I just installed a new catalytic convertor, so I could pass inspection, as someone that lived in Alabama removed the original and welded a straight pipe in is place. Well, I cut the pipe off and left some of it at the welded end (the engine end was just clamped im place). I cut the flange off of my new cat, since the one on the car was Gone, and am wondering if the cat hags too low and I should cut some more of the rear pipe off, I believe that I measured it at about four inches or less ground clearance, and that doesn't include the AIR fitting, which hangs down lower. I do not have factory wheels. The rears are 235-60R15s and the fronts are 195-65R15s. Will the cat hit the ground if I hit a real doozy of a bump or pothole?

 

You betcha I have what looks like the same problem, just go easy over speed bumps.

I put in a request for pics of the y-pipe/convertor setup to make sure it wasn't too low, but no one has responded yet :nono:

 

Thanks. Right now, I'd be lucky to go anywhere... V6 refuses to start. I think I am growing to hate that engine... I had to wonder because the cat hangs down like an extra inch and a half or so from where the straight pipe did, not including the air pipe...

 

Sounds like it's too low, even speed bump fodder & cloged cat after that low. It's centerline should should line up w/the y-pipe exit pipe.

 

Oh, boy... I'm going to have to go down there yet again with my hacksaw and cut anothe inch and a half off of the rest of that straight pipe... would have been fine but I nad to have an adaptor which took up the extra space I was reserving in case I needed to cut off more. Man, it takes like a half hour to cut through that pipe with a 14 tpi hacksaw. That moron had to WELD all the pipes in place from the Y back... and I forgot to mention-the Y pipe moves. I don't know how or why it moves, but I sure can move it...

 

are there donut askets present? does it leak from the exhaust manifold flanges or not?

 

yes it does as a matter of fact. Leak, that is. I have new donut but have no way to install them. I can't get my arms in there to turn the ratchet! Heck, I can't even get the ratchet in there!

 

Best way is from underneath. 15mm if I remember correctly. You'll need a swivel/wobble for the pass side top stud, ratchet, 9" extension, & a 6". Use both extensions for the swivel one. Take your time & make sure they seal evenly, or you might end up w/a flaming engine bay like I did

 

Definately use metric sockets on the manifold-to-y-pipe nuts. Those nuts have been on there a while; if you use the incorrect SAE (inches) socket, you might strip the nuts out, and then you'll be screwed.

I have the same problem with my aftermarket mandrel-bent y-pipe (made by AP); it hangs too low. This wasn't such a problem until I lowered the car. I've gotta section the y-pipe; maybe take an inch off of each "downpipe", and weld the thing back together. What a pain.... and I'm in no real rush to do it

 

I just took my cat off yesterday to find that it looks like it was in good condition. I'm replacing it anyways. But the guy who put the last bolt-on one on welded it on too. So now I need some grinders to get rid of the weld. Can't drive my car right now. It's too loud.

When I was taking the bolts off, one just wouldn't loosen. So I ended up shearing it off. Man my arms and back hurt today.

As far as ground clearance, I couldn't say how far from the ground it should be, but it does hang 1-2" below the bodyline of the car.

 

What's your height from the ground, and are you running on factory wheel/tire setups?

 

I don't have my car here, but I would guess 5". I'll let you know later in the week when I finish my cat and am driving it again. I am running factory wheels and tires (215 65 15s).

 

Before you start taking the y-pipe off from the manifolds I would reccomend spraying a healthy dose of liquid wrech or WD-40 on there and letting it sit overnight. It is my bet that those bolts are frozen on there, like mine were.

When i replaced the donuts I ended up shearing the bolt, so I had to take the whole manifold off and taking it over to my friends dads auto shop where he has this machine that is made for taking out sheared bolts without ruining the threads. I think it is called EDS or something like that. It shoots this acidic liquid onto the bolts for like half an hour or so and dissolves the frozen bolt without messing up the threads on the manifold. But it was a pain in the a$$.