Just got a custom exhaust put on my 03 LX, ( don't know if that has anything to do with it ) but after im done driving it.. shut the car off i hear a small ticking noise coming from what appears to be my exhaust pipe, nothing really loud but doesn't sound normal, Also i notice some water leaking underneath.. any ideas?

 

What is it made out of? The ticking honestly sounds like certain metals as they cool. Water coming from under the car could be anything, where specifically? Under the engine bay, under the cabin, under the trunk???

 

The leaking water is condensation and ^+1, it could be anything. The other day, I parked my car and came back to find a huge puddle of H2o that condensed from my AC. It was 100 degrees out with 80% humidity, so all of the moisture in the air condensed on the AC and left a lake under my car.
Water vapor is also a byproduct of combustion and there's sometimes a lot of water in exhaust. I mean, we've all been behind a big V8 truck and seen a little stream of water coming out of the tailpipe. If you've got a higher-flow exhaust, then that could contribute to some visible water buildup, too. It could also hint that your engine is running a little too rich or a little too lean (I forget which one, right now.) But at any rate, it's probably no big deal.

The ticking is fine. Metal contracts as it cools and it's often audible. A friend of mine has a giant Ford and when he shuts it off, the cooling noise is so loud that it sounds like little gnomes with tiny ball-peen hammers are tapping on the underside of the car.

 

The exhaust is Aluminum i think, and the water is coming from around the firewall area, leaking into driveways n' such.

 

if it's water and not antifreeze (assuming you have anti-freeze ) then i would think that it is condensation, and is normal.

 

When I pop my hood (it's a Mazda) attached to the firewall is a piece of clear plastic tubeing that, at least the end that I can see, isn't attached to anything. I think it's just a drainpipe for AC condensation. If your car's just making puddles of water, it's just condensation. Nowhere in the car is there a resevoir of pure water. If there's any water, it's always mixed with coolant/antifreeze, or wiper fluid.

So don't worry. You're not leaking water, because there's no water source. Just dip your pinky in the puddle, next time you observe the water "leak" and give it a tiny taste. A teeny amount won't harm you (whatever it may be) and you'll be able to definately tell if it's water or coolant or something. If you're wary of that, just try to detect an odor. Antifreeze has a sweet smell, FYI.

I'll bet you it's just your AC condensing. Has it been really hot in your area recently?

 

well i gave it a tiny taste hahaha, and it appears to be water. At the time i was running the AC quite a bit.. 30+ weather here in Ontario. So its probably condensation then.

 

I just had to fix a plug in my A/C drain tube. It's located right at the bottom middle of the firewall.
And the ticking is definately the metal cooling. If you've ever been near someone who just parked their motorcycle after a ride, you get it all the time. Probably just as loud as a giant Ford!

 

alright cool thanks fellas.