Street_Knight

I hit a rock the other night, didn't see it until the last second when I had a choice between oil pan or exhaust....I went for the exhaust, spun the wheel to the left and hit what I think is the catalytic converter....but I also think I'm very wrong...

So here it is, do any of you guys have pics of a stock exhausut I could see ( I don't have a camera) and you can point out what is what down there and I can show you what I cracked........than I need help figureing out how much I'm looking to pay.

Thanks again guy's!

Rotarctica

I'll go out and take some pictures now, and then add them to this when I'm done.

Y-pipe and cat, respectively..

Sorry they are so crappy...my driveway is wet, and it's freezing *** rainy outside. I did my best. haha

Street_Knight

Awsome man, thanks much.

Street_Knight

ok....it's the second pic.....the big one. But mine is alot bigger than yours.
so what is it and how much to replace it at a shop?

Rotarctica

Catalytic converter, and you don't need to have a shop do it. I haven't *actually* looked on THIS car, but every other car I've been under (Ever) has been four bolts and it comes right out. Might be a bit stubborn though...20 years of grime and rust...

You can get cheap cats on ebay...those 'high flow' ones (no name brand, big brand copies) for around $80 I think. Do you have to pass emissions where you are...? Being in California, I'd think you would...20 years might be exempt though

NOPR

dude, the stock exhausts SUCK nowadays (up here atleast), they are all so old and crusty. you're better off starting over and getting whole new exhaust or atleast a new catback. i've personally seen 3 stock exhausts just break in half randomly, i'd never consider one to be worth fixing.

Rotarctica

Get Pace Setter!!!

Street_Knight

I have to pass emisions.......I do need a new cat though if that's what it is.....it's the big muffler looking thing closest to my exhaust manifold. Is it a cat than?

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

But they will never last. Rotarys produce crazy exhaust temps and will wreak havok on any cheap exhaust systems. For example, they can melt out glass pack in a matter of hours. The cheapest way to get it working agiain is with the bonez race pipe here: http://rx7.com/store/rx7/fcexhaust.html#Nonturbo for 160. If you want to keep the cat, the cheapest way is either get a bonez replacement cat for 250 or the bonez superflow system which replaces all of the cats for 330 from the above site. Be warned, though, the bonez stuff uses thinner flanges than higher quality products like Racing Beat and will warp due to the extreme heat causing an exhaust leak. This doesn't apply to the cats alone, only the ones that bolt up to the stock exhaust manifold (race pipe and superflow system.)
The best thing to do is to get the racing beat downpipe/presliencer combo for around 300 or the header and presilencer for 425-ish. You could also get the rb header or downpipe and a bonez cat made to fit up to them (you find the cat at the above link.) You can find the RB stuff cheaper in the f/s section a lot of times.

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Gah, just saw your most recent post. Since you need a cat, the cheapest way is to get the bonez replacement cat for 250. Thats the cheapest one I know of that will actually stand up to rotary exhaust temps. For comparison, the stock cat is 1300+ from mazdatrix, and their aftermarket replacement is 450. Since you live in cali and have a visual inspection I doubt you could pass off a header. You might get away with the rb downpipe since you cant tell a difference unless you jack up the car, but I dunno how they do it there.

ericgrau

iTrader: (1)

Ditto. Get a new cat. Cats have a limited lifespan. Unless you're selling your car soon, I wouldn't bother with a used cat any more than I'd bother with a half-used oil filter.

Here's a simple breakdown of your exhaust. In order, from the engine:
exhaust manifold
(pipe)
pre-catalytic converter
(pipe)
main catalytic converter (cracked)
Y-pipe
mufflers.

There is also heat shield surrounding various parts (unless someone removed it). I forget which. That's just thin pieces of sheet metal to keep people/things away from the hot exhaust. If that gets cracked, it doesn't matter at all.

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Just as an example, I used RTV black (700+ degree) gasket maker to help seal my exhuast from the leak around the flange of the midpipe while I was waiting for the rb downpipe to come in. When I went back under it a week later to install the dp, not only was the brand new gasket vaporized, but so was the RTV.

Street_Knight

no....in reverse....muffler, y pipe, small cat looking thing, pipe, big cat looking thing, pipe, ex. manifold I cracked the big cat one thing

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Actually since your car is an 86, it should have two precats, so its manifold - precat1 - precat2 - main cat - y-pipe, etc. The one that the guy posted is the largest cat on these cars. It sounds like you don't have a stock exhaust system to be. First of all, there are 3 "cats" on an 86, and the largest is the main cat (the one closest to the y-pipe). I'll try to dig up a pic of the stock exhaust laying out for reference.

Street_Knight

thnx man....I'm going to try and find a way to take pics

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Ok, the only "pic" I could find was in the haynes manual and my scanner is acting up so I had to take a picture with my digital camera. Anyway, that is the stock setup for your car. Which one is cracked?

Street_Knight

ok, so the main converter is what I cracked......but than it goes to a smaller one and into the y-pipe. There's no precats before the main one....but it passed 5 months ago and now I just bought it and I have to pass it again....

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

Weird. I guess get the bonez replacement cat. I'm not quite sure how it fits up with the split air pipe, though. I didn't see a fitting for it in the picture. Maybe you could call them up and ask about that.

Street_Knight

the crap part is that I just need to pass....than I want to hollow it out. would anyone recomend that?

KeloidJonesJr.

iTrader: (8)

ahhh , can't overlook the pan! you can always weld a pipe lol

Street_Knight

overlook the pan?...you mean the heat shield?.....

Street_Knight

And for the sake of not starting another thread.......would it be worth my time to do a five lug conversion?

Sideways7

iTrader: (7)

If you've got the time and access to parts for cheap, then go for it. The main benefit I can think of is the better brakes and ability to run many more aftermarket wheels.

Street_Knight

I do have access....two pick n pulls with like 13 fc's

Rotarctica

13 FCs? I hate you... I can't even locate one!