Re: Exhaust & cat trouble (oh @#!&$!**)

[Elliott Potter <epotter@abraxis.com>]

>
>First, I've now got a badly-rattling cat. Sounds like a coffee
>can full of 1" ball-bearings on a paint mixer... Does this
>signal impending death or is it just a irritating (to the driver)?

Usually signals impending death, sorry.  (but read on, you may be in
luck)

>I haven't bothered to check the price of one of these suckers,
>but I have a feeling that I really don't want to know...

No, you really don't.

>Second, looks like there's some trouble brewing at the
>joints at the rear of the cats and the rest of the exhaust.
>
>The cats and pipes each have a triangular flang, which
>bolt together (perhaps with a gasket in between?). It
>looks like these joints are starting to seperate: there's
>carbon all over them and the underside of the body
>in the general area. It also has that unmistakable sound
>of a hole in the system...

Now you may be in luck!  Could it be that the noise you hear is just
your cat coming unbolted?  If so, then it would be no problem to secure
it (well not much of a problem anyway) and avoid spending $$$ on a new
cat...

>Has anyone else had any trouble in this area with a V6-engined
>car?

I haven't had this kind of trouble yet, though it does sound like I have
a small hole somewhere in my exhaust system.

Is your car less than 50,000 miles?  Are you in the US?

If so, you may be in luck--check out the little warranty booklet that
came with the car.  There is a federally mandated 5-year 50,000 mile
warranty on the emmisions system; anything that fails in this period
that would make you fail an emissions test must be replaced under
warranty.  Check it out!  You may save yourself lotsa money!

HTH,

Elliott

Thanks,
- -Chris