Catalytic converter question

[Green97TJ]

Hey, just a quick question about removing the cat on a jeep. I know several of ya with YJ's have either removed or hollowed out the cat, does it hurt anything to do it on a TJ? i think mine may be partly plugged, but i cant afford to replace it. But on the other hand i dont want to remove it and screw something up.

97 4cyl

thanks

Nathan

PS: I dont have to worry about inspections, we dont have them here

 

[TwistedCU]

Baseball

Take a BFH and beat the heck out of it, dumping the busted guts out of it, then put it back on.

Problem solved.

 

[_(OIIIIO)_Jeeper]

I have a 97 TJ 4-banger also...your "cat" has a sensor in it, so removing it would prob screw up the computer and make it run like sh*t........

 

[Green97TJ]

I have a 97 TJ 4-banger also...your "cat" has a sensor in it, so removing it would prob screw up the computer and make it run like sh*t........

Thats the kind of thing im worried about... any personal experience on a TJ? anybody?

Nathan

 

[Snitty]

summit racing has o2 sensor simulators... just a cap you toss on the downstream o2 sensor that says all is well

 

[graewulf]

Hey, just a quick question about removing the cat on a jeep. I know several of ya with YJ's have either removed or hollowed out the cat, does it hurt anything to do it on a TJ?thanks

Nathan

yes, it hurts something! the environment! they are installed for a very good reason, to keep the air breathable for our grand kids! do the right thing, replace it. Don't be a jerk and intentionally screw up the environment just because you are trying to save a few bucks.. and as for it being plugged up.. that's pretty hard to do with a modern CAT.... they usually outlast the vehicle unless physically damaged in some way.

Sorry, i'm no eco-terrorist, but people intentionally screwing things up for the rest of us really irks me....

 

[hi_c]

I would replace it if you can, but if not, no biggie. Just take it out and replace it with a piece of straight pipe. Our kids will figure out a way to deal with the environment in 30 years. Necessity is the mother of invention. They will learn to deal with it.

C

 

[Green97TJ]

Transmission?

I dont want to argue with ya graewulf, but i just wanna clear this up. Its not that im just trying to save a few bucks, its just that i simply CANNOT afford it. Ive got tuition, room and board, and books that i need the money for, plus i need a new soft top and i always need gas. Yea, id rather just replace it, but i simply cant right now. As far as screwing the enviornment goes, which is going to hurt it worse, running without the cat, or having to use a crapload more gas if the thing is killing my gas mileage.

Again, not trying to start fight, i just want you to know that im not some ignorant jackass that doesnt care about the enviornment. Its just a matter of what i can and cant afford right now.

Nathan

 

[graewulf]

Whats my JEEP worth???

Our kids will figure out a way to deal with the environment in 30 years. Necessity is the mother of invention. They will learn to deal with it.

C

that is truly a sad statement.....

 

[graewulf]

I dont want to argue with ya graewulf, but i just wanna clear this up. Its not that im just trying to save a few bucks, its just that i simply CANNOT afford it. Ive got tuition, room and board, and books that i need the money for, plus i need a new soft top and i always need gas. Yea, id rather just replace it, but i simply cant right now. As far as screwing the enviornment goes, which is going to hurt it worse, running without the cat, or having to use a crapload more gas if the thing is killing my gas mileage.

Again, not trying to start fight, i just want you to know that im not some ignorant jackass that doesnt care about the enviornment. Its just a matter of what i can and cant afford right now.

Nathan

question for you.. what makes you think it's plugged up? if you're driving a 97 it shouldn't be plugged up at all unless you sank it in mud and turned the engine off.. and even then it probably wouldnt be plugged up. the CAT on most modern (manufactured in the last 20 years or so) vehicles is designed to last in excess of 500,000 miles under normal operation. If your gas mileage is poor (less than 17MPG), then you may have other problems such as dirty plugs, filters, cap/rotor, etc.. Just as a comparison, I know of numerous vehicles with well over 300,000 on them and the original CAT. One of them is a 94 XJ. If you're getting around 17MPG or so, that seems to be pretty common for a stock jeep with some mileage on it, and if you're lifted, you will probably get less.

