Anybody else find metallic flakes on the back of the car after a drive?

[bandit67]

Since the GT500 is pretty much always spotless each and every time I take it out, it's easy to notice every little bug fragment, spec of dust & dirt, etc.

 

Since we got the car a couple of months ago, I notice that every time we take it for a drive, I find tiny little metallic flakes mixed in with the usual dirt on the back end of the car - bumper, taillights, back of trunk - pretty much everything below the rear deck spoiler.

 

I assume it's coming from the road and being deposited on the back due to the airflow, but I'd like to be sure it isn't something from underneath the car. Never noticed it on the truck & SUV, but they're rarely as spotless as the Mustang, and I rarely inspect and/or detail those 2 the way I do the car.

[TexasShelby]

Brake dust...I find it on the sides behind the doors and on the back as well as all over the wheels. At least I did...

 

Porterfield Pads and the rotor treatment to prevent squeaking. For 07s, the RS4 pad. Reduces it about 75%.

 

Myroadster.net, good guys and spent a good amount of time on the phone going over it with me.

[bandit67]

I was wondering if it was brake dust. Thanks for the feedback!

 

Now, here's another question, possibly related. Somewhere at the driver side rear, there's a squeak, not constant, but more than intermittent. Dealer service dept has checked it a couple of times, tightened a couple of things up, and so have I - caliper bolt, brake line mounting bolt, etc. So far, I can't find any evidence of any metal to metal rubbing underneath, though that's what it sounds like. Also seems to be a rotational type of squeak.

 

Happens during both braking & non braking. Could it be the brakes? Different squeak from your typical tiny little stone, etc. lodged into the pad and squeaking on the rotor during braking only.

 

Not sure how deep service tech looked. I've done a bit on a few occasions with each rear corner up on a jack stand & wheels off, but I'm thinking I may need to get the entire back end up and crawl around checking every square inch for an hour or so. Everything seems tight as it should be when checking by hand, both with tires on the ground and off the ground.

 

Now that I think about it, I may not have gotten both rear tires off the ground and spun them by hand to see if I can re-create the squeak.

[6-Speed]

I was wondering if it was brake dust. Thanks for the feedback!

 

Now, here's another question, possibly related. Somewhere at the driver side rear, there's a squeak, not constant, but more than intermittent. Dealer service dept has checked it a couple of times, tightened a couple of things up, and so have I - caliper bolt, brake line mounting bolt, etc. So far, I can't find any evidence of any metal to metal rubbing underneath, though that's what it sounds like. Also seems to be a rotational type of squeak.

 

Happens during both braking & non braking. Could it be the brakes? Different squeak from your typical tiny little stone, etc. lodged into the pad and squeaking on the rotor during braking only.

 

Not sure how deep service tech looked. I've done a bit on a few occasions with each rear corner up on a jack stand & wheels off, but I'm thinking I may need to get the entire back end up and crawl around checking every square inch for an hour or so. Everything seems tight as it should be when checking by hand, both with tires on the ground and off the ground.

 

Now that I think about it, I may not have gotten both rear tires off the ground and spun them by hand to see if I can re-create the squeak.

I had a similar squeak - thought it was in the rear suspension but turned out to be in the driver's side seat belt retraction mechanism. Dealer fixed it - but I don't know what they did.

[mrfarmdog]

My guess is it is your cats being burned out. have you been running leaded race gas?

[bandit67]

My guess is it is your cats being burned out. have you been running leaded race gas?

 

No race gas. Car is still stock.

 

The metallic flakes are fairly clean. And if all it took to burn out the cats was for us to drive our stock cars 6K miles using 91 octane (the highest octane street gas available at this elevation), then I'd assume that every GT500 owner would now have "free-flow" cats, and that would be a good thing for us, not so good as far as the EPA is concerned.

[SVOC]

If it's shiny glitter like flakes, it is coming from the cats!!

[kahmann]

If it's shiny glitter like flakes, it is coming from the cats!!

Agreed. If it's glittery, it's coming from the cats. If it's a dirty metal particle you're seeing, it's brake dust. My guess is that if it's only on the rear fascia, it's coming from the cats.

 

Ken

[bandit67]

If it's shiny glitter like flakes, it is coming from the cats!!

 

Does that mean I'll have high performance flow-thru cats soon?

 

And is this common with these cats? 6k total miles and nothing but pump gas. Engine temps seem to be fine.

 

Well, maybe "fairly clean" is subjective. Not real shiny, more like a graphite color, but they do shine to some extent in the sun. I have also been finding the stuff on the entire fender on both sides behind the back wheels, heaviest to lightest concentration from low to high on the fender, with a more equal concentration on the back of the car.

 

I think I'm leaning more towards the brake dust explanation.

 

I guess it wouldn't be a bad thing if those cats were faulty and burning out. :D

[kahmann]

Well, maybe "fairly clean" is subjective. Not real shiny, more like a graphite color, but they do shine to some extent in the sun. I have also been finding the stuff on the entire fender on both sides behind the back wheels, heaviest to lightest concentration from low to high on the fender, with a more equal

OK well after reading that line, I'd say undoubtedly that it's brake dust, which is all too common with all years of the Cobra.

The heaviest concentration should be built up on your wheels after any kind of cruising. Are you noticing this too?

I'd consider going to a new pad. Hawk HPS pads have done fine by me as far as dust goes. Good luck.

 

Ken

[bandit67]

OK well after reading that line, I'd say undoubtedly that it's brake dust, which is all too common with all years of the Cobra.

The heaviest concentration should be built up on your wheels after any kind of cruising. Are you noticing this too?

I'd consider going to a new pad. Hawk HPS pads have done fine by me as far as dust goes. Good luck.

 

Ken

 

Oh, heck yeah, the wheels are always covered, with the fronts being much worse than the rears.

 

All that brake dust is a real pain when you are showing fairly regularly, so I may end up giving those Hawk pads a try. You're not the first one I've seen recommend them.

 

Thanks, Ken.

[thewheelman]

Since the GT500 is pretty much always spotless each and every time I take it out, it's easy to notice every little bug fragment, spec of dust & dirt, etc.

 

Since we got the car a couple of months ago, I notice that every time we take it for a drive, I find tiny little metallic flakes mixed in with the usual dirt on the back end of the car - bumper, taillights, back of trunk - pretty much everything below the rear deck spoiler.

 

I assume it's coming from the road and being deposited on the back due to the airflow, but I'd like to be sure it isn't something from underneath the car. Never noticed it on the truck & SUV, but they're rarely as spotless as the Mustang, and I rarely inspect and/or detail those 2 the way I do the car.

 

I've had that once or twice.....one of the bigger chunks said "Honda" and another said, "Hemi" I just hose it off when I get home........

[SVOC]

HAHAHA! that some funny stuff right there.

 

 

 

But really, if the flakes your finding are on the rear quarters, and somewhat match the flakes your also finding in the front, then yes brake dust.

 

The flakes I'm talking about are the side of glitter you'd find at a hobby store in a tube, or if your that kind of person, a dancer at a night club.

 

Either way it would be silver in color, and NO it wouldn't mean you would be getting the high flow design type converter, worse it would mean the converter is starting to plug and it's burning the insulation up inside the converter.

 

Composition inside the assy, starting from the center, is the 2 blocks of heavy metals that is actually the catalyst, with 2 wire mesh rings, 2 circular springs, and an outer covering consisting of a semi metallic insulation (where the glitter comes from).

 

Remember the converter starts to work around 500-600 degrees, and when working correctly will produce temps 10% higher on the out bound side.

 

 

 

 

 

Jeff