Crackhead stole my catalytic converter. I'm pretty screwed here. I've never been victimized this bad before. How do I recover from this? One cut was made about an inch in front of the post-cat oxygen sensor. The pipe opening is pretty rusty and old so I don't even know if I can weld to it. I've never welded but I'm not going to pay a shop to fix this when I could buy a welder and learn to use it for the same $$$.
I'm a bit of a newb but what exhaust parts are in between the manifold and the front of the cat? Does the manifold go all the way to the front cat flange? or is there a part in between?
2002 cavalier 4 door, automatic with 2200 SFI motor, custom carputer installed.
Please help me out here. I figure my options here are to get a new cat and bolt it to the post-cat flange and then overlap weld it to the pipe coming off the manifold?, or I can get a hose from that manifold pipe long enough the reach the window.
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2002 cavalier 4 door, automatic with 2200 SFI motor, custom carputer installed.
Just go to an exhaust show and have them out a cat on. Everything is there, they just need to weld the cat in and maybe a piece of pipe.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
The more I look at the parts and the alldata instructions it seems to me the pre-cat flange is not missing it's just way up at the base of the manifold. Wouldn't it be cheapest for me to just buy a replacement cat with that long pipe and do the wrenching myself? Or like you say I can let a shop weld on a generic cat but wondering which will be cheapest.
2002 cavalier 4 door, automatic with 2200 SFI motor, custom carputer installed.
Having a shop do it will probably be cheaper. Your exhaust is what, 13 years old? I'm sure it's rusted and or seized together. The manifold will probably unbolt fine unless the bolts break but I doubt the rear will.
On the inside my car looks like a fighter jet.
So what you are saying is I shouldn't spray the post -cat flange with penetrating oil and try to loosen the bolts just to see if they will come out as it will be a bad idea and things could go even more wrong, better to just weld in a generic cat?
2002 cavalier 4 door, automatic with 2200 SFI motor, custom carputer installed.
Yes it will be much easier and probably end up being cheaper to just have a shop weld in a generic cat rather than you trying to do it yourself by hand, especially if the cut wasnt made in the right place you wont be able to just bolt up a replacement.
Buying a welder yourself and doing it might sound like a good idea but trust me welding isnt as easy as it looks, especially welding exhaust can be a PITA with rust and getting a good seal, it can be very hard to reach the top of the pipe sometimes and getting a good seal is imperitive. I mean welding IS pretty easy, but its not so easy you could just buy a welder with no experience and expect a good outcome.
Most shops will be able to weld you in a generic cat for around 100-150 bucks. Dont pay more than that. The cat can cost as little as 30$ depending on which one you get, and labor should be about 45 minutes for an experienced welder.
I called the Mieneke down the street and they said they had like 4 other cavaliers and cobalts with stolen cats. They quoted me $450. I called a couple other muffler shops and the lowest over the phone quote was $217 a couple others around $250
2002 cavalier 4 door, automatic with 2200 SFI motor, custom carputer installed.
Ur best bet would be to go to a small town shop or small job welding. Prob be the cheapest.
ReD RaiN
