Community Forums:

Dear chriseaker,

Hope you're still well and that New Year is off to a good start. When was the exhaust system last replaced?

As to trouble-shooting, try the following. When the car has run for a few minutes, open the hood, and listen. An exhaust leak of any size will be pretty obvious. Even if you don't hear anything unusual, take an old towel, and - being careful of very hot surfaces - wrap it around the point, where the engine pipe attaches to the exhaust manifold. If the noise changes, there's an exhaust leak there.

For the rest of the system, you'll need to put the car up on ramps, jack stands, or a lift. Pay special attention to: (a) pipe-to-pipe joints; (b) pipe-to-muffler joints; (c) engine pipe to catalytic converter joint; (d) any heavily corroded areas on a pipe.

I'd guess you'll find one or more places, where the pipes have rusted-away or where there's a weak joint between pipes or between a pipe and muffler.

Hope this helps.

Yours faithfully,

Spook