Jump to content

Replacing catalytic converter

bigBP

Recommended Posts

bigBP Enthusiast

bigBP

Posted
Posted

Here's the story.

 

One of the donut gaskets that goes inbetween the y-pipe and the exhaust mainfold blew on me one day, resulting in a very noisy truck ('95 chevy C1500 4.3L). Took it into Tuffy to get it checked out and the guy told me that my cat was clogged and the resultant backpressure buildup caused the gasket to fail. He recomended replacing the cat w/ front y-pipes along with the new gaskets and studs. Here was the estimate:

 

O-2 sensor $160

cat w/ front y-pipe $423.90

truck stud kit (2) $63.90

Labor $75

 

The grand total after taxes and such was $766.44 :crackup: . Is it just me or is this estimate a little high, especially the 0-2 sensor?

 

At any rate, I'm now considering on replacing the parts myself, with the holiday weekend coming up. Replacement looks pretty straightforward, but I have heard that with rusty bolts it can be a real pain in the a**. Thanks

95_togo Enthusiast

95_togo

Posted
Posted

uh YEAH - seems a bit high to me - but what do you expect when taking it to a shop for repair.

 

i think the O2 sensors are about $70 but could be mistaken - and aren't there 2? that would give you your $160 estimate roughly

 

as far as replacing the front Y pipe and Cat - i have had much custom work done on mine, as i keep wearing holes in my front "cross" pipe with my 5-7 drop - but they keep cuting and welding a new pipe on for me for around $30 - as far as the CAT, i had mine replaced for under $200

too bad you aren't in AZ, i could tell ya a shop to go to! :crackup:

snoman Senior Enthusiast

snoman

Posted
Posted
Here's the story.

 

One of the donut gaskets that goes inbetween the y-pipe and the exhaust mainfold blew on me one day, resulting in a very noisy truck ('95 chevy C1500 4.3L). Took it into Tuffy to get it checked out and the guy told me that my cat was clogged and the resultant backpressure buildup caused the gasket to fail. He recomended replacing the cat w/ front y-pipes along with the new gaskets and studs. Here was the estimate:

 

O-2 sensor $160

cat w/ front y-pipe $423.90

truck stud kit (2) $63.90

Labor $75

 

The grand total after taxes and such was $766.44 :crackup: . Is it just me or is this estimate a little high, especially the 0-2 sensor?

 

At any rate, I'm now considering on replacing the parts myself, with the holiday weekend coming up. Replacement looks pretty straightforward, but I have heard that with rusty bolts it can be a real pain in the a**. Thanks

 

 

This has a funny smell to it. Never heard of a dounut gasket blowing froma plugged up cat but I suppose it is possible. Personally I think he is looking for some extra income. I would just replace gasket and roll and if vehical runs fine, that cat is not plugged. (and they do not plug that much anyway)

95_togo Enthusiast

95_togo

Posted
Posted
This has a funny smell to it. Never heard of a dounut gasket blowing froma plugged up cat but I suppose it is possible. Personally I think he is looking for some extra income. I would just replace gasket and roll and if vehical runs fine, that cat is not plugged. (and they do not plug that much anyway)

definitely looking for extra income in my opinion too - however, the cat is old, and probably has a lot of miles on it - aren't they usually only good for about 100K? i replaced mine with 130ish on it, and it improved my emissions drastically!

AZ-Z71 Enthusiast

AZ-Z71

Posted
Posted

Don't know much about 95's but do you have any SES lights on that would throw a code for CAT or O2 Sensor?

snoman Senior Enthusiast

snoman

Posted
Posted
This has a funny smell to it.  Never heard of a dounut gasket blowing froma plugged up cat but I suppose it is possible. Personally I think he is looking for some extra income. I would just replace gasket and roll and if vehical runs fine, that cat is not plugged.  (and they do not plug that much anyway)

definitely looking for extra income in my opinion too - however, the cat is old, and probably has a lot of miles on it - aren't they usually only good for about 100K? i replaced mine with 130ish on it, and it improved my emissions drastically!

My 89 burb has 170k on its cat and it still flows fine and I have a Toyota camary with 215k on its cat, I got both of them new and they test emisions here and they still both work.

AZ-Z71 Enthusiast

AZ-Z71

Posted
Posted
My 89 burb has 170k on its cat and it still flows fine and I have a Toyota camary with 215k on its cat, I got both of them new and they test emisions here and they still both work.

Also depends on what state. Some states are really tough like California. Az is also pretty tough these days as well. Had an Infiniti with 120 K on the cat, no SES lights on and I could not get it to pass. Got a new cat, it passed and two years later it failed???

 

Fixed that problem - got rid of the car along with the wife. :crackup::lol:

bigBP Enthusiast

bigBP

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I don't have any warning lights going off, and the engine seems to be running ok. Is there any easy way to see if the converter is really clogged besides banging on it? Also, the estimate for the O-2 sensor is for one. Heck, the highest list price I've found on the internet is $90 for a Bosch. Would really like to know where Tuffy gets they're numbers from.

 

Really, the only thing I'm concerned about is the noise, going down the expressway I have to crank up the radio to hear it. I wouldn't mind it so much if it was a V8 :crackup: .

snoman Senior Enthusiast

snoman

Posted
Posted
My 89 burb has 170k on its cat and it still flows fine and I have a Toyota camary with 215k on its cat, I got both of them new and they test emisions here and they still both work.

