How Hard to Replace Catalytic Converter?

[HooptyREX]

I'm really poor, and my mechanic told me that my CAT was bad.

How hard would it be to install the cat myself. I just called a muffler shop and was told that it will need a direct fit for $230. The going price seems to be 199-350.


I have a loopy idle, the car was shaking like mad, it died, and my tail pipe burnt my back bumper. I was able to drive it back from the mechanic, and I just hit the gas in my driveway and all this dark grit started to spray out the pipe. Beside the loopy idle, and tendency to get jump at real low speeds, it runs ok.

[Dc4iNtEgRa]

Jack, jackstands, PB blaster, 12mm wrench or 14mm, 14mm or 12mm socket wrench, 5 bolts. 30 minutes. Undo the hangers at the resonator. Done.

[DCRB]

he's right as long as the cat's stock it's that simple. just do it in lots of open air, pb blaster STINKS and will give you a fat headache if you don't ventilate the area. but yeah stock cats are just bolt on.

[ys1civicsi]

If you are as poor as you claim, you can just bang it out hollow for the time being. basically just take the cat off and start banging a metal pipe through the honeycomb like material. Your choice but if I was flat broke I would bang it out for the time being and then put it back on.

[radex7]

Yup, it is pretty easy. I put a direct-fit Magnaflow i got from http://www.performancepeddler....22635 in my hatch, the only problem I head was that the flare flange on the new cat was not as wide as it should have been but I took care of it by using longer bolts. if you do not have an extra hand you can use a piece of wire to hang things down there while you are fitting things. oh, and wear eye protection! Dirt, grime, rust, you name it it is there why take chances. Good luck.

[aptyk88]

+1 thats what i did on my bros car

[Black4thgenEF]

You might want to buy a set of replacement bolts and gaskets before you start the job. Every time I take off a cat, the bolts break -- you might not have that problem in the south though. If they end up not breaking, you can always return the parts.

[D16Z6racing]

Originally Posted by HooptyREX

How hard would it be to install the cat myself. I just called a muffler shop and was told that it will need a direct fit for $230. The going price seems to be 199-350.

How much of this is the part and how much is the labor?

It should take around 15 minutes with all the tools laid out and ready to go. The last CatCon I bought was an aftermarket one from Napa for $102.00 and I passed emissions every time after it was installed.

[Ass$nyper]

Originally Posted by Dc4iNtEgRa

Jack, jackstands, PB blaster, 12mm wrench or 14mm, 14mm or 12mm socket wrench, 5 bolts. 30 minutes. Undo the hangers at the resonator. Done.

I'd add in bolts and gaskets and don't forget.



But to be fair that should be assumed when touching a car for upgrades or maintaining it.

[VTECHSiLO]

U WANT DO iT UR SELF?

[Dc4iNtEgRa]

Originally Posted by Ass$nyper

I'd add in bolts and gaskets and don't forget.



But to be fair that should be assumed when touching a car for upgrades or maintaining it.

I thought the studs, nuts and new gaskets came with the cat? I allways have a beer when working on my car. As long as he's over 21, or can steal his dads beer, thats cool too, just no joy riding afterwords.

[hatcht9x]

While we are on the subject.. Where can you buy a good cat for our cars? I looked on eBay but they are almost all "High Flow" or 'test' pipes.. And I need something that will pass smog.. and Im thinking the high flows wont burn up enough of whatever thay burn up..

thanks guys..

BTW.. I have a custom exhaust.. (welded in) so it doesnt have to be an exact length..

[Ass$nyper]

Originally Posted by Dc4iNtEgRa

I thought the studs, nuts and new gaskets came with the cat? I allways have a beer when working on my car. As long as he's over 21, or can steal his dads beer, thats cool too, just no joy riding afterwords.

Depends on cat really.

Originally Posted by hatcht9x

While we are on the subject.. Where can you buy a good cat for our cars? I looked on eBay but they are almost all "High Flow" or 'test' pipes.. And I need something that will pass smog.. and Im thinking the high flows wont burn up enough of whatever thay burn up..

thanks guys..