 

[indiemo]

I have a 97 TJ and the guts of my cat completely rotted out and plugged up the exhaust around 73000 miles. It has aftermarket cat back and header so I don't know if that had something to do with it or what. But I replaced it with an $80 high flow piece that I got from a local mod shop. The thing was about half the size of the original, and I had to weld a sleeve to it to hold the O2 sensor, but it gets the job done and keeps me legal for cheap.

 

[Green97TJ]

Tube Chassis

I have heard that the early TJ's had a problem with the converters going bad. That and the loss of power and gas mileage is what makes me think that it may be bad. As far as plugs wires etc, it hasnt been that long since ive replaced those. It could very well be the ignition coil, which i plan on replacing before do anything to the exhaust to be sure.

As far as 17 mpg, trust me id love to see 17. I generally see 13 or 14. Sometimes worse. And thats on a totally stock jeep. The only mod ive done is a K&N drop in filter, which if anything should help the mileage.

Nathan

 

[bryanjeep]

Dude, ditch the converter. They are pointless little horsepower robbers.

 

[currupt4130]

i dunno if you dont have the money to spend, theres like a 2000 dollar fine in virginia if your caught without one, so think of that compared to your gas mileage and weigh out what you wanna do, kinda hard to get caught tho really...

 

[_(OIIIIO)_Jeeper]

I had to replace my Cat @ 60K miles(under warranty) and the guys at the local Jeep dealership had one hell of a time getting the "honeycomb" out of my muffler that had broken loose from the cat and made its way there. Warranty would not replace the muffler. Have 109K+ now..still going strong!
Moral to this story is: YES>CATS DO GO BAD!

 

[TwistedCU]

yes, it hurts something! the environment! they are installed for a very good reason, to keep the air breathable for our grand kids! do the right thing, replace it. Don't be a jerk and intentionally screw up the environment just because you are trying to save a few bucks.. and as for it being plugged up.. that's pretty hard to do with a modern CAT.... they usually outlast the vehicle unless physically damaged in some way.

Sorry, i'm no eco-terrorist, but people intentionally screwing things up for the rest of us really irks me....

I'm sorry Grae, but I can't take that seriously. There's a factory at the entrance of the Francis Scott Key Bridge here in MD that makes the air so thick you need headlights to get through at times. Their solution is a catalytic converter on my Jeep?!?!? Gimme a break. Those things are political gadgets and their impact on the environment is meaningless. It's Big governments way of taking the cost of pleasing environmentalists away from manufacturers and to the wallets of consumers.

GUT THE CAT!!!

 

[XJNick]

Our kids will figure out a way to deal with the environment in 30 years. They will learn to deal with it.

C

< mini rant >

Wow, what a statement!
Lets be sure and screw it up now, who the hell cares since it's not our problem :roll: :x :roll: Geez. how can you say that?

I wouldn't think of removing the catalytic converter or any other emission related device from a vehicle I drive.... The Internal combustion engine's emissions are bad enough even with all the modern emission control systems in working order

It will always amaze me how little some people care for our environment

</ Mini rant >

-Nick :!:

 

[88Wrangles]

I would have to agree Twisted. In my opinion, catalitic converters are pointless, and should not ever be put on vehicles. It's not like the cat and the muffler are actually keeping corbon monoxide from coming out of your vehicle and into the air. All that they really do is lower the sound levels.

 

[Junkpile]

yes, it hurts something! the environment! they are installed for a very good reason, to keep the air breathable for our grand kids! do the right thing, replace it. Don't be a jerk and intentionally screw up the environment just because you are trying to save a few bucks.. and as for it being plugged up.. that's pretty hard to do with a modern CAT.... they usually outlast the vehicle unless physically damaged in some way.

Sorry, i'm no eco-terrorist, but people intentionally screwing things up for the rest of us really irks me....

I'm sorry Grae, but I can't take that seriously. There's a factory at the entrance of the Francis Scott Key Bridge here in MD that makes the air so thick you need headlights to get through at times. Their solution is a catalytic converter on my Jeep?!?!? Gimme a break. Those things are political gadgets and their impact on the environment is meaningless. It's Big governments way of taking the cost of pleasing environmentalists away from manufacturers and to the wallets of consumers.

GUT THE CAT!!!

Exactly.
Gut it, or just remove it if there is no inspection to deal with.

 

[TwistedCU]

bingo. Attacking pollution by installing catalytic converters is like trying to beat up someone with a feather duster.