Sajid

Ever since i bought the car a few months ago, There is a hissing sound that comes out from the shifter. And obviously when i take out the leather boot, it gets worse. I looked in there and there was foam all around. Some of it had worn away. I tried stuffing it all together and covered everything up and made sure there were no holes anywhere. But still the noise remains. Whats going on here. Its really annoying to have this constant hissing while you drive.....

billybones

Not to be a nay sayer, but hiss means the escape of air thru a small orifice. are you sure it is a hiss? Maybe it is an exauhst leak?

Sajid

I think hissing is the best way to describe it. How can I tell if it is an exhaust leak? I can actually feel the air coming through there too. Is there supposed to be noise of any kind coming from the gear box? Please Help

IanM

I bet it's your throw-out bearing. If you hold your shifter **** while your driving, and apply pressure in different directions, does the hissing change and/or go away? If so, it's your throw-out bearing.

Martin

Is the rubber boot installed under the leather boot?

Sajid

yes the rubber boot is installed under the leather. And after driving home today after work, there is definite air flow coming from somewhere. What does this mean?

instigator

dont worry your car is just pissing just wait until it farts are you driving the car when this happens or just sitting still while at idle?

Hans

[quote]Sajid:
How can I tell if it is an exhaust leak? <hr></blockquote>
Engine / exhaust cold (first start of the day):
Have a helper use a rag (or a lot if the exhaust tip is getting hot) and press/hold this in the outlet with the engine running idle, thus building up pressure in the exhaust.
Make sure you do not starve the engine.
Now crawl under the car and start searching for leaks.
I would start at the engine and work my way down. Would guess now it is the joint between the manifold and the downpipe or the cat inlet...
Take care

billybones

Hmm with the rubberboot installed you should feel nothing coming thru at all unless the rubber boot has holes??? I would do the exaust check and the throw out bearing check.. also more info like are you moving? or at idle? would help greatly. let us know what you find or do not find.

Sajid

The air flow and the the hissing come when I drive. The more i acclerate, the louder the hiss and the more the air flow.

billybones

Well this sounds like the rubber boot is not installed properly.. the reason for the rubberboot is to seal off the driver from the out side... is it solidly attached top and bottom?

billybones

Just where do you feel the air flow? out the top of the shift handle cover? while moving if the rubber boot has leaks. you would feel it.

TomH

Your shifter is in close proximity to the O2 sensor and the plug that replaces the exhaust sensor arm that originally went up into the engine bay for diagnostics (unless you still have the original - most dealers remove them because they don't use them). Check these two areas for leaks, maybe one of them is lose.

Another possibility is your cat converter. Mine hisses when I shut down (when its hot). But its more like a sizzling, like its cooking the insides, and likely an indication that I need to replace mine. But i don't feel any air flow like you do.

Sajid

Ok, i took a look under the car today and did in fact see the two plugs that you were referring to. One of them is broken off. The one that leads up to the engine bay. But when i turned the car on and put my hand over the plug to see if there was any air coming out, there wasnt. Not even a little bit.

However, there is this ticking coming from somewhere and i cant exactly locate it. It sounds like its somewhere right underneath the engine. Right around the starter, bell housing, exhaust area. And when i popped the hood, there was also ticking, but for some reason it sounded different. But im assuming theyre both the same thing and that it just sounds different because im under the car. What does this mean. I just recently got an oil change so im pretty sure thats its not the valves in the engine or anything. (however i could be wrong, the car has 126K on it and the PO didnt seem to take care of it too well.)

SO now my question is, where is that freaking air flow coming from, AND is it in any way related to that ticking im hearing? There shouldnt be any air flow at ALL right? THere is a lot of padding in the gearbox so im assuming its there to drown out the noise or something. Please help

billybones

One last crack at it.. I know that air conditioners that are low on freon will make a hissing noise.. and perhaps you have a vent to the outside open? need to check that all the doors to your vents are shut? try running the airconditioner full on and see if it is comming from the same area?