NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 122
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From: Lewiston, Idaho
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
Okay Guys, I need some help! 86 F150 302 EFI..poor performance under load. Last night I removed the muffler/tailpipe, and noticed a marginal increase in power. Thought the truck would be loud and ratty, but hardly noticed a difference in exhaust sound..just a little deeper note. This truck has 2 cats on it. Can easily hold my hand up and block the exhaust pipe off. (until it gets too hot!) The exhaust pipes from both manifolds enter into the first cat, then thru a large pipe to the second cat.I figure one or both of these things have to be clogged up! I can't believe how quiet the thing is without the muffler on. Is there a way to "clean" out these cat's?(no emission checks here) Cutting them off might be a pain due to where they're located, and also the short pipe from the right manifold looks to be 2" and the left one looks like 2 1/4" .Anyone had this proiblem? Need to do something today or tomorrow at the latest! Can't afford to take it in for new cat's right now either.
Thanks in advance fo any help!!
Thanks in advance fo any help!!
Senior User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 275
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From: Warner Robins, GA
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
Well, let's just say I have a little experiance in this department. I know of a guy that just removed the pipe from the back of the CC, and with a piece of rebarb, broke up the the catalytic material and racked the pieces out the back. Never had to remove it from the truck...took about a half and hour. With the pipe still off, cranked up the motor and revvved it for a while to blow out all the dust and little pieces. Sounded awesome, although probably a little too loud. This was just for the rear cat but it did make a noticable differeance in performance...nothing mind boggling, just noticable. This guy then put on a Flowmaster-40, and in my opinion, quieted it down too much. This can take care of one of them. Good luck
REX
REX
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 892
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From: Duluth, MN
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
If it ain't broke.....change stuff till it is!
Would i be able to do that on my inline cats. on my 86' f-150? i might have plugged cats. too. couldi just cut the pipe off between the glass pack and rear cat. and shove a metal rod up into the cat to get the stuff out? i have dual exhaust with 2 cats. and a glass pack(cats. are old, but pack is new) and it is really quiet. even on take off. doesn't have any roar. or should i just cut it off at both ends and jam a rod all the way though and break the cat. comb out then rebolt the cat. to the exhaust so it looks like i have cats. we don't have emission laws up here where i am. any help is great....
Would i be able to do that on my inline cats. on my 86' f-150? i might have plugged cats. too. couldi just cut the pipe off between the glass pack and rear cat. and shove a metal rod up into the cat to get the stuff out? i have dual exhaust with 2 cats. and a glass pack(cats. are old, but pack is new) and it is really quiet. even on take off. doesn't have any roar. or should i just cut it off at both ends and jam a rod all the way though and break the cat. comb out then rebolt the cat. to the exhaust so it looks like i have cats. we don't have emission laws up here where i am. any help is great....
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: Lewiston, Idaho
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
I've heard several people say they just break up the insides with a rod and scrape it out. Be sure to start your truck and blow out any small pieces before re-installing your muffler. Although, it's a lot less work to just cut the cat out and replace it. You'll need an adapter from the 3" pre-cat pipe down to your 2 1/4" tailpipe. Any muffler shop can supply the pieces to make a "test" pipe generally under $10. Definitely check it out though. Made a WORLD of difference on mine when the plugged cat was fixed!
Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,017
Likes: 2
From: Southeast FLA
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
Just a word or two of advice when starting the truck and blowing out small pieces (if that's the route one decides to take) - make sure you start the truck in a well, well ventilated area (not in a garage).
The large amount of poisonous (heavy metals) dust in the initial exhaust blow-through will stay suspended in the air of a garage for a long time, and they will poison you. The symptoms will last for a week, but who knows how long you're really affected by it?
Don't ask how I know this.
The large amount of poisonous (heavy metals) dust in the initial exhaust blow-through will stay suspended in the air of a garage for a long time, and they will poison you. The symptoms will last for a week, but who knows how long you're really affected by it?
Don't ask how I know this.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 892
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From: Duluth, MN
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
If it ain't broke.....change stuff till it is!
To blow out the particles, do i just start my truck and rev. the engine till no more particles come out?
To blow out the particles, do i just start my truck and rev. the engine till no more particles come out?
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Posting Guru
Joined: Dec 2001
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From: Southeast FLA
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
As long as the pieces are small enough to get blown out, yes. In practice this took people who i know who did it about three breaking pieces & start sessions.
In doing so there are 2 metal mesh screens inside that one may need a long set of needle nose pliers to twist-up and pull out, and one may need to break some of the larger pieces up.
Starting sessions should be done OUTSIDE (& away from where small children play or anyone will frequent over the years), and all of this work should be done with a filtration mask (of some sort) over your mouth and nose.
In doing so there are 2 metal mesh screens inside that one may need a long set of needle nose pliers to twist-up and pull out, and one may need to break some of the larger pieces up.
Starting sessions should be done OUTSIDE (& away from where small children play or anyone will frequent over the years), and all of this work should be done with a filtration mask (of some sort) over your mouth and nose.
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 3
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From: Osseo USA
NEED HELP ON CAT'S **FAST**
I own a 86 F250 4x4 with the 300. It had 2 catalytic converters on it, but i took care of that. I had an exhaust shop bend a 2.5" pipe (2" was stock) from the manifold down where i could run pipe straight back. Then, i put a rhino 2.5" system on and realized all the horsepower and gas mileage that i was missing out on. I would recommend getting rid of those cats., it did wonders for my truck. Don't worry about emission laws, unless you live in L.A. or something. Also, you might as well remove the air pump, as it will be useless and just in the way.
Hope this helped you.
Hope this helped you.