My Cat has started to rattle quite bad now would it cause an erratic idle.

Is there way of me taking it out and putting in a regular thru pipe?

Thanx

 

It could cause erratic idle. Either way it needs replaced or "repaired" otherwise.

Legally speaking, removing a cat is we.......illegal. Putting a pipe in its place is possible, if thats your decision. Cut it out, put in a piece of straight pipe and weld/clamp it.

 

Yeah, if your state still does emissions on OBDI vehicles (unless you have a '96), then you'd be better off replacing it with a new cat. If you don't have to worry about emissions, then you can replace it with a straight pipe, but like skyshark said, its still illegal... and to be more specific, its a federal offense to mess with emissions stuff. That being said, mine has a peice of straight pipe where the cat goes.

 

Is it just me, or does your exhaust smell different after doing a cat-delete? (Mine seems to)

 

Oh, it definately smells different. In fact, it stinks, but the smell doesn't bother me near as much as the rattling did! And the performance gains make me forget there is a bad smell there :P

 

I kinda figure it was normal, but just wanted to make sure.

 

so is there an easy way for me to put a pipe in there temporarily til i get a new cat?

Do i have to weld it in?

Thanx

 

Yes the easy way is to cut of the cat and add in the new pipe. Yes it will have to be welded in.

 

I was wondering how common of a problem this was for this gen of dakotas. Cuz ever since I purchased my 93 dakota I have heard a popping/rattling sound coming from underneath the truck.

I usually don't hear the noise at all once it has been driven for 10 minutes or so, but I can really hear it after the truck has been sitting for awhile and then started. Ecspecially when I come up to a stop sign within 5 minutes of driving. I can't recall if its when im slowing down or if its when im accelerating when its the loudest, but I always hear it right around the time I hit a stop sign. I guess I can't really tell if I have lost any performance hence I have heard it since the day I got it, but I would like to get a new one if its not working properly since I'm most likely getting a performance exhaust system anyways.

Truck=$1000
New Tires and Wheels=$1000
An Amp and a Sub=$200
Exhaust system and Cat=$700
Dress-Up Accesories=$100


With the new exhaust system and cat the truck might actually total to $3000!

 

I think its a problem for a lot of old cats, not just the ones on our trucks. But usually the rattling can only be heard at specific rpms... their resonant frequency. And in my experience, that rpm is usually around idle.