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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / Maintenance and Repair / May 2008

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Cutting A Cat Out

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Travis Bickell - 09 May 2008 18:52 GMT
Could  anybody tell me how difficult it would be to cut a severely
clogged cat that's also rattling out of of a 2" exhaust system using a
hand-held utility saw with a metal blade, assuming there's enough room
to operate?  

And if that's not to difficult, I'd also like to know how difficult it
would be to temporarily clamp a piece of pipe into the space where the
cat was unti I can have someone weld a new cat in.

Thanks very much in advance
HLS - 09 May 2008 19:15 GMT
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.

> Could  anybody tell me how difficult it would be to cut a severely
> clogged cat that's also rattling out of of a 2" exhaust system using a
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Thanks very much in advance
engineman1@aol.com - 09 May 2008 20:52 GMT
> 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
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

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
mr.som ting wong - 11 May 2008 18:14 GMT
freaking crack addicts are coming to my town and taking a sawzall and
cutting cats off of cars sitting in the outlet mall parking lots and turning
them in for salvage
they have cuaght 2 so far

> 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
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> >
> > Thanks very much in advance
cuhulin@webtv.net - 11 May 2008 20:32 GMT
Over here, we have the right to shoot and kill anybody in our homes and
yards, messing around with our stuff.
cuhulin
cuhulin@webtv.net - 11 May 2008 20:40 GMT
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
BobJ - 09 May 2008 20:52 GMT
> Could  anybody tell me how difficult it would be to cut a severely
> clogged cat that's also rattling out of of a 2" exhaust system using a
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>
> Thanks very much in advance

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...
aarcuda69062 - 09 May 2008 21:22 GMT
> Could  anybody tell me how difficult it would be to cut a severely
> clogged cat that's also rattling out of of a 2" exhaust system using a
> hand-held utility saw with a metal blade, assuming there's enough room
> to operate?  

With a Sawzall, takes about 30 seconds.

> And if that's not to difficult, I'd also like to know how difficult it
> would be to temporarily clamp a piece of pipe into the space where the
> cat was unti I can have someone weld a new cat in.

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.

> Thanks very much in advance

Make sure you determine and correct the cause of the plugged cat before
you toast the new one.
cuhulin@webtv.net - 10 May 2008 02:23 GMT
Some thieves are going around stealing cat converters.I bet they can
remove one faster than removing a prom skirt.
cuhulin
Travis Bickell - 10 May 2008 14:54 GMT
>> Could  anybody tell me how difficult it would be to cut a severely
>> clogged cat that's also rattling out of of a 2" exhaust system using a
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>Make sure you determine and correct the cause of the plugged cat before
>you toast the new one.

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
HLS - 10 May 2008 17:05 GMT
> 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.

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?
cuhulin@webtv.net - 11 May 2008 02:50 GMT
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
HLS - 11 May 2008 14:41 GMT
> 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.
cuhulin@webtv.net - 11 May 2008 18:13 GMT
Naw man, I live in Mississippi, born n raised.
cuhulin
HLS - 13 May 2008 12:55 GMT
> Naw man, I live in Mississippi, born n raised.
> cuhulin

Sorry...Thought you were a Texas lad.
Harry Smith - 15 May 2008 16:52 GMT
On May 10, 7:50 pm, cuhu...@webtv.net wrote:
> 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''

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
Paul Hovnanian P.E. - 12 May 2008 03:42 GMT
[snip]

> 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.

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.

Signature

Paul Hovnanian     mailto:Paul@Hovnanian.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
It's a damn poor mind that can only think of one way to spell a word.
               -- Andrew Jackson

cuhulin@webtv.net - 12 May 2008 14:17 GMT
Paul, Andrew ''Stonewall'' Jackson gave my home town it's name.Thank
God,,, it used to be called Le Fleurs Bluff.
cuhulin
Paul Hovnanian P.E. - 14 May 2008 19:00 GMT
> Could  anybody tell me how difficult it would be to cut a severely
> clogged cat that's also rattling out of of a 2" exhaust system using a
> hand-held utility saw with a metal blade, assuming there's enough room
> to operate?

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.

;-)

Signature

Paul Hovnanian    paul@hovnanian.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Have gnu, will travel.

z - 16 May 2008 20:57 GMT
> > Could  anybody tell me how difficult it would be to cut a severely
> > clogged cat that's also rattling out of of a 2" exhaust system using a
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Have gnu, will travel.

well no wonder it went up the exhaust pipe, if it was rattling it
probably just followed the rat.
Bailey B - 20 May 2008 10:35 GMT
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.
 
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