So I took my exhaust out today in order to ceramic coat the headers, and I noticed my catalytic was clean straight through. The only thing in there was the air pipe. I didn't do this on purpose. It used to have honeycomb disc material in there. No idea how long it's been like that. Is this something I should be worried about? As in I don't have a clue where the guts went. I hope it's not plugging up my Flowmaster 40 series muffler. Would it have blown right out the tail pipe over time?

 

That is a possibility that it blew out the of the system. As in the converter, I took mine off and replaced it with a straight pipe. I don't live in an area where emissions is an issue for old cars. if you do this you will gain a little more hp. If there are no leaks when it is all together and if you can see no obstructions on the existing pipe. You should be in the clear.

 

Actually, about 9 or 10 years ago, I had a few massive backfires due to a failed ignition module. They were so severe that the header gasket blew right out of the right side. I wonder if that obliterated the catalytic, and I've been driving around like that since. I've often wondered why my garage smelled like the 1960's when I turned the car off.

 

My V6 Firebird is like that. I left it on because in Maryland, most muffler shops (should I need one) will not touch a car that was 'converter equip' without one. This is supposedly the law. My V8 car has no cat, but I have headers and a non stock exhaust. The local Midas wouldn't touch it, although they made me a pipe that I could take with me...

 

Id get under it and tap along the exhaust pipes or take it loose and see if there are any pieces of it running loose in there. That couldn't be good. Hopefully all those pieces disentigrated and it wont restrict your exhaust and stop up on you down the road. If you have to have it due to emmisions these newer aftermarket cats are better replacements than the old ones so I hear.