Cutting A Cat Out

If you have room to work, a hacksaw will do the job. a "hand held utility saw" could mean a lot of things, and some of them would probably be pretty tiresome.

If you mean a Saw-Z-All, it'll be out in a heartbeat..... ( watch your eyes).. Then go to J.C.Whitney and see if they still sell those "Catalytic Converter test pipes".... These were short pieces if exhaust pipe, to do exactly what you are intending, only made to order...

I'd use an exhaust pipe cutter. They are inexpensive and have 4 sharp wheels that cut the pipe with a 90 deg. rotation. While you're at the auto supplyb store getting this, ask them if they have the clamp-on sleeves that are usually used to cover exhaust pipe holes. Engineman

With a Sawzall, takes about 30 seconds.

Why not just get a direct fit cat installed anyway since you're gonna buy one. One size fits all cats are nothing but trouble down the road.

Make sure you determine and correct the cause of the plugged cat before you toast the new one.

Some thieves are going around stealing cat converters.I bet they can remove one faster than removing a prom skirt. cuhulin

Thanks for all the advice, guys. The reason I want to temporarily replace my cat with a "straight" or "test" pipe is that my car, a 1981 Mercedes SL, has been burning oil because it needs a valve job.

I suspect that the clogged cat is also what has been causing the car's operating temp to rise, particularly in traffic, since the rest of the cooling system seems to be fine. In fact the radiator & thermostat are new, the temps sensors seem to be right on the money, the water pump is not leaking or squeaking, and the fan clutch seems to be engaging when it should. So, I want to temproarily replace the cat to see if that does indeed cause the car's operating temp to return to normal until I can get around to doing the valves.

Once they're done, I'll replace the test pipe with the Magnaflow cat that I bought a while ago. Does my original question make more sense now, or am I missing more than I thought I was :-).

Thanks again for the advice and for any additional advice anyone can give me.

BTW, I located the pipe cutting tool someone suggested I get. I justneed to make sure it will rotate in the space betweem my exhaust pipe and floor

Seems reasonable that a car that is 27 years old and has been aspirating oil would have a dead catalytic converter.

As others have said, a Sawzall (reciprocating saw) is quick and will work in pretty tight places. IMO, that is the first choice if you have the option.

And if you are in a state that doesnt go ballistic over exhaust smoke, you can drive it a while before the noose draws around your neck. (Here in Texas we have an on-line reporting system to use to report offenders. And we are more tolerant than, f.eks., California.

I would try to stay within plausible deniability of this being a short term diagnostic situation only ;>) Even so, if you get caught, you might have some 'splainin' to do.

Do you plan to get the valves fixed about the same time?

In the State of confusion I live in, you can drive almost anything and get away with it, and a lot of people around here sure do too.Every once in a while, I see an old ''smoker'' traveling along the roads.Some of those ''smokers'' aren't old either, some of those people let the oil level get too low.I wouldn't report a ''smoker'' cuhulin

You live in the same state that I do.

I have reported one particularly bad instance. In general, I dont see many real foggers.

Naw man, I live in Mississippi, born n raised. cuhulin

Over here, we have the right to shoot and kill anybody in our homes and yards, messing around with our stuff. cuhulin

I am Glad my big old lonnnng legged body 1978 Dodge van doesn't have a cat.Nothing about my raggity old van anybody would want to steal anyway.I dont even lock the doors anymore.I have a dummy battery cable wired near the battery.When I park my van in my driveway, I let that dummy cable hang out.I figure if anybody wants to steal the battery, the dummy battery cable might make them think twice. cuhulin

Buy a new one and throw it in the trunk. If you get pulled over, you just point out that you are going to put it in "this weekend". Just don't get caught again 3 months later.

Paul, Andrew ''Stonewall'' Jackson gave my home town it's name.Thank God,,, it used to be called Le Fleurs Bluff. cuhulin

Sorry...Thought you were a Texas lad.

How did your cat get into the exhaust system? Did it chase a mouse in there?

Cats usually get clogged with hairballs. Just leave it alone and it will cough it up.

;-)

Hi,

I actually do live in the same state and can vouch for this. You can drive whatever and are likely to get away with it. I recently drove my Cadillac back and forth to a body shop in Gautier without a windshield, and once with no windshield and most of the roof panel cut out. Cops didn't bat an eye. Also see motorcycles driving around with no license plates, old trucks with no brake lights, plenty of light smokers and stinkers, and the occasional "mosquito fogger" but the cops don't seem to mind any of that either.

Oh, and as for the

Peace, Harry

Be glad its only a cat. Hopefully the cat wasn't someones pet cat. My dad hit a skunk once and it lodged in the frame, it stunk for weeks. Have you tried a power washer? Maybe you can blast it out.