Gutting a catalytic converter, how'd you do it?
Thread Starter
|
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Ontario canada
But thanks everyone else for your input, i think i'm ganna attack this today.
Champion
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 3,574
Likes: 0
From: Harrisburg,PA
I removed my pre cat o2 sensor.. Cut the exhaust off and pounded away at the internals.. Start the truck up and blow all the stuff out... If i had to do it over again I would just cut the whole thing off and sell it..
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
if you haven't started chopping away yet - don't.
i did mine a few months ago and the hollow cat sounded like ****. i did capture all the guts and sold them for $50, but i'd been better off to have sold the entire cat for $75 since i hated the sound and ended up cutting the whole thing off. so +1 from me to cut it off and weld in a straight pipe of the right size.
if you're determined to do it anyway, here's how i did mine. i bought a walker band clamp in 2.5" from amazon or ebay. i removed both O2 sensors to prevent breaking them. the walker clamp was 3 inches long, so half of that is 1.5 inches. i marked the pipe about 2 inches behind the cat, so the clamp would fit between the cat and the rear O2 easily. using a saws-all, make a nice clean straight cut. i unhooked the rear pipe from the hanger and moved it aside and supported it with a jack stand and left it sort of in place but out of the way. using a hammer, drive a large screwdriver or pry bar or chisel into the cat and twist it to break the honeycomb. its tough material. scrape out the broken pieces and save it for $$. the back half is the easiest, the front is a little harder. when you get down to the end and the pieces are just slightly too big to scrape out the pipe, use the pry bar to pry down on them and split them into smaller chunks. once you start - you have to get it ALL out. don't leave any pieces or it'll stop up your muffler. at the end, crank the truck to blow out the final remaining dust. the innards will weigh about 7 pounds and be worth $49, so don't lose it.
i did mine a few months ago and the hollow cat sounded like ****. i did capture all the guts and sold them for $50, but i'd been better off to have sold the entire cat for $75 since i hated the sound and ended up cutting the whole thing off. so +1 from me to cut it off and weld in a straight pipe of the right size.
if you're determined to do it anyway, here's how i did mine. i bought a walker band clamp in 2.5" from amazon or ebay. i removed both O2 sensors to prevent breaking them. the walker clamp was 3 inches long, so half of that is 1.5 inches. i marked the pipe about 2 inches behind the cat, so the clamp would fit between the cat and the rear O2 easily. using a saws-all, make a nice clean straight cut. i unhooked the rear pipe from the hanger and moved it aside and supported it with a jack stand and left it sort of in place but out of the way. using a hammer, drive a large screwdriver or pry bar or chisel into the cat and twist it to break the honeycomb. its tough material. scrape out the broken pieces and save it for $$. the back half is the easiest, the front is a little harder. when you get down to the end and the pieces are just slightly too big to scrape out the pipe, use the pry bar to pry down on them and split them into smaller chunks. once you start - you have to get it ALL out. don't leave any pieces or it'll stop up your muffler. at the end, crank the truck to blow out the final remaining dust. the innards will weigh about 7 pounds and be worth $49, so don't lose it.
Banned Goober Smoocher
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 8,916
Likes: 1
It'll sound hollow as ****, but, hey! It's your truck!
Thread Starter
|
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Ontario canada
Ya this is more of a temperary fix at the moment, im short on cash and im just looking for the cheapest and most effective thing. If i had a cat that was just a sinlge inlet and single outlet i would, but mine is the double inlet and single outlet. little bit more complicated to weld in a new peice.
Thread Starter
|
Rookie
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Ontario canada
Thats easier said then done. i highly doubt they will have the exact peice.
Hall Of Fame
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 12,204
Likes: 10
From: Gainesville, Ga.
this universal Y-pipe is stainless steel, so its overly expensive, but look at it from an idea standpoint. if you cut off your cat, can you clamp these 2 pieces of pipe on and and cut to length.
Y-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MagnaFlow-un...25cc98&vxp=mtr
straight pipe-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walker-Exhau...c85d46&vxp=mtr
you will need one or two O2 bungs welded in. a local shop should be able to do that for $5-10. they can make/weld the entire pipe for not very much. less than the $75 you can sell your old cat for.
Y-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/MagnaFlow-un...25cc98&vxp=mtr
straight pipe-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Walker-Exhau...c85d46&vxp=mtr
you will need one or two O2 bungs welded in. a local shop should be able to do that for $5-10. they can make/weld the entire pipe for not very much. less than the $75 you can sell your old cat for.