Difficulty of installing new cat?

[AZVET]

I am old and chubby.  I don't have a lift but I do have Rhino Ramps.  My wife gives me crap whenever I work under the car although I enjoy doing so.

I went to a small local exhaust shop and asked it they could test to see if my catalytic converter might be partially clogged.  They said the only way to tell for sure is to cut it apart.  They also said the cost to install a new one would be $300.

88 Reatta with stock exhaust and 118,000 miles.  Zero rust car as it has lived its life in the desert its entire life.

I have done this a couple of times on C4 Corvettes but I was much younger back then.  It looks like I can buy a universal fit Magnaflow for around $80.  I'm thinking I could do this fairly easily or am I just dreaming.

 I am not happy with my performance.  We owned a new '04 Grand Prix with the 3800 base engine.  The car was much more powerful than my Reatta and got better gas mileage.  I am only getting 13mpg around town and 17 mpg on the highway.  Plugs, wires, fuel pressure regulator, timing chain set, cam magnet and sensor, thermostat, coolant, tranny fluid, exhaust sensor, knock sensor are all new.  Fuel injectors rebuilt. All gaskets except for head gasket have been replaced.  Idle air control cleaned and Maf replaced.  EGR cleaned, New  "blow by" valve.  No codes or idle problems.  Shifts smooth and overdrive seems to work well.  Oil and filter recently changed.  Brakes do not seem to drag and wheel bearings seem to be good.  The car readily starts and drives well except I feel it should have more pep than it does.  Comparing it to my Chevy crossover (4 cyl turbo charged direct injection) it has to downshift more when going up a 3,500' mountain.  The Chevy does have an 8 speed tranny though.

[Bloo]

Doesn't look too tough, but you better wear gloves.

 

 

Seriously though, the cat shouldn't plug up under any normal conditions. Plugged usually means it melted, or the biscuit broke inside and rolled over. If it is truly plugged, keep troubleshooting until you find out why, otherwise it will probably just happen again.

 

Does it have flanges at both ends? If so soak the bolts each day with Heat riser solvent for a couple of days, and keep driving, so that it has a chance to heat up and cool down a couple of times with the solvent on it. Good penetrating oil will substitute for heat riser solvent in a pinch. After a couple of days the bolts will probably come out without twisting off.

 

If it has slip joints, that will be a little tougher. I would still soak up the joint and the threads on the u-bolts (or whatever it has) and drive it. When you take it off, sometimes a lot of horsing around is necessary on a slip joint because the u-bolt collapses the pipe a tiny bit, and prevents it from sliding apart.  I recommend putting any slip joints it might have together with Walker "Acousti-Seal". It will make it much easier to take apart next time. Good luck.

 

Heat riser solvent is Chrysler #4318039AC (I don't believe GM still makes any).

 

 

[D-a-n-i-e-l]

https://m.autozone.com/emission-control-and-exhaust/catalytic-converter/magnaflow-catalytic-converter/888043_64788_2149?aqs=

 

Pretty easy. Two bolts and a clamp. Just keep a long extension and universal joint handy, as they will keep the cussing to a minimum.

[Dashmaster]

This is the one I used,

MagnaFlow 23422 Direct Fit Catalytic Converter

Amazon shows 1 left at $91.00 dollars, I purchased mine from the Reatta Store 2 years ago.

[Barney Eaton]

You can do a simple test...........unscrew the oxygen sensor.....make up some fitting so you can attach a vacumm/pressure gage

Start the engine and check if there is excess pressure........opinions vary but at idle there should be almost no pressure reading  as you raise the RPM pressure will raise slightly

but if you get a reading over 5psi it might be restricted........

[2seater]

6 minutes ago, Barney Eaton said:

You can do a simple test...........unscrew the oxygen sensor.....make up some fitting so you can attach a vacumm/pressure gage

Start the engine and check if there is excess pressure........opinions vary but at idle there should be almost no pressure reading  as you raise the RPM pressure will raise slightly

but if you get a reading over 5psi it might be restricted........

An exhaust shop should know that a backpressure test can be done easily on a car of our vintage, just as stated above. Pretty sure the thread is the same as an 18mm spark plug but correct adapters are available or drill and tap a plug made for the O2 sensor hole. Pretty simple and no guesswork.

[2seater]

3 hours ago, D-a-n-i-e-l said:

https://m.autozone.com/emission-control-and-exhaust/catalytic-converter/magnaflow-catalytic-converter/888043_64788_2149?aqs=

 

Pretty easy. Two bolts and a clamp. Just keep a long extension and universal joint handy, as they will keep the cussing to a minimum.

Just to add a little to Daniel's post: I used a chain type exhaust tubing cutter, which is a series of tubing cutter wheels on a chain and a pliers type handle to apply pressure and rotate the chain on the pipe. You will find a resistance type weld on the expanded portion of the stock pipes fore and aft of the converter. Cut just beyond the weld line and the converter insert will pull out. This is similar to what I own:

https://www.amazon.com/OEMTOOLS-27045-Tailpipe-Cutter/dp/B004FELJ20/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1544722464&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=chain+type+exhaust+cutter

 

[AZVET]

Excellent advice from one and all.  Love this forum!