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Prius Gen II Exhaust leak sounds like Vacuum Cleaner

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by comatoes, Oct 13, 2015.

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  1. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

    Joined:
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    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    I have an exhaust leak that has gotten worse and is quite loud now. I have been under the car and a mechanic just checked what he could without a lift and didn't find any leaks. Yesterday, I had it up on ramps and looked under and think the sound is coming from where a heat shield is. When I'm in the car the noise sounds like it's slightly in front of me.

    I only hear the noise when I am in Drive. If I am in Park and rev the engine I don't hear it. It could be something about the way the Prius engages the transmission I don't know. Any ideas? I'll take it to Midas Muffler soon.
     
  2. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Very few posts about exhaust leaks. Very simple exhaust system. Get the car up on ramps and put the car in Inspection Mode.
    In that mode the engine will run continuously for engine inspection.
    Go on youtube and search Prius Inspection Mode. Very easy and engine will continuously run while you listen underneath.

    If you say its by the heatshield the joint where the exhaust manifold dumps into the collector pipe there's a spring loaded connection there. That has to be tightened now and then. Get a long cardboard funnel you can put up to your ear to listen to for pin point listening. Don't know how bad the rust is on the bottom of the car but maybe your cat is rusted out or the muffler.

    That and may not be the exhaust at all but the intake system. The intake tube silencer etc may have come apart.
     
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  3. comatoes

    comatoes #GreenLife

    Joined:
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    2007 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Great thank you for the information. I didn't know about the inspection mode. The frame seems to be fairly rusty, but the rest of the exhaust system looks clean and like new. The heatshield screws seem to be rusted out that if I remove it I'm not sure I can get it back on. Are there any diagrams for the springloaded connection?
     
  4. edthefox5

    edthefox5 Senior Member

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    Its on the bottom of the heat shield. It's where the exhaust mani connects to the cat pipe. Can't miss it its spring loaded.