BTW.. I have a custom exhaust.. (welded in) so it doesnt have to be an exact length..

magna flow and catco are CARB and 50 state ok

[1phatEG8]

yeah its pretty simple to change, but as said earlier, if you really are broke just hollow it out. I just helped a friend do his on a H22 prelude, it ran alot better, but it was really clogged. Just make sure to bust up all the honeycomb and knock it all out.

[rbwdriven]

only issue is if it is a dx. the cat is infront of the engine instead of under the car. Not really a direct replacement cheap.

easier to put one under the car.

if it is a dx I might have a cat for it.

Depends on where you live in atlanta. I'm in the big town of woodstock. If you are near me I could look at it and tell you what you need. I work in norcross near gwinnett mall. depends on your location I can have a look see and tell you what actually is wrong.

Plus look on import atlanta under car clubs and crews (ef squad) good bunch of guys local.

Richard

[hatcht9x]

Originally Posted by Ass$nyper

Depends on cat really.

magna flow and catco are CARB and 50 state ok

thanks man!

[1phatEG8]

a DX has a cat infront of the motor, not under it? i've never heard of that, or seen it.

[HooptyREX]

Thank you for all the suggestions.

I wish I could hollow the cat out and put in a tube, but I have to get my emissions test done by Saturday. They don't check to see if everything is stock in GA, but I don't know if those cheap performance carbs on ebay would block out enough toxins.

Here's one problem that I have:

My car is a DX that has a SOHC ZC non-vtec, it's basically a DA16A6 with a slightly more aggressive cam. Does that change anything?

[Da Kydd]

Hey JBWDRIVEN,
Can you check out my 91 Accord? I can meet you in the old theater parking lot infront of Frys Electronics. I failed my emmissions last month and have until Sat to take the re-test. I failed the NOx and I have purchased an new oxygen sensor that I was trying to test today but the car went dead on the jack due to no gas getting from the tank to the engine and now my batt is too low to start. So I will be taking it to Wal-Mart tommorrow for a replacement. I would like someone to check out the cat converter to see if it need replacing as well. I got an Code 1 on the diagnostice test (which is an oxygen problem) and started to replace the O2 sensor first. You can call an leave a message on my office line @ 6) 740-9424. I'm located in L'Ville.

[D16SiHatch]

this thread is over 2 years old...

if you need help you'd be better off starting your own

[hatchet_honda]

Originally Posted by HooptyREX

I'm really poor, and my mechanic told me that my CAT was bad.

How hard would it be to install the cat myself. I just called a muffler shop and was told that it will need a direct fit for $230. The going price seems to be 199-350.


I have a loopy idle, the car was shaking like mad, it died, and my tail pipe burnt my back bumper. I was able to drive it back from the mechanic, and I just hit the gas in my driveway and all this dark grit started to spray out the pipe. Beside the loopy idle, and tendency to get jump at real low speeds, it runs ok.

a good cat is gonna cost over 100 bucks...but if you are indeed pooor then as stated just unbolt the cat...and hollow out the inside with a pipe or something. only do this if you dont have emissions to worry about. im using 2 cats on my b16. emissions testing sucks!!!

[BiG ChOr!Zo]

anybody got a pic of the stock cat mounted...trying to put my bolts on correctly since im not the one who removed them and it rattles...!!!

[SuicideError]

isnt it just two bolts?? thats what i can see on mine. btw its gutted

[BiG ChOr!Zo]

is there supposed to be a gasket between the cat and the downpipe...!!!

edit:
nevermind there is supposed to be one and i found the pic i was looking for:

[SuicideError]

im not sure. i only took it off from the closest part to the cat. didnt see anything nor did i pay attention to check and see.
It is kinda tapered so it fits into each other, not sure if that makes a difference.
i do get cel 1 all the time(or at least i think its cel 1) even after i replaced the o2 sensor.