Also depends on what state. Some states are really tough like California. Az is also pretty tough these days as well. Had an Infiniti with 120 K on the cat, no SES lights on and I could not get it to pass. Got a new cat, it passed and two years later it failed???

 

Fixed that problem - got rid of the car along with the wife. :crackup::lol:

Here they give you print outs of limits and what is detected (CO, HC and NOX) and both are way below limits (about 10 to 15% of limit) and they have not changed even 10% of that in last 7 or 8 years as I keep them so I get a warning if a problem is coming.

AZ-Z71 Enthusiast

AZ-Z71

Posted
Posted

I would probably just change the donut gasket and be done with it. I think they are ceramic and will probably break and crack over time causing them to leak. I think the shop that did my exhaust system used the old gasket as well. Now after a few months I can see some black carbon at the joint and when cold the condensation drips rom the joint. I don't seem to hear anything from it but maybe that is my cold tick I have been experiencing. (Not sure since the volume/pitch does not change when applying gas)

 

Buy the donut gasket and two studs and nuts. That way if you break the studs, you will have the replacements there. Cheap insurance.

bigBP Enthusiast

bigBP

Posted
  • Author
Posted

After some tinkering around and debating, think I'll just take AZ-Z71's advice and replace the busted donut this weekend. Thanks for all the advise :crackup:

snoman Senior Enthusiast

snoman

Posted
Posted
After some tinkering around and debating, think I'll just take AZ-Z71's advice and replace the busted donut this weekend. Thanks for all the advise :crackup:

I alway farm that out becuase thoses studs can be stuck and rusted and a pain to work with. I muffler shop will have the tools and a torch to heat them and get them out and install new studs too. You might buy the correct donut gasket yourself though and take it with you.

Rookie Enthusiast

Rookie

Posted
Posted

Id replace the manifolds w/ headers, new cats Fron Catco and have a local shop plum it together. O yea dump the o2 sensors and put a O2 simulator in there Casper electronics makes them.

snoman Senior Enthusiast

snoman

Posted
Posted
Id replace the manifolds w/ headers, new cats Fron Catco and have a local shop plum it together. O yea dump the o2 sensors and put a O2 simulator in there Casper electronics makes them.

Yeah disable your emmisons so we can all breath a little harder. Also, headers will raise underhood temps too

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Forum Statistics

    250.6k
    Total Topics
    2.7m
    Total Posts

  • Member Statistics

    343,007
    Total Members
    8,960
    Most Online
    Brendan C
    Newest Member
    Brendan C
    Joined

  • Who's Online   2 Members, 0 Anonymous, 1,070 Guests (See full list)

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Grumpy Bear
      Joke Thread

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

    • Grumpy Bear
      The Peckish Synapse

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      You're better read than that Atlas. 😏   British science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke formulated three adages that are known as Clarke's three laws, of which the third law – that "any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" – is the best known and most widely cited.   Stribeck and the pivotable Hersey Number isn't voodoo nor snake oil. That part is physics. It's what marketing and bean counters do with it that is snake oil and voodoo.    Stribeck is the relationship between Hersey and the Coefficient of Friction. Within the Hersey Equation if viscosity and viscosity is 'Dependent' on.......heat.......and.......viscosity index or the temperature to viscosity slope.    Specifically Hersey is the viscosity AT THE TEMPERATURE IN THAT LOCATION FOR THAT SLOPE.   Hydrodynamic lubrication exist when the film thickness in the location is 3X the Ra roughness of the surface. This is irrespective of the hardness of the substrate. To obtain that thickness X viscosity is required for Y velocity at Z load. That's a lot of moving parts. It is also impossible to maintain in an ICE but nearly possible with a turbine under constant load.    What does that mean? Error heavy and operate light. Wear is inevitable but the rate of wear and the milage obtainable are a function of prevailing conditions and HABITS. The only penalty is viscous drag and at fractions so low as to be well worth the effort. Double the life, half the manufacturing carbon foot print. Greed is the only impediment.    The materials generated by SwRI are the RESULT not an estimation or a hypothesis.    Don't delude yourself sir, EV's have as many pitfalls as ICE's. We just don't know what they are yet and it will take longer to sort as MARKETING and GREEDY CEO's have had more time to polish the turd they are selling. 
    • Grumpy Bear
      The Peckish Synapse

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      You can always count on greed to prey on ignorance and stupidity.    Friend bought a 2019 Ford Flex and asked me about using Valvoline R&P 5W30 in it. Told him give the miles on it and the fact it wasn't yet using oil that it was a good plan. He uses a Valvoline quick change shop for his oil service.   First they tell him that isn't the oil the OEM recommends. He told them he didn't care what the OEM thought. Then they floated the, "But it will void your warranty"    His reply was it's a 2019, there is no warranty and informed them their knowledge of the law was lacking.    Then they tell him 'But it will ruin your motor"!.    Mine to ruin he says. Finally they give in and charge him 150% the semi-syn price    Point it the brainwash is so embedded that even the service industry is drunk on their swill. The public is right behind them. Echoing the same lies on every forum and media platform. If the end goal is indeed EV then I'd say that ship is about built. 
    • CamGTP
      Gas Prices

      By CamGTP · Posted

      Diesel hit $6.00 here today at the truck stop.   Payed $2.79 for E85 today too.
    • richard wysong
      Electrical Problem - solved

      By richard wysong · Posted

      Thanks for posting, I'm sure it will help someone

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...