hey i have an 88 gxl that i got running recently and it has no power! it takes like a full minute to get to 45. i thought maybe the cats were clogged so i began taking off the exhaust to inspect and got lazy after i got the mufflers off. well i decided to drive it a little today and my friend following me said that at all times there were huge blue flames coming out! this kinda concerns me since the exhaust exits right next to the gas tank! well i got it back home and looked under the car and the cats were glowing like crazy. also the car doesnt idle at all i have to brake with the left foot and keep it running with the right. WHAT SHOULD I DO????

Drifter

 

yeah sounds like a cloged cat ot cats. and well now melted. i would recomend removing them and taking alarge screwdriver and a hammer to the internalls. just a thought.


ps to go to noland????

ej

 

Gut or replace the cats. Start with the first one, and work your way back. Chances are the first one let go and clogged one down stream.

 

wow what will the bashing of the insides of the cats get the power back? any special techniques to gutting?

 

Big flat head screw driver (about 2.5ft long) and a hammer. Just bash the ceramic (I think? either that or porcylene) **** until it breaks. Bash it all until there isnt anything left in the cat. When you shake it you see a bunch of dust and crap fall out the bottom. When you are done you will hear no rattling. You can even look in the openings in the cat with a flash light to make sure there is nothing left in it.

If you have to do emissions tests, go to an exhaust shop and get new cats.

 

yeah large screwdriver and larger hammer........no that i would know..............and it gets rid of all that restriction.....so you can again shoot flame!!!! which is fun when you have a riced out honda ridding your azz......

 

Throw a straight pipe on It and forget about It.

 

now i have to do an emissions test soon so should i leave them be, gut them and have fun for a bit, or should i go ahead and get the new cats?

 

You wont pass an emissions test with a bad cat. Go to an exhaust shop and tell them you need new ones. You can have them install them or you can do it yourself. What I suggest is gutting the precat and replacing the main cat with a high flow cat.

 

thats prob your best bet.

www.rx7.com has them built just for us rotary guys....

ej

 

kewl thanks guys!

 

depends if u got emmisions where u live. if not just go to a cheap exhuast shop and get all new tubing with no cats. if you cant do that. the ole hammer and pick will work just fine!!

 

Great way for gutting cats is get a wood drill bit and a drill, then just got nuts. Make sure it is the same size as the hole though and not bigger or to much smaller.

 

Take a good look first to verify pluggage before gutting them.

DON'T BREATHE THE DUST, SERIOUSLY, it's Palladium

The catalysts include:

Oxidation catalysts: Palladium (Pd) and platinum (Pt) metals in very small amounts (to keep the catalytic converter price down) convert the hydrocarbons of unburned gasoline and carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide and water.
Reduction catalysts: Palladium and rhodium (Rh) metals also in very small amounts convert the nitrogen oxide to nitrogen and oxygen. Nitrogen oxide is a big contributor to smog.

From http://www.howstuffworks.com/question482.htm

 

I hope you didn't crap an apex seal, like I did when this happened to me.

 

There is a reason the cats are clogged and the car is shooting flames. It is running way too rich. Correct this problem.