally from the warm up period of the car.  Ever notice cars on the road have steam/fluid running out of the tailpipe in the mornings?  Condensation inside the exhaust that isn't yet hot enough to burn it all off.  Think this is what contributes to mild steel systems rusting out too.

[masda74]

whats this exhaust packing/string he is talking about?

I have never heard of such a thing.

Maybe put up some pics so we can see?

[gaz097]

People used to(some still do) use fiberglass mating.

.

I know my redback exhaust has it in the mufflers , cause I cut one open and burnt it when I welded it back together.

[masda74]

ahh okay, gotchya. I was under the impressions that most mufflers simply had holes drilled in the tabs in the muffler to reduce noise levels.

I wasn't ware that some places use materials inside the muffler to reduce noise levels.

[jamtay]

So I had the car in at the muffler place today to get it all checked out. End result is I know have a rear muffler delete and a nice sounding Ute! The exhaust guy said the packing coming out was because the rear muffler had completely deteriorated so the cheapest and best sounding option was to do a rear muffler delete. I was already considering this mod, so this just made my decision a ton easier. 

[k31th]

now we need video evidence