08-03-2020, 09:37 PM | #1 |
Drives: Chevrolet Camaro LS Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 73
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V6 Camaro owners....HELP with Exhaust Noise
I am a new owner to a 2012 V6 Camaro and noticed something strange with first start up exhaust noise and curious if this is normal? My Camaro 1LS has 58,000 miles and when you first start it the auto-choke takes the engine to about 900 RPMs but the exhaust tone is loud near the drivers side of the engine until the RPMs drop to their normal 500-600 RPM idle. The strangest part of this is it sounds like a muffler with a hole in it (small puffy motorboat tone) until the engine warms. Once the engine is warm you can still hear the sound but its diminished 80% to a much lower level. Has anyone else who has a Gen 5 V6 Camaro experienced this or do I have a leaky exhaust near the engine? Are the exhaust manifolds noisy when cold?
Last edited by trossit; 08-03-2020 at 10:03 PM. |
08-04-2020, 05:25 AM | #2 |
Master of All Things
Drives: '20 Corvette Stingray Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Southeast of Houston, Texas
Posts: 22,457
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no they are not ….what you are describing is exactly what you think it is....an exhaust leak. the fact that its gets quitter as the car heats up means its a small one....but with time it will get louder and eventually won't go away as the leak won't be able to seal itself off.
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08-04-2020, 08:21 AM | #3 |
Drives: 2014 2LT RS Summit White Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 622
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My V6 is definitely louder on a cold start but it’s more of a growling sound and quiets down after about 10-15 seconds.
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08-04-2020, 05:20 PM | #4 |
Drives: 2013 Camaro LFX 2LT Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Sunny Mexico
Posts: 64
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Mine is louder too, it growls like KenKat says and settles after 10-15 secs as well. I have a 2013 LFX.
Also, mine revs up to about 1100 when cold starting after sitting overnignt. |
08-05-2020, 01:26 PM | #5 |
Drives: 2010 1LT & 2016 Cadillac CTS V6 Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Danville, Virginia
Posts: 376
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My V6 Camaro does this too. I assume it's intentional so to get the catalytic converter warmed up sooner since the engine has direct injection, and they make more pollution on start up than port injection engines do.
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08-05-2020, 06:45 PM | #6 |
Drives: Chevrolet Camaro LS Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 73
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There is definitely some kind of exhaust leak off of the drivers side of the engine, I can smell it. It's getting checked out by the dealer tomorrow. I am hoping it's just a failed ring gasket where the engine mates with the cat converter.
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08-05-2020, 11:27 PM | #7 |
Drives: 23 LT1 / 19 Z06 / after 6 5th gens Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: MI
Posts: 2,017
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It's possible the previous owner had an exhaust system on it, swapped back to stock prior to selling and didn't do a good job or tightening things down.
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"Make yourself sheep and the wolves will eat you"
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08-06-2020, 12:05 AM | #8 |
Drives: Chevrolet Camaro LS Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 73
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That's possible but seems to be coming from the drivers side manifold flange area just before it dumps into the cats. I am hoping it's just a bad gasket.
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08-06-2020, 01:01 PM | #9 |
Sporting Foole
Drives: 2010 Camaro SS Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Alabama
Posts: 501
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My Caddy CTS Wagon has the same 3.6 as the V6 Camaro.
All I hear when I crank it is myself thinking, "this thing needs a damn LS in it!" |
08-06-2020, 02:35 PM | #10 |
Drives: 2012 Victory Red LFX Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: west central Texas
Posts: 1,317
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Ok i tried to remain silent but the devil in me was busting up at the "growl" comments and i own a six! More of a big kitty kinda purr. My '85 350 with Cherry Bombs is a growl!
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08-06-2020, 08:58 PM | #11 |
Drives: 2014 2LT RS Summit White Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 622
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08-15-2020, 12:38 AM | #12 |
Drives: Chevrolet Camaro LS Join Date: Jun 2020
Location: Portland, Oregon
Posts: 73
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Good news, my Camaro is fixed! Bad news, it was a cracked catalytic converter pipe meaning the cat required replacement $$$. It also received a new post cat O2 sensor. it was a $1000 repair from the dealer but it sure does run smoother from low to mid throttle range and I think I gained some horsepower too which is always a good thing.
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08-15-2020, 06:24 AM | #13 |
Evil Genius of Chevrolet
Drives: 2017 Z06, 2019 XTS, 2013 SS Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: New York
Posts: 3,260
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That's just your engine crying for its missing cylinders
Just kidding
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08-15-2020, 01:28 PM | #14 |
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