What should I do if CATS are plugged?

Deep6

Registered User
OK,

I"m throwing this question out to everyone. I've found out that my problem with my severe power loss is due to a clogged exhaust.

I just went to my buddy to pick his brain and he priced out a new ford front section exhaust for a 95 -5speed and it was *gulp* $2500!!!!!!!!!!! :eek:

I couldnt' beleive it. He told me is cost was around $1500!!!!!!!!! :eek:

For that kind of money I can have the high performance exhaust and still pocket the change.

So obviously I'm going to be looking into exhaust options, but for now, I need to be able to drive the car on the highway.

The service advisor told me the car will run with the O2 sensors out of the holes, but I don't want to run the car like that.

What other options can I do to get the car to run on the highway?
I was thinking possibly loosening up the collectors to allow exhaust to escape that way.... would that present a fire hazard?

I spoke with the mechanic that I usually use and he told me, he'd hollow the CATS for me after work but I have to drive the car 150miles to get it to him...

At this rate, It doesn't look like I'm going to make it to Carlisle... :( :mad:

Does anybody have any ideas?
 
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You have a ODBD I car so you only have two oxy sensors and they are both in front of the converters.

So quick and dirty is cut off the converters and use flex pipe to span the gaps. It'll sound like crap.

You can check with Texas Thunderbirds and see if he can get you some new down pipes fast. Otherwise a local exhaust shop should be able to make you some new down pipes with high flow cats hooked up to the rest of your stock exhaust for a very reasonable cost.

Just stay away from the dealer unless they can do custom work for a good price.
 
cats

Supercoupe perfomance has high flows cats for $75-80 a piece. I think he has some that are a direct replacement. cut the old ones out and have the new ones welded in! easy no sweat fix.
 
tim said:
Supercoupe perfomance has high flows cats for $75-80 a piece. I think he has some that are a direct replacement. cut the old ones out and have the new ones welded in! easy no sweat fix.

I believe you will need new downtubes with any aftermarket cat. I used the

Catco 6906 55.69 each from summit

http://www.summitracing.com/

CTO-6906

Universal, 14 in. long, 2-1/2 in. diameter slip fit inlet and outlet, stainless steel, catalytic converter

A bigger cat than the SCP units I took off, but still has good ground clearance. Got me through emissions.
 
Depends on the state you live in

Cats are required in some states & by some counties. If they are not required where you live, hollow'em out or cut'em out & replace with custom pipes.

68COUGAR
 
On my 89 the cats came pre-removed and no resonator, it sounds decent, until you wind her up and let off the gas, then it sounds like crap.

On my 93 v8, I dropped the front section off and went to a friend's house with it.

We took a cut off tool and cut 2 of the welds off on one side of the cat, and then cut a flat in the cat, pulled it open, and went to town with an air chisel. We welded the flap back shut and welded the heat shield back into place, you would never guess that anyone was in there.

I think it took us about 2 hours to do both cats. It sounds a lot better, but, then again that was on my v8... :D
 
Those ideas sound pretty good....

...but what I need to do is get the car home first!

I have to drive 150miles. I seriously doubt that the dealer will do work such as removing the cats and welding in straight pipes, or even do me a reasonable favor such as welding in universal cats.

I'm thinking that I either spent alot of money to flatbed the car or loosen the collectos enough to allow exahust gas to escape so I can get the car up to highway speed.

Of course there is always the concern that the headgaskets may be damaged...
 
As a new exhaust idea... (highly technical drawing inside)

When I DO decide to upgrade, how would an exahust like this work/flow?
 

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Do you have AAA???!

If you do, AAA plus allows you to tow the car up to 100 miles for free. Then either tow it the rest of the way and pay---Maybe $75 or bring it to the NEAREST exhaust shop and get exhaust done.

It cost me in JERSEY!!! only $850 for STAINLESS STEEL EXHAUST!!! COMPLETE WITH CATS AND MUFFLER (RESONATOR).

Don't let the Dealer rip you off!!!!!

Just get the exhaust done and you'll thank yourself later anyway. Most restrictive part of this car!!!!!!


Don
 
do what i did i took a cutting wheel opened mine open.then took a screw driver and hammer and smashed all that crap inside and dumped it out.then took a sheet of metal and cut it to match the hole in the cats.then welded that piece over the hole and walla no more cats.they llok like they are there so your car passes inspection.but they aren't. :)
 
My dad's got AAA...

When we had it towed from his house to brewster ford, it cost about $18.00. It was only about a 10 miles trip. Would they tow my car out of town?

I do plan on spending this money on a custom exhaust and I was definatly considering stainless steel since the tubing is usually a thinner guage steel (due to the fact that it will last longer) and therefore lighter in weight.

Also my single exhaust design eliminates having 2 cats and 2 mufflers, but I think it would flow equivilent (or close) to a dual 2.5" system.
 
Take it to a muffler shop, they can order the cats and resonator from their catalogs alot cheaper. Last time I checked, the assembly was around $300 for a stock replacement. Some shops should be able to make you new downtubes with cats and reuse your resonator or buy an aftermarket one.
 
well when my cats got clogged i had them cut off gutted and put back on. it didnt make it sound worse, i actually like the new sound better. and if you look under there it looks like you still have cats.
 
Joe,

Id just cut off the cats and drive it to an exhaust shop. Leave part of the downtube for the O2 sensor. I had my exhaust put on by a local meineke and they didnt do too bad and it was cheap. You should be able to just put straight pipe in there for now, the shop I went to had no problem doing that, I just had to pay in cash.

Good luck, hope you make it to Carlisle.

-Travis
 
There has to be an exhaust shop close to the dealer you could tow it to.

A single Cat isn't a good idea. Converters are full of material that restricts exhaust flow. A single one that can flow enough for our car would have to be way too big. Stick with the dual cats, or dump them all together.
 
Muffler Man

If you have "Muffler Man" exhaust shops in your area, try them. My local Muffler Man will do any kinda custom exhaust a person wants. They use mandrel bent tubing & have all the machines to cut/weld it into any shape necessary. They can do any size you want too.

The single 3.5" will flow almost as much as the dual 2.5" pipes.

Do you NEED cats in your state/county? If not, Why use'em? They restrict exhaust flow terribly.

If possible dump the EGR (if you have it) too. All EGR does is contaminate the incoming air charge. Not good for performance.

68COUGAR
 
Update...

Currently, the end result was that the dealer I had the car at wouldn't let me drive the car off the lot unless I signed a waiver. They claimed that driving the car with the downpipes disconnected would cause a fire and they didn't want to be liable.

I ended up having to flatbed the car as I felt it was the safest route. yeah, $350 to drive it 120miles.

Ugh, that is on top of Brewster Ford's $437 bill. All this money spent to find out that my cats car clogged. I'm going to possibly call up Ford Regional to see if I can recoup some of my money as I feel that Brewster Ford didn't give a crap about my car.

But anyway, my buddy Eric Pasko at Metro Ford and I removed everything late last night, we hollowed out the 3rd cat, it was apparent that my driver's cat was the one that blew out.

However, the Passenger side cat was still in tact. Any suggestions for Hollowing IT out without cutting/welding?

I was thinking alot of Hanger wire....

Oh and due to the money and time restraints, I regret to inform everyone that I am unable to attend Carlisle. I am hugely dissappointed by this turn of events, but there must be some reason for it. I am however, still up for any and all events that are within reasonable driving distance and occuring this year for T-birds and SC's. Maybe the Crew that met in Albany last year will be holding another Pow-wow.... I will also make sure to have some "thirst quenching" brew on hand as well.
 
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