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Catalytic converter question (check engine light)

N

Not Brian

CEG'er
Joined
Aug 17, 2013
Messages
47
Location
Central Ohio
I have a '98 csvt and a cel just popped up yesterday. Scanner says the converter on bank 2 is bad. I also have a rattle coming from up front at low rpm's, which I'm now assuming is the honeycomb junk bouncing around. I've tried pounding and shaking the exhaust, checking all the heat shields, and nothing is loose, so I think that's a fairly safe assumption. Anyways, can somebody please tell me which one is bank 2 so I can go from there? Thanks in advance.
 
Okay well that's good, I think. I assume it's easier to remove than the other one? I'm going to take it off and attempt to shake out all the debris so it at least doesn't clog up the gasses until I get a replacement.
 
I tried searching for instructions on punching out the cats (opposed to spending hundreds for replacements) but came up empty. Any tips, specifically for the front manifold? My buddy has had 5 of these cars and says I have to cut a "trap door" and have a welder close it up..

I know a tuner who can disable the post-converter O2 sensor(s).
 
You don't need to cut a trap door.

-Drill a hole in bottom of front manifold directly under cat material
-Get a bucket and remove metal handle
-Straighten handle slightly and insert into drill and tighten
-Insert wire handle dohickey into the whole you drilled and spin away breaking up material
-Periodically empty manifold of cat material (assuming manifold is off car. I'm not sure if you can do this by disconnecting Y and starting car to blow out crushed up material).
-Repeat until confident all material is broken up.
-Install screw into the whole you drilled (need to find one that fits tight).
-Install MIL eliminator on the front bank to "fool" ECM...or tune it out.

What I've listed is off the old old CEG website. Look in the FAQ and the archives...might be there with pics.

If your CAT really is breaking up...just tuning it out will not solve the actual issue and possible clogging of your exhaust. Been there done that much problems.

Might be a good time to install headers?
 
Catalytic converter question (check engine light)

Back when I did this, I used that technique. Get a shop vac or something similar to suck the debris out of the manifold as you work through it. Good idea to remove the top oxygen sensor so you don't hit it by mistake.

To fill the hole, insert a bolt from the inside out, and place a washer and nut on the outside.

Bust out the rear bank catalyst too. It's easy because it dumps straight down.
 
Not Brian said:
How the hell would I get a bolt inside there and lined up with the hole.. that sounds like a pain
Click to expand...

I don' think you can on the front manifold with that long section to the Y pipe. I always thought you would just screw it in from the outside.
 
Catalytic converter question (check engine light)

Not Brian said:
How the hell would I get a bolt inside there and lined up with the hole.. that sounds like a pain
Click to expand...

Put a piece of tape on the bolt head, and press it into a box-end wrench so it sticks in place. Maneuver it into place with the wrench. Install nut on the outside, pull wrench free.

Or you could use a magnet.
 
I know I sure wouldn't be starting engine up to blow the bits out, they are ceramic and can aspirate backwards to suck down inside engine to do damage. There were many V-6 engines destroyed by just that when a rash of bad cats in production cars had flaking pieces of cat go back up in motor in normal use to tear them up. My boss had a Mystique that did just that; had to have a new engine put in it.
 
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