CoronaL

Bought my new to my 07Z06 this past week. Was informed by prior owner that there was a clank for lack of a better explanation in the headers/exhaust that had been there prior. I'm super **** about these "noises" so wanted some advice before I jack the car up and look around. I don't expect anyone to launch a major investigative exercise . Just some opinions would do, maybe someone's had a similar issue?

AR headers and cats and stock cat back. Sound is best described as taking an old hardwood bat(remember those lol, before aluminum) and hitting a small/medium sized stone. It's a knock/pop type of sound. Happens mainly with suspension travel, but I doubt it's suspension as it's not repeatable. The noise seems to be at times under my feet, then sometimes under my butt, and sometimes just behind near the rear wheel ALL on the drivers side. Plus the seller has been upfront and honest about everything else so I believe that yes it is something exhaust related. I'm just wondering what would cause this? It seems to have gotten worse since I got the car home, but I base this mainly on the fact the roads around here in IL suck, not quite as bad as Detroit, but not too far off. So while I don't think something is going to fall off, I do wonder if our crappy roads may not bring something to a head sooner rather than later.

I ask you all b/c I do trust your advice more than many of the mechanics, and also I work a TON and don't have a ton of time to chase demons in the car. If someone has some advice to follow that will help me narrow down possibilities and save me time once I get to this I would VERY MUCH appreciate it Plus the car is going to be a BIOTCH to jack up as it's slammed and just getting a jack under it requires an exercise with wood pieces and some witches with a brewing cauldron in the corner hehe!

edited with underline where the noise is coming from. DUH! that would be good information to know :O


EDIT------------
Believe I have it fixed. When jacking rear suspension made some horrible creaking/popping noises while it unloaded. I replaced the drivers rear link, and while it was a tiny bit worn I think the real culprit was sand and gravel that seemed to be trapped under the ?lowering bolt?? and the leaf spring. I cleaned the grease out of this area just wiped it up with my fingers etc... and put some new grease down. No more gremlins with hammers under my car now on bumps. I'm still getting some different noises from the rear, but now different. On take off and slow cornering so that is probably the diff needing some additive or I do think the mufflers are a touch loose too. So that will get sorted in time . Just glad the horrible noises are gone for now .

wstaab

Check the rear axle nuts and the rear sway bar mounting bolts for proper tightness.
Know problem on early Z06's.

JwT

Sounds odd. Maybe just a contact point somewhere in the exhaust. Worst case it may be the T56 tranny or a torque tube bushing(hope not). You really need to put the car on a lift to check things out.

CoronaL

thx all. Yeah I need to get it on a lift . But I do appreciate the advice on different things to look at . Gives me something to chase after anyway when I do get it on the lift.

Makes me dream for a lift again. This time my new garage could probably support one, ie in height etc... However, not sure if the floor could. My main garage is a BIG 3 car bay that's 1.5 x deep and has extra width too. It's built on a flex core floor that forms the roof for the basement garage. House originally built by a master woodworker and the basement garage was to be his workshop for his woodworking. Now the basement garage will be my mancave, workshop(RC heli/planes) and computers. Maybe a resto mod project at some point too. It's about the same size as the regular garage probably minus the foundation walls etc... Not sure what the specs and strengths are on a flex core garage floor and if it'd support a lift, but given my Dodge 2500 CTD doesn't crash through I'd think a lift would be ok, but drilling into concrete for the lift legs, I'm not sure what that would do to the strength etc... Oh well, another project for another day.

thx all

Buddy A

Check the mufflers. It is possible that the rear section of the over axle pipe needs to be pressed into the H-pipe more. Could be muffler hitting rear metal bumper section. Check clearance around muffler. Also check hangers where springs are located.