Catlytic Converters Hard to Remove?

91cougar

Registered User
My 91 xr7 5.0 has a pair of cats that I think are plugged (if not the entire exhaust system).

The entire exhaust system is factory (guess that's the bonus of not driving on salty roads).
The car cannot even go 10mph now. It was running fine until I took it on the highway and it felt sluggish. I put it in neutral and revved the engine a few times and it sounded bogged down like running thru mud. After returning to gear the car struggled to go 10mph.
I limped it home and disconnected the air intake to see that the butterfly was opening ok - it was.
No smoke, no fluids leaking.

Anyway, How hard are the cats to get off without being a muffler guy?
I need to at least get them off so I can get it to a muffler shop.
I just sprayed down with PBlaster.

Thanks experts.
 
Well you could just unbolt from the manifolds but it will be obnoxiously loud. I believe stock bolts are 8mm so a 13mm socket will do though they may be 3/8 so in that case 9/16 socket. Either way get a breaker bar and a good socket, one of two things will happen, either the bolt will break (replace with SS 3/8 hardware) they come loose. IF need help use a MAPP torch or a sawzall.
 
Hopefully the flanges are in good enough shape to undo. Yes, a sawzall or hacksaw will make quick work of it, even if only to cut the bolts on the flanges depending how bad they are. Wire up the rest and drive 'er to the shop open, it will be fun for a change! ;)
 
SAWS ALL AND HACKSAW are bs, I would go get a chain exhausts cutter that way you will at liest get a straight clean cut on the pipe and a new cat/pipe what ever can be welded on easly.

hacksaw just takes too long
 
Yea, I started with a hacksaw, forget it.
I did manage to unbolt one of the 'boxes' in the middle.. some kind of resonator or something. It is straight thru, looks ok. The box in front of it however that comes from the two cats at the manifold sounds suspicious.
I started the motor after removing the resonator and definitely sounds like there is a restriction. The cats are bolted to the end of the manifolds with 15mm nuts and I am having a time with them.
There sure is a lot of crap, two cats into a box, single into another box, split into two mufflers. Jeez.
More updates as I move along.
Thanks again guys.
 
yours sounds like a 5 speed. your exhaust setup is manifolds-2cats-y cat-resonator-single-split-two mufflers... the cats are actually a lot less restrictive than that second 'box' thts the resonator, and it would make you sick to see just how small in diameter it gets inside of it. trash it and get a nice magnaflow piece. your headgaskets will thank you. ;)

welcome :)
 
Cut the pipe behind the cats and ram a rod through the cats to bust up all the crap in them start the car rev it till it blows all the cat peices out repeat until they are empty! put two exhaust splices on where you cut the pipes off clamp it and call it a day.
 
your exhaust is your gateway on these cars for all future upgrades, imo spend the time and money and get the entire exhaust redone. no cats, high flow resonator(glass packs works nicely) and some nice mufflers. then you'll never have to mess with it again. just my opinion. :)
 
:D
Well, I finally got around to cutting off the first box after the cats.
The cats are still on but the car runs like a champ again!!
I thought I was driving a race car!!

I turned the box on its end and gray sand poured out. Also some honeycomb chunks. See pics.

I also have the pics of the first and second box.
 

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Just for grins I looked online for replacement cats.
It looks like its a 3-part system. $369 + shipping. Yow!
 

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I would save the stock stuff if you live/plan to live in CA you may need it to disguise after-market cats....

After gutting the middle cat a few weeks ago and putting it back on, the car is running like a champ.
Guess I'm lucky all that back-pressure didn't cause head gasket failure (or worse) yet!!

Attached is a pick of all the guts.
I can't believe this car was ever supposed to breath right through that honeycomb of crap@!@!

Also a pic of the beauty after her bath.
 

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sweet.
How's the weather?

Mine were intact so I cut off stock tubes/ends and welded 2.5" pipes to em.
Now I have 2.5" cats.
0121101317-00.jpg
 
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sweet.
How's the weather?

Mine were intact so I cut off stock tubes/ends and welded 2.5" pipes to em.
Now I have 2.5" cats.
0121101317-00.jpg

Weather is great this time of year.
Thanks for the help.

Funny, your profile pic of the Bandit. He used to own a ranch just a mile from my house. Till that nasty divorce from Loni.
The school board owns the 160+ acres now.
 
Weather is great this time of year.
Thanks for the help.

Funny, your profile pic of the Bandit. He used to own a ranch just a mile from my house. Till that nasty divorce from Loni.
The school board owns the 160+ acres now.

Your welcome.
I like Burt, he does not fit any stereotype and is a great actor.
I caught an interview on vh1 or something a long time ago, he seems to be as laid back in real life as the characters he plays...
 
Your welcome.
I like Burt, he does not fit any stereotype and is a great actor.
I caught an interview on vh1 or something a long time ago, he seems to be as laid back in real life as the characters he plays...

he does to fit a stereotype, he's the icon of the last generation that was able to get away from cops, now theres no many of them they just radio ahead and any1 gets you. if they cant then they issue a federal warrant and then you have choppers and everything else after you like the chases in LA.

for those whom lived a life like Burt, they where lucky to have lived in such a great, simple time.
 
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