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Melted Down my CAT!

846 views 23 replies 13 participants last post by  Hi-Risk 
#1 ·
Last august I installed an Edellbrock Shorty header and Crane Stage 3 Cams. Shortly after(1 month) I noticed that I wasn't getting any throttle response. I took it to Ford and they couldn't diagnose it. It seemed like the exhaust was clogged, so I took my CAT off and sure enough all the s*** was stuck at the bottom. The
thing had collapsed inside.
I'm curious if anyone had the same thing happen? I find it odd that after one month a header and a cam swap would melt down a cat.
 
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#5 ·
Originally posted by tdot-zx3:
Mines in the process of doing that ..

I get that noise popcorn sound when i push the throttle .. all the pieces moving around.
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Do Yourself a favour and take out your CAT and empty it. Use a crowbar to break up all the pieces. Its the cheapest free flow exhaust until you have to do your emissions test.(unless you know someone) Ford wanted $720CDN + 15% just for the cat. So I got a custum down pipe made to replace the CAT.
 
#8 ·
I've heard of some people whose headers ate the random tech cat too. Civic Eater how are those headers holding up I want to order a pair? Did they come with the heat sheild?
 
#9 ·
Just drop the cat! Just ORP or RACE HEADER that ****!
 
#10 ·
I ran through the same thing you did, I also have the Edelbrock shorty. Ford drove with me, had their little hand held plugged into the ECU as my constipated car putted around, and said they could not find the problem for the power loss. I told them that it had to be the cat, and they laughed at me. Well, went to a buddy's garage, and took the sucker off, and it was totally melted down with chunks of ceramic. Took it back to ford, and they honored the warranty, and ordered me a new cat and installed. I promtly took it off, and put in the racing pipe I have been wanting with the O2 cheater.
You problem is not uncommon with shorty headers, lots of other cats have fried for the same reason. Good Luck.
 
#11 ·
I took mine to the Dealership, they put sensors at the pipes and measured the output... since my Header is CARB certified that means it is emissione legal which means the Stock cat HAS to work with it... Warranty Baby!

'cept my cat wasn't melted enough yet...
 
#13 ·
Originally posted by Stap Boy:
I took mine to the Dealership, they put sensors at the pipes and measured the output... since my Header is CARB certified that means it is emissione legal which means the Stock cat HAS to work with it... Warranty Baby!

'cept my cat wasn't melted enough yet...
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">What header do you have?
 
#14 ·
Originally posted by Stap Boy:
I took mine to the Dealership, they put sensors at the pipes and measured the output... since my Header is CARB certified that means it is emissione legal which means the Stock cat HAS to work with it... Warranty Baby!

'cept my cat wasn't melted enough yet...
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Exactly my point on my cat swap under warranty, show ford the Carb Certified card you got with the Edelbrock. You should have also received a sticker for the same, that I stuck inside my door where the mfgr plate is. If they still want to give you problems, the side of the header has a plate, also saying carb certified. They have to honor the warranty on the cat. If they still give you crap, mention the Magnison Act, and tell them you are calling regional customer service. You may have to take off the Cat like I did and put it in their face, then there will be no doubt. Call their bluff!


[ 03-27-2003, 08:48 AM: Message edited by: 1BadEgg ]
 
#15 ·
Originally posted by 1BadEgg:
</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Originally posted by Stap Boy:
I took mine to the Dealership, they put sensors at the pipes and measured the output... since my Header is CARB certified that means it is emissione legal which means the Stock cat HAS to work with it... Warranty Baby!

'cept my cat wasn't melted enough yet...
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Exactly my point on my cat swap under warranty, show ford the Carb Certified card you got with the Edelbrock. You should have also received a sticker for the same, that I stuck inside my door where the mfgr plate is. If they still want to give you problems, the side of the header has a plate, also saying carb certified. They have to honor the warranty on the cat. If they still give you crap, mention the Magnison Act, and tell them you are calling regional customer service. You may have to take off the Cat like I did and put it in their face, then there will be no doubt. Call their bluff!
</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Thank You.
 
#16 ·
mine woulda been under warrenty but a ford engineer decided to take a look at my car....so dice on the replacement cat for free...so i just bought a random tech...i completely understand fords reason for not wanting to honor it...i mean it had 90% of the stock exhaust system replaced (all but cat)
 
#17 ·
Hi all just a question why does the factory CAT cook and melt down whether with header or stock exhaust header. I mean I have owned a mountain of cars over years mostly Fords and I had some with high miles and still never replacing cat. What is it that it can not take the heat????

Had 2001 ZX3/5sp CAT went under 10k with FC header then was lemoned at 12k with many other issues too numerous to list.

Stay focused


02/LG/ZTS/ATX
 
#18 ·
i pose the same question.
 
#19 ·
Originally posted by Civic Eater:

Do Yourself a favour and take out your CAT and empty it. Use a crowbar to break up all the pieces. Its the cheapest free flow exhaust until you have to do your emissions test.(
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">You're not serious are you?


You do know, that will perform worse than a stock CAT, right?

- Drew
 
#20 ·
Originally posted by Zetec-S:
Hi all just a question why does the factory CAT cook and melt down whether with header or stock exhaust header. I mean I have owned a mountain of cars over years mostly Fords and I had some with high miles and still never replacing cat. What is it that it can not take the heat????

Had 2001 ZX3/5sp CAT went under 10k with FC header then was lemoned at 12k with many other issues too numerous to list.

Stay focused


02/LG/ZTS/ATX
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">i think its because the aftermarket headers are stainless steal instead of cast iron and the aftermarket headers probably transfer more head to the cat
 
#21 ·
HOLD UP!

Just cuz one dealer is nice and honors (honours for the Northern Friends) the warranty... DOES NOT MEAN that they will replace it if you're running a CARB Legal header. If its not a stock header... they are under NO OBLIGATION to replace it.

Basically any and all aftermarket headers run hot... which is what melts the cat. Sucks I know but thats the way it is. Get a RT High Flo if you wanna be environmental. Get a certified statement from the dealer that your cat has failed! In CA, and elsewhere you can't legally put on an aftermarket cat for the first 5 years unless the stock fails. You need the doc to say that its OK to replace the cat with aftermarket.

Me? I'm gonna run race header and keep the stock system for when the smog notice comes!
 
#24 ·
Originally posted by methodmotorworks.net:
if you just add an exhaust but leave the stock header and the cat alone will that make the cat go out as well. im just wondering cause i am going to add an exhaust soon
<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Even cars with a full stock setup...them stock Ford cats...dem suckaz still fail!
 
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