New to the board here. Has anyone else out there had a tinny rattle/buzzing sound from underneath their Rubicon. This noise sounds like a loose exhaust shield. I have yet to locate it. Previous owner said this noise was ther since it was new. It is only heard on medium to hard acceleration and higher RPMs. I have removed skid plates and checked all the shields with no luck. It has never gotten worse or affected the performance in any way. Just real irritating to put up with. Any ideas?

 

My brother has had his do this on his 2003 and it was a bolt that was loose on the exhaust some where between the mufler and the moter he did the same thing you did take skid plates of and it dint mater but I would check every bolt on the exhaust. I will check with him later and see witch one it was for shure and reply later. good luck

 

rooster
Pro Rider
Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin





Thu September 07, 2000 2:51 PM



I looked into the rubicon's very annoying rattle today. It was a rattle coming from near the engine at certain rpms. To fix it, for me at least, take that black cover off that covers the exhaust header. Then if you look you should see the metal exhaust shield touching one of the metal bolts that holds the electrical connector onto the engine case right below the pipe. That's the problem. Loosen the hose clamps on the heat shield and move it ahead slightly, then tighten it back up and put the black cover back on. The rattle should be gone. On our rubicon, the heat shield wore into the bolt quite a bit, took the corner pretty much off. Now the rubicon sounds even better when riding it. This only applies to people with a rattling rubicon.

 

This was my post about 1 or 2 years ago...

My rubby has about 1400 miles now. I have installed Jet kit, K&N and titan 589's
Thats it for add ons.

Now my problem. We do a great deal of River levy/and country road cruising. When im at 17 to 22 mph and just cruising I sometimes get a rattle that sounds like a machine gun noise we would make as kids? you know the one where you take your toung and make it sound like a machine gun. a reall fast DDDDDDDDDDDDDD DDDDDDDDDDDDDDD????

I have checked every stinking bolt/ nut and even had the front wheels off checking the brakes. I have put it up on blocks to try to get it to do it and it wont. This noise will not happen every time, sometimes it just does it for 10 seconds and then never returns the rest of the day. I have never been able to get the motor to make that noise buy just revving it up in neautral? And it isnt the same sound as the valves. because sometimes they rattle after starting it up when its hot.

All I know is when the noise does come it dont sound right, and it worrys me. can some one at least say theres does it to?? Or help me in some way??

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Jerrubi
Weekend Warrior
E'ville, New York

Posts: 2
Joined: Jul 2001


Supporting Member
Mon July 21, 2003 8:33 PM



HI, rubicons are notorious for this sound. Most of the time it is the heat shield on the header pipe right next to your left leg as you are sitting on the machine. You have to take off the black cover and look at the lower edge of the shield to see if it it contacting the engine anywhere. Mine was rubbing on the head of an Allen bolt protruding from the engine and only did it at certain rpm when the engine torqued over enough for the shield to make contact. It was a sharp metallic sound and really sounds nasty sometimes. The fix is simple, loosen the clamps and rotate the shield for more clearance. I also changed to stronger automotive type clamps as the stockers are very small and weak. Hope this is your problem. Have a good one.

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Thank you OWDIS and TIC. That was it! The shield was hitting the head of one of the two bolts retaining a sensor in the top of the left engine cover. There was about an eighth inch gap when it was not running so I looked over it before. With a light I saw a rust spot on the shield where it was contacting the bolt. Thanks again!!!!!