So I bought my truck a year ago and it had headers already on it, the cat, and then a super 44 series flowmaster. I upgraded the other day to the super 10 and realized, I might have an exhaust leak because it was loud up front, and then the muffler put out a different note in the back. I got under it again and realized "hey, somebody drilled holes inside the cat" and that's where the loudness was coming from. So I know people do this with clogged cats. But to make a truck louder? I've never heard of someone doing it. Just curious. I feel like maybe it's another thing I should put on my list to fix. I mean I love how loud my truck is and always has been. The 44 dumped before the bed. I just figured that's why it was loud. But guess not. Just didn't know if anybody else has done this.

 

You wantt ALL of the exhaust gases to exit somewhere BEHIND the cab. Otherwise, you run the risk of pulling exhaust into the cab, and possibly killing yourself. Carbon monoxide poisoning is no fun. Fix it SOON.

 

Well I put the new muffler on so my exhaust is past the bed now. Actually exits near the passenger side tire. Just wasn't sure if people cut holes in the cat to make it louder, or just because it's clogged. I don't wanna weld it and find out my converter is clogged now lol.

 

Got a welder? If you do, cut the pipe right behind the cat, and hollow it out. Weld it all back up.

 

Question ...

You cut the pipe right after the cat, hollow it out. How do you get all of the small stuff out of there? Shopvac?

 

have you tried sticking a ratchet extension or whatever you can get your hands on and poked around in there to see if it's been hollowed out already? the easiest thing to do would be to just cut the pipe before and after the cat and replace it with a straight piece of pipe and a couple butt joint exhaust strap clamps. of course doing this always run the risk of cops taking a look up under your truck and hitting you on it. I've known people that do it and never been caught, but their exhaust isn't loud either (quiet muffler like mine)


I had to do a temp fix on my v10 exhaust (that system is assembled so you basically have to replace pre-cat back in one shot with the way they set it up) from clogged cats and drilled 1-1/4 holes in the cats,on the flattest part I could get to toward the bottom of the cat body (one at the front of it and one at the back of it so you can have a through access to the insides) and broke up the insides with rebar. I just broke the pieces up small enough to where I could grab them with some extension needle nose pliers and blew the crumbs out with a blow gun. I cant imagine very small pieces (basically big dust) doing much harm in the muffler (again being a temp fix). I didn't have a welder, so I took some big washers ( big enough to cover drilled holes) and put a big bead of JB weld high heat (the putty) on them and ran a toggle bolt setup through them, stuck them in the holes of cat and tightened them up. It held for months while I got funds to fix my exhaust the right way, but I wondered how long something like that would hold on for. Anyway, that's my cat story.


oh yeah, and it did sound like absolute crap being a v10 with them hollowed out and the stock muffler. I ended up going no cats and a flow master 70 on it. sounds decent till you start hitting high rpm and then it gets a little a rice burner going, but not too bad. I'm happy with it.

 

Start the engine. Step on the gas hard a couple times. That'll clear it all out.