Need a cat. conv.? Advice needed

[radonc73]

I recently purchased a 1997 Dodge Ram and from what I read on the 'net that my converter is clogged. I bought it cheap and really don't want to put a whole lot of $ into it. I have replaced the TPS already and it runs good for about 20 minutes then it starts backfiring and losing power to where I sometimes don't think I will make it up the hill but when I floor it it comes alive after sputtering and hacking. It has 225,000 on it also.
Thanks for any help or about how much a muffler shop will charge.

 

[sgtonory]

A clogged converter would run like crap once your floor it. I would have it checked for back pressure before i put a converter on it. And you can always cut it off and just put in a "test pipe" witch is just a piece of exhaust.

 

[donnie1581]

A clogged converter would run like crap once your floor it. I would have it checked for back pressure before i put a converter on it. And you can always cut it off and just put in a "test pipe" witch is just a piece of exhaust.

Definitely. It's not hard to just hack it off and splice a piece of exhaust pipe in place of the converter. That will eliminate the possibility of that being the issue.

 

[88GT]

Definitely. It's not hard to just hack it off and splice a piece of exhaust pipe in place of the converter. That will eliminate the possibility of that being the issue.

Not hard at all. That's also the solution for stolen cats.

 

[radonc73]

I will have to cut and splice. If I didn't have to pass emissions I would just cut it out and leave it but, I suppose I have time. When I floor it it is a dog until it shoots up to about 3500-4g. I have some sawing coming up this weekend. I guess loud pipes save lives,

 

[bobbittle]

I had similar problems in a prior car I owned, o2 sensor was bad.

 

[Mosinguy]

I had similar problems in a prior car I owned, o2 sensor was bad.

This, or if it has an EGR check that. My dad's EGR is clogged up and his Malibu runs like poop. Autozone will run the codes for you for free. I believe a 97 does have a computer.

 

[radonc73]

I will stop by autozone and have them run the codes, sounds like I need to get an O2 sensor anyway, kill 2 birds with one stone. I may pickup the EGR valve while I am there. Start with the cheaper parts and move on up to the Cat. I guess. Cars were so much better before all this emissions crap or I may just try for a 10,000 lb plate next year.

 

[85t5mcss]

Take out the O2 sensor that is before the cat. Start it and run it. Yes it will have an exhaust leak and yes it will throw a code. But this is a way to test for a clogged catalytic converter. I doubt you have a back pressure gauge so this is a good check. It will run rich with no O2, but it's only a temporary check anyways.

 

[JB357Mag]

Take out the O2 sensor that is before the cat. Start it and run it. Yes it will have an exhaust leak and yes it will throw a code. But this is a way to test for a clogged catalytic converter. I doubt you have a back pressure gauge so this is a good check. It will run rich with no O2, but it's only a temporary check anyways.

This is correct^^^^^^^^

Also if its clogged and u dont deal with it you can end up with eng
dammage.

Jimmy

 

[threefiftyfour]

if you pull the original cat off and clean out all of the honeycomb in it, you can put it back on, as long as you don't have an after cat O2 sensor. If you have one, you will have to fix the cat, but it sounds more like an egr issue to me.

 

[radonc73]

Well I pulled the O2 sensor out, drove it like 35 miles and it ran great. I have not put the O2 sensor back in yet b/c I just got back. I will update when possible. Is it legal to just leave it the way it is until I need to get my plates next year?

 

[jkaetz]

I will have to cut and splice. If I didn't have to pass emissions I would just cut it out and leave it but, I suppose I have time. When I floor it it is a dog until it shoots up to about 3500-4g. I have some sawing coming up this weekend. I guess loud pipes save lives,

This could be a bad maf or map sensor depending on which the truck has. Under wide open throttle, the sensor will be ignored and usually run in what is called open loop mode. Thus poorly running under light throttle but ok after you floor it. These should throw up a check engine light though. If you want to test, it's another case of unplug it and see what happens. The engine won't be as efficient without the sensors plugged in but should run no problem.

Well I pulled the O2 sensor out, drove it like 35 miles and it ran great. I have not put the O2 sensor back in yet b/c I just got back. I will update when possible. Is it legal to just leave it the way it is until I need to get my plates next year?

No, you really want to fix the root problem if it is a clogged cat.

 

[85t5mcss]

Go ahead and bust the honeycomb element out of the cataclysmic converter (cadillac converter, catatonic converter...) and reinstall it. It will run and drive and as you get the means to repair it, then do. FWIW, they do make O2 sensor simulators to plug in where the rear O2 goes to prevent problems from the hollow cat.

 

[Leo]

I had a local muffler shop install an aftermarket Cat converter. It was about 1/5 th the money of a replacement from Dodge. It worked fine. I had another problem also, some of the stuffings from the original converter got blown into the muffler and partially plugged it up also. I had no problem passing the emissions test after the new exhaust system was installed. Good Luck

 

[remauto1187]

I had a local muffler shop install an aftermarket Cat converter. It was about 1/5 th the money of a replacement from Dodge. It worked fine. I had another problem also, some of the stuffings from the original converter got blown into the muffler and partially plugged it up also. I had no problem passing the emissions test after the new exhaust system was installed. Good Luck

The inside of the cat has platinum in it. Worth a decent chunk of change at the salvage yard.
If your truck has a 02 sensor(s) before and after the cat, the one(s) before IS THE ONLY ONE(s) that is used as an input to the engine computer for adjustment of air to fuel mixture (Fuel Injector Pulse Width). The one(s) after the cat are just there to tell you that your cat is going bad. They will not keep your engine from running and are only used to tell the check engine light to come on (Computer throws a bad cat code).
Quickest way to tell a cat is bad is just to hit it with an IR Thermogun and if its temp is substantially higher than the rest of the exhaust then it is bad. A clogged cat WILL burn an exhaust valve(s).

 

[tom1025]

I had the same problem with my 97 Ram with the 5.9. The O2 sensor was bad. You should also check your ground wire. Dodge had a recall on it. My truck would do all kinds of weird stuff whenever the ground wire is going bad.

 

[sepe]

I recently purchased a 1997 Dodge Ram and from what I read on the 'net that my converter is clogged. I bought it cheap and really don't want to put a whole lot of $ into it. I have replaced the TPS already and it runs good for about 20 minutes then it starts backfiring and losing power to where I sometimes don't think I will make it up the hill but when I floor it it comes alive after sputtering and hacking. It has 225,000 on it also.
Thanks for any help or about how much a muffler shop will charge.

I have a 96 Ram 5.9l 4x4. Over the summer I had to have the converter, muffler, and a section of pipe replaced. It was under $350. I think the muffler/install was about $70 of that.

 

[neeltburn]

With doors closed, cycle the key on/ off on/off on without starting it, you have to dO did quick but if there are any stored OBDii codes stored in the ECM they will display in the odometer . P#### is power train
B#### is body

It may help you, but I would guess. O 2 sensor.