Rattling cats

[jasonh]

Can anything be done to stop them from rattling without replacing them? I'm saving up for all new exhaust and don't want to spend money fixing something thats just gonna be replaced in a month or so.

I was thinking about cutting them off and replacing them with straight pipes for now but the drivers side looks like it won't work, there is a bend right before the converter.
Another option I considered was to buy a Mustang catted X pipe now and install it. Will it bolt to the stock manifolds and Y pipe?

Anyone got any ideas :confused:

[gadget73]

Is it just the heat sheilds rattling? If its just those, you can rip them off.

[jasonh]

No its the cats.

[91 LTD]

If the rattling is coming from inside the cat sounds to me like the ceramic element inside is toast.

[91 LTD]

Me too

Now Im thinking that since Im not due for emmissions in a while if it turns out my cats are bad I want to gut or remove them and spend the money elsewhere. Advice would be appreciated.

[Pimp Hard Or Bust]

my cat used to rattle, really bad

but it stopped one day

i think it was from getting it hot and driving through deep water. cause it rained that week hard.

[88Vic]

Why do the cats need a heat shield? Why are they so much hotter than the rest of the exhaust?

[91 LTD]

Why do the cats need a heat shield? Why are they so much hotter than the rest of the exhaust?

Not to be a dick or anything but it's called google, use it. JK, here's your answer: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question66.htm The cats heat these gasses up (hotter than the exhaust) in an attempt to burn them off and reduce pollution.

[jasonh]

Please stop stealing my thread

[91 LTD]

Sorry

[88Vic]

Not to be a dick or anything but it's called google, use it. JK, here's your answer: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/question66.htm The cats heat these gasses up (hotter than the exhaust) in an attempt to burn them off and reduce pollution.

Yes, that I knew, but why is there a need for a heat shield on the bottom? There isn't anything underneath the cats that they could burn. Off topic, but is it theoretically possible to use enough cats to completly filter all harmful emissions without killing the engine?

[turbo2256b]

if its inside the cats the brick is coming appart. It will get in your mufflers eventually and plug them up. Happend to me was about to try to do it to Creamy had to many rips and holes in the exhaust. First time it destroyed two 3 month old mufflers.

[fomoco01]

Id gut those cats rather than remove and ad straight pipes. That may be kind of a bitch. Do you have to pass emissions test? I guess you would have to remove them either way but at least by reusing them you know they will match back up. I havent a clue about the Mustang pipe

[85crownHPP]

heat shields are for the floor pans and tall grass.