Gutting the Cat

[Foster48x]

Not my wife's cat What's the easiest way to gut the catalytic converter on a 80FI? Mines shot and rattling like crazy. At times I'm also getting some blockage so for a quick fix I just want to gut the internals.

Is it easier to remove the whole exhaust or cut the cat out, gut it, and put it back in with coupler links?

Rick

[Gunsmith]

They used to sell a "Test pipe" that looked a lot like a real cat to make sure you had a problem with your cat before you bought one but I am not sure if they are still being sold?

[Foster48x]

Thanks Gunsmith. I found the test pipe your referring to but it's a little pricey. Obert has it listed for $160.00 .

[azygoustoyou]

Do what I did. Cut the flanges off and weld a straight pipe to them. You could get a muffler place to flange the ends. Just take your end to them so they make the flanges the right size.

[katsi]

I had a problem with a cat a long time ago and getting that ceramic crap out of their is not worth it. It's a major PITA. But, I just used a hammer and steel rod. Besides, by the time you get that old rusty thing off, you're not going to want to put it back on. Personally, I'de go with asygoustoyou advice and weld in a streight pipe. Keep us informed.

[Foster48x]

Problem solved!

Thanks for the input guys. I cut the cat out and replaced it with a flexible exhaust pipe.






Getting the small pieces of ceramic honeycomb out of the pipe going to the resonator was the toughest part. I ended up having to take the pipe off from the cat back to the muffler to get these 2 little pieces out.



Cleaning the ceramic out of the cat after it was removed was pretty easy. It all broke up with a steel rod. I’ll eventually put it back in before it needs to be inspected but for now I’m going to let the engine breathe without it.

Rick

[MNspiderman]

So are you going to gut the other cat now

[Gunsmith]

There is a phrase I am thinking of for what you just did but I can't seem to remember it, can anyone else think of it? "

[katsi]

Man, putting that ceramic crap back in is not going to work. The cat takes a lot of smog stuff out. A new cat will greatly help a smog test but a broken one will almost guarantee a fail for sure. You should find a way to attach a new cat that can be easily removed after a smog test. That is what I did with my old Toyota when I was in San Diego. I had one that was hollow and a new one for test only. Good luck man.

[katsi]

Man, putting that ceramic crap back in is not going to work. The cat takes a lot of smog stuff out. A new cat will greatly help a smog test but a broken one will almost guarantee a fail for sure. You should find a way to attach a new cat that can be easily removed after a smog test. That is what I did with my old Toyota when I was in San Diego. I had one that was hollow and a new one for test only. Good luck man.

[MNspiderman]

Deja Vo

[Foster48x]

So are you going to gut the other cat now

If only I could get away with it without being gutted by my wife

[Foster48x]

Man, putting that ceramic crap back in is not going to work. The cat takes a lot of smog stuff out. A new cat will greatly help a smog test but a broken one will almost guarantee a fail for sure. You should find a way to attach a new cat that can be easily removed after a smog test. That is what I did with my old Toyota when I was in San Diego. I had one that was hollow and a new one for test only. Good luck man.

Not the ceramic back into the cat, the cat back into the car. Your right it would be pretty difficult to put new ceramic back into the cat. Are you having your car smog tested in TX? It wasn't required on my car.

Rick

[Foster48x]

There is a phrase I am thinking of for what you just did but I can't seem to remember it, can anyone else think of it? "

catectomy?

[Gunsmith]

I didn't even think of going that direction.