Broken Cat

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I have a '94 Ram 2500 4x4 truck with a utility bed and pipe rack. Ever since I got it, I've felt like it didn't have enough power. I've never had a Dodge 360 before, but even at a rating of 230 horsepower in an 8800 GVWR truck, I thought it should have a little more juice. Just recently, it began getting worse. I had personally replaced the muffler and a lot of exhaust pipe, so I didn't think that was the problem. Then I began hearing a loud hissing and realized that it was coming from the cat. Pulled out the O2 sensor and stuck a coat hanger wire in there, and could feel things clunking around.

When I did the exhaust, I welded most of it, but up toward the front, I used a clamp where it would have been impossible to weld. Fortunately I was able to get it loose and pull the pipe right behind the cat off. I looked in with a flashlight and saw large chunks of the catalyst inside; for some reason it had broken into pieces. As I was driving, these pieces would move around, and I would get more or less restriction.

I was able to ram a metal stake into these chunks and break them up small enough to blow out by running the engine. Now I have the kind of power I expected, in fact, I have to watch my speed on the freeway, which was not a problem before.
smile.gif


I obviously have to replace the cat, any recommendations on a CARB-approved item? Magnaflow makes one, would that be good?
 
Yeah, the Magnaflow ones are fine, we sell them at my job, only problem we ever had was with [censored] quality welds on the direct-fit ones that are part of larger assemblies. Where in Cali are you?
 
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So does this CAT have an external air feed (little tube coming in the front side)? If not, any universal fit CAT with the right dimensions will work fine. Weld it in if you can, as they get pretty hot and can work the pipe joints.

But, before I replaced an OEM CAT, I'd take it to a SMOG shop and see what it blows? Just get a "pre-test" and see what the numbers are? If they are good enough, I'd leave well enough alone. I have had two vehicles with gutted CAT's that pass smog fine
smile.gif


There is no need to spend money if not needed, and the truck runs well as is ...
 
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Originally Posted By: dogememe
Yeah, the Magnaflow ones are fine, we sell them at my job, only problem we ever had was with [censored] quality welds on the direct-fit ones that are part of larger assemblies. Where in Cali are you?

San Diego area.
 
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
So does this CAT have an external air feed (little tube coming in the front side)? If not, any universal fit CAT with the right dimensions will work fine. Weld it in if you can, as they get pretty hot and can work the pipe joints.

But, before I replaced an OEM CAT, I'd take it to a SMOG shop and see what it blows? Just get a "pre-test" and see what the numbers are? If they are good enough, I'd leave well enough alone. I have had two vehicles with gutted CAT's that pass smog fine
smile.gif


There is no need to spend money if not needed, and the truck runs well as is ...


Doesn't have any external air feed. Doesn't the replacement need a CARB approval number stamped on it?
 
Originally Posted By: Stelth
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
So does this CAT have an external air feed (little tube coming in the front side)? If not, any universal fit CAT with the right dimensions will work fine. Weld it in if you can, as they get pretty hot and can work the pipe joints.

But, before I replaced an OEM CAT, I'd take it to a SMOG shop and see what it blows? Just get a "pre-test" and see what the numbers are? If they are good enough, I'd leave well enough alone. I have had two vehicles with gutted CAT's that pass smog fine
smile.gif


There is no need to spend money if not needed, and the truck runs well as is ...


Doesn't have any external air feed. Doesn't the replacement need a CARB approval number stamped on it?
yes it does. And the smog guy will fail it if it has the wrong numbers or no numbers.
 
Oddly enough, I had a similar issue on a 1995 Dodge 1500 I bought new. At about 75,000 miles if I remember correctly, I was headed to work one morning and it acted like it ran out of gas. Let it sit for a couple of minutes and it would start and I could drive about 100 yards. Limped it back home that way, thinking I would have to buy a new fuel pump. At that time, OEM was all you could get, so I had it towed to the dealership to confirm my suspicions. Lo and behold, when I called for the confirmation, they told me that everything in the cat came loose and stopped up the muffler. They told me it was covered under the emissions warranty and replaced the entire exhaust system except for the tailpipe.
 
magnablow stuff is quite pricey + since you can weld possibly a universal fit would work, but don't know about a carb #
 
My Jeep's catalytic converter broke too, but didn't impact power, just rattled a lot. I put a Magnaflow (non CARB) on it and it's fine.

But I think mine broke from off-roading, it was dented on the bottom
whistle.gif
 
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
So does this CAT have an external air feed (little tube coming in the front side)? If not, any universal fit CAT with the right dimensions will work fine. Weld it in if you can, as they get pretty hot and can work the pipe joints.

But, before I replaced an OEM CAT, I'd take it to a SMOG shop and see what it blows? Just get a "pre-test" and see what the numbers are? If they are good enough, I'd leave well enough alone. I have had two vehicles with gutted CAT's that pass smog fine
smile.gif


There is no need to spend money if not needed, and the truck runs well as is ...


^this.

My brother had a Dodge V10, drilled out bith CATs and it passed emissions for years until he traded ...
 
No cat monitor, no CEL, cat in place with correct numbers I say give it a try as is. Get the thing good and hot with a good highway drive first.
 
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