Busted cats?

[fricker66]

Ok, while doing my SHO's weekly cleanup/checkup, I noticed a white 'substance' around the gasket/connection where the cat assembly meets with the exhaust pipe/resonator. My stomach immediately sunk. What's your guys' take on this find. I plan on dropping the converters over the weekend. If I do find the white sand, any way of gauging the amount of damage done? I hate to admit this on this board but my car rarely sees anything over 3500 rpms. Will this have helped limit the damage? In trying to be positive about this, at least I have a reason to get the PP Y-pipe! Anyone got a good used one for sale?

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Frederick Ricker
89 Black/Grey w/ 80k mi
91 Slicers, 190lph pump

 

[Rich92forSHO]

Have you driven over any construction work recently? Maybe it is hardened concrete dust. What is the consistency of it? Did you have a leak at that connection? If you didn't have a leak, I doubt that it is cat sand you seeing. Is your car running rich? Have you had any recent misfiring? Has the gas mileage changed recently?

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Rich Boyd and his ol' 92
"Give me that last hp!"
"If I can afford it!"

 

[fricker66]

It's St. Louis, where isn't there construction? It's hard to get to the small amount that is around that gasket/seal so I don't really have a feel for the consistency. Car runs perfectly, 30+ mpg, mechanic put a new fuel pump in two months ago and said it was idling perfect. I guess I'll know tonight.

 

[sdpatt]

Even if the cats did turn to dust, your car doesn't have exhaust gas recirculation and therefore no way for the crumbs to get back into the engine. Whenever the exhaust valves are open there is always greater pressure inside the cylinder and flow out of the cylinder.

The SHO Shop cats on my car turned into rattling chunks of ceramic after a little more than a year on the car. That was more than 2 years ago and the engine is still running like a SHO should.


------------------
Scott

1991, 254K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, Alum SFB, SS front/rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
6 disc CD, Class II hitch, Silver award at SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[Rob94]

Thank you Scott.....that wives' tale of an engine sucking crud in from the exhaust gets so old. If an exhaust valve is open, it is on the upward stroke of the piston which pushes out not pulls in, unless you have a two-stroke engine.

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Rob
White 94MTX
K&N Filter otherwise stock

 

[fricker66]

Alright, so I've read all the wrong posts! I was sweating bullets today as I drove it ever so gingerly to work. I thought it was 'proven' that the sand would get into the engine and destroy the cylinder walls. Scott, thanks again for your advice. I take it that everyone would agree that a new pp ypipe would make for a great replacement huh? Thanks again to everyone!!

 

[sdpatt]

Originally posted by fricker66:
I take it that everyone would agree that a new pp ypipe would make for a great replacement huh? Thanks again to everyone!!

That is a big, "YES!"

Scott