How do I........

[46mech]

I've heard a lot about losing the cat, and I've gotten myself the replacement pipe. I've already spent some time trying to remove the darn thing, but it sure is stubborn. I didn't want to damage too much stuff trying to get the cat out of there, so can I get any and all suggestions from those who have already done this, how to best do this job. I'm a pretty determined guy and I know that with enough use of the proper persuasion tool, I could get the exhaust system apart. Obviously, I'm trying to get away without destroying too much stuff that I would have to replace. Thanks

 

[illflem]

Best way is to heat the ends red with a oxy/acetylene torch then jiggle it back and forth, it will fall right apart. Next best is a sawzall, but then you lose a bit of pipe. Some people use grinders but I feel it is a butcher job. Any other method will take hours sometimes with no results.

 

[UKRugbyman77]

Which is which?

Which is the cat, and which is the resonator? Also, what are the effects of taking just one or the other - or both out?

 

[1tuffram]

Illflem,

How big of an oxy/acetylene setup do you need. I have seen at Home Depot (next to the hand held propane torches) a two bottle set-up which I think was oxy/acetylene. It comes all packaged up in a box with two small bottles and a small hand held wand. Think the box literature states can use for brazing, light cutting, etc. Just wondering if this would be big enough to do the job. I can not find anyone around these parts who will touch the cat with a 10 ft pole (emissions testing area). Meanwhile my test pipe sits collecting cobwebs.

 

[Alaskaskiff]

Don't think the 2001. 5 has a cat.

 

[merryman]

I have a commercial Victor torch; I heated the pipe a little and wiggled it; I heated it till it was HOT;I wiggled and jiggled some more; I pounded on the front of the muffler till it was bent badly; I parked my backhoe right behind the truck and ran a come-a-long from the pail pipe to the bucket on the hoe; I wiggled and I jiggled and I pounded some more all with enough pressure on the comealong to start to straighten the bend in the pipe-----------------then I got out the sawsall and it came right out, nothing to it!!!!!

The truck had only 15K miles on it and showed no rust on the pipe. They must have used good glue!

 

[LSMITH]

Tuffram, you can buy MAP gas bottles for a propane torch that will get the pipe plenty hot for a lot less money than an oxy/acetylene setup. When all else fails, GET THE HOT WRENCH!!!!!!!!

 

[illflem]

If you don't have a oxy/acetylene set or friend with one the cost probably isn't worth it. Take your rig to a welding shop, they don't care about smog rules, just make it clear that you don't want it cut off, just pulled. You can safely drive your truck home with the cat missing to install your test pipe. Map gas may work, I've never tried it.

 

[Dennis Garrett]

I had no problem getting mine off, I had a helper pull, wiggle & twist, while I laid under the truck & worked around the pipe with a hammer. Tap around the pipe where the clamp crimp is, and it will smooth it out as you go, If you're going to remove the cat media, get a cheap, 1" flat blade wood borer, about 18" long at the hardware store, and drill through it as many times as you can from both directions, break the rest out with a pipe or bar. Forget trying to break it out with a bar or pipe alone, go with the drill, It goes right through the stuff.

 

[Rammin On]

46Mech . .



PM headed your way



Keith

 

[Doc Tinker]

If you have a propane torch, go to the hardware and pick up a bottle of MAP gas, it fits the same torch head. It should do the job for you. I use the MAP torch when my oxy/acetylene torch isn't available.



Doc

 

[illflem]

Sorry Doc but I found out the hard way that if you use a torch head made for propane with map gas that the head can get red hot and melt. Best to use a head made for map gas.

 

[Doc Tinker]

Hadn't thought about that, Bill. The torch I have may be for MAP gas and it gets a propane bottle attached to it occassionally.



Home Depot has a combo - LP/MAP torch set with a bottle of each gas for $49. 00 - And there are oxy-MAP torches available for a real hot portable torch.



You should be able to get a shop to do the job for you for less than 50 clams, so if you will never use the torch again, maybe that's the way to go.



Doc

 

[SOOT]

All I did was took a 2 inch racheting tiedown strap and attached it one end to the front of the cat and the then back over the axle to the frame of the trailer hitch and started racheting. once you get it really tite start wiggling the tail section back and forth. It may take some racheting and wiggling, it only took my about 20 minutes with no damage.

 

[WCrovo]

Make it glow RED and it will fall off.

 

[gitchesum]

While I've never had to remove the cat personally, couldn't you just take a die grinder with a thin cutting wheel and slice the pipe on each side and then just pry them apart?

You could have the two slices welded together if you decide to put the cat back on.

 

[1tuffram]

Hey Doc Tinker,



I was at Home Depot and think I saw what you are talking about. What is the difference between LP/MAP and OXY/MAP?? In fact what is MAP?? As you can tell I know nothing about welding or the such. While at Home Depot I saw several choices and many different colored bottles, but none of it made sense to me as to what I would need to get the exhaust pipe hot enough to pull it apart. Most of the literature on the boxes for the 2 bottle outfits made reference to cutting brazing and light welding. The only thing I'm familiar with is the plain ol'propane torches (red bottles??).



Ilflem, never thought of a welding shop. I tried several muffler shops and ever truck repair centers. I found that the slightest notion of removing or messing with the cat they would just ask me to leave, saying they could not help me. I even asked to heat the cat ends and pull it apart and reinstall without tightening the clamps. I was told "Since I know your intent I can't help you". People here have had the fear of god put in them about tampering with a cat, mummbling something about they don't want to get slapped with a several thousand dollar fine and thier shop closed. I have my annual emission testing in January, after that I will look into this matter again.

 

[Doc Tinker]

1tuffram - you can go here and read what BerzOMatic says about MAPP gas. I think the correct name is MAPP



The LP/MAPP package is just a torch that will use either the LP gas bottle [or] the MAPP bottle. The package includes a bottle of each. The Oxy/MAPP package will incude both gasses but you use the two together.



LP is hot

MAPP is hot

oxy/MAPP is HOT

oxy/acetylene is HOT