Converter removal question
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2012
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From: Grafton, Ohio
Converter removal question
Howdy,
I bought this '88 F350 a few weeks ago......
....and the previous owner was kind enough to cut the exhaust off pretty much flush with the rear of the catalytic converter body so there is no attaching a pipe/muffler from there. The metal is pretty rusty in the area so welding is not really an option. My initial plan was to just buy a test pipe and run a basic exhaust.....well, little did I know, that test pipes aren't available. So the current plan is to just cut the header pipes close to the catalytic converter flange and fab up some piping to a dual inlet muffler with a single pipe and simple turn down near the rear axle. I'd go all out with headers and a full dual system but money is tight at the moment and I'm just looking to quiet it down a bit plus, I'm sure, having a basically open exhaust, isn't doing the motor any favors.
So my question concerns removal of the converter. What to do with the air injection lines (or whatever they are called)?
Getting a factory converter would be ideal but, simply put, for the time being this is our farm truck and will get limited road use. I'm sure this will change in the future but for now it is what it is. Thanks!
I bought this '88 F350 a few weeks ago......
....and the previous owner was kind enough to cut the exhaust off pretty much flush with the rear of the catalytic converter body so there is no attaching a pipe/muffler from there. The metal is pretty rusty in the area so welding is not really an option. My initial plan was to just buy a test pipe and run a basic exhaust.....well, little did I know, that test pipes aren't available. So the current plan is to just cut the header pipes close to the catalytic converter flange and fab up some piping to a dual inlet muffler with a single pipe and simple turn down near the rear axle. I'd go all out with headers and a full dual system but money is tight at the moment and I'm just looking to quiet it down a bit plus, I'm sure, having a basically open exhaust, isn't doing the motor any favors.
So my question concerns removal of the converter. What to do with the air injection lines (or whatever they are called)?
Getting a factory converter would be ideal but, simply put, for the time being this is our farm truck and will get limited road use. I'm sure this will change in the future but for now it is what it is. Thanks!
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2009
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Whehter it is rusted or not should not matter. The stock cat and casing is made from 409 stainless steel. It pits and corrodes, and looks a bit like rust, but you may find its in better shape than you think. So I wouldn't rule out welding a new pipe onto the back of the cat.
As far as the air lines, one is an air injection that comes off a smog pump. The other should feed the EGR, and if thats left open, the engine will lean out every time the EGR opens, which is a bad thing.
If its a farm truck, I wouldn't put a lot of effort into that, and I wouldn't worry about or bother trying to use it on road, get a nicer truck for on road use.
As far as the air lines, one is an air injection that comes off a smog pump. The other should feed the EGR, and if thats left open, the engine will lean out every time the EGR opens, which is a bad thing.
If its a farm truck, I wouldn't put a lot of effort into that, and I wouldn't worry about or bother trying to use it on road, get a nicer truck for on road use.
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 41
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From: Grafton, Ohio
Thanks for the info!
I went out and took a better look at things.......
.....the catalytic converter is gutted. Both lines on top of the converter are in place but not attached (connection is broken but they appear connected when just taking a quick peek). Nice!
So I suppose I'd be better off picking up a new converter and getting things hooked up the way they should be. Even if the EGR feed hose was physically connected it's still pulling from an empty converter shell where there is no back pressure. Things just can't be good as they are and it sounds like eliminating things is more trouble than it's worth.
Even though it's currently on farm duty I still need it to be reliable and some of it's trips off of the farm may be rather long and involve towing a horse trailer so I'm not sure that leaving it as it is is the best way to go either. It's actually a clean truck that runs well so getting another truck for road use would be a waste.......just a different kind of waste.
I went out and took a better look at things.......
.....the catalytic converter is gutted. Both lines on top of the converter are in place but not attached (connection is broken but they appear connected when just taking a quick peek). Nice!
So I suppose I'd be better off picking up a new converter and getting things hooked up the way they should be. Even if the EGR feed hose was physically connected it's still pulling from an empty converter shell where there is no back pressure. Things just can't be good as they are and it sounds like eliminating things is more trouble than it's worth.
Even though it's currently on farm duty I still need it to be reliable and some of it's trips off of the farm may be rather long and involve towing a horse trailer so I'm not sure that leaving it as it is is the best way to go either. It's actually a clean truck that runs well so getting another truck for road use would be a waste.......just a different kind of waste.
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