Hey y'all -

So..my cat has been rotted for a while - at least the heat shield. Finally gonna replace the damn thing. Ordered a new OE fit. Any tips/tricks I should be aware of? V8, auto trans if that helps w/mounting hardware, etc. Not sure what comes with the cat. I ordered the air tube kit as well to go with it. Will I need to source bolts, gaskets, etc? Any help is appreciated. Not really one for exhaust work.

 

30 views no replies. No tips. Tricks. Things to look for. nothing. Cool...y'all stay safe in corona land.

 

Very good chance that everyone who clicked on this thread has no experience with your specific question and therefore cannot offer any kind of advice. Case in point, I clicked on this thread and have zero experience with replacement converters.

 

It's a catalytic converter. Basic exhaust plumbing. Remove the old one, install the new one. Who knows exactly what you might run into, but it should be very straight forward.

 

No experience. But it will be interesting to see just how good that OE fit is. I hope it's prefect, but I have my reservations...

 

Soak the nuts/bolts with a good rust desolver. I like PB Blaster (Walmart and other stores). Let the solvent soak for hours, or longer, depending on how bad the rust appears. Make sure the car is not running too rich, as this will ruin a Cat. If it uses gaskets, get new ones.

 

New Stainless Bolts, nuts, and washers to make it easier next time..

 

Stainless hardware of the hardware store variety will just be cheap low quality trash that will gall and seize anyway. At least with cheap steel you have a fighting chance of getting it apart without destroying it.

 

Anyone happen to know if it needs gaskets? I checked a few diff sites and none were recommended which i find kinda strange.

 

Was the car built prior to 1986? If not, it's a slip fit on one end and a ball flange/socket arrangement on the other, no gaskets.

 

And hi-temp anti-seize. Stainless on stainless will gall.

 

New grade 5 or 8, ferrous bolts and anti seize, stainless is overkill. IMO.

 

 

Sweet thanks. Hopefully I can tackle this on my own then..it's a 91.

 

You'll probably need to cut the old cat off the Y-pipe where it was clamped, or heat it red hot with a torch, since the clamp will usually have crimped the tubes together.

 

You speak the truth! But you need to sing "Tin Man" by America, while trying to remove it from your fingers.