95 Jeep Wrangler (YJ) Question...

[cshold]

A what would you do about this problem question.
The honeycomb in the cat converter broke loose and is rattling and making an awful racket.
Would you spend a quoted $400.00 to replace it?
Do as a friend suggested and pull it off, rod the guts out of it, and reinstall it.
6 what say you?

[wm]

I'd replace it.

[stretch]

My reply got eaten, so we'll try again!

Do you have to pass an emissions inspection?
Sixgun will know the regs in PA better than I.

If not, rod the guts out and reinstall. I don't think
that there are any sensors downstream of the cat,
so it won't affect the computer. It'll breathe a little
better, and it'll be a wee bit noisier, which you may
or may not like.

There's no denying that it will free up $400 bucks to
spend on Jeep or shootin' goodies, though!

-Stretch

[Sixgun]

When "old Yeller", my 89 YJ was about 3 years old, (my son was the first owner....I bought it twice..long story) he drove all of the junk out of the converter. When I bought it off of him, in '96, I took the stupid empty converter off and put a piece of pipe in it's place.

There's nothing at all left in the way of smog anywhere on the motor. That's why it runs so good.

Here's the trick in Pennsylvania.......if you drive it less than 5,000 miles a year, you do not need to have it smog inspected. You get an exempt sticker, which is next to the regular sticker on the windshield. In the early years of me owning it, I drove the Jeep to 4,500 miles, then disconnected the speedometer and drove it until inspection time, then connected it a few days before. I now drive two Jeeps and do not have to do it anymore. In fact, between my 2 Jeeps and my wife's Jeep we barely total 8,000 miles.

I only work a mile away and my wife has no life and sits around the house or drives two houses down to her sisters. Her jeep is three years old and just turned over 6,000 miles.

If a cop wants to be a real pelosi, and he decides to look over your jeep and sees the stuff removed, he can tell you to "leave it there and it's going to be towed". Plus, the inspection station can be fined for putting on the exempt sticker. But...I've got plenty of good old boys who take care of me.-----6

[cshold]

The only emissions that get tested on my 95 is the gas cap.
No tube up the pipe check for a 95.
The guy that told me to gut it and put it back on said it just has to visibly be there for inspection.
The only O2 censor on the Jeep is just down wind of the manifold.

[Sixgun]

Yea, your county is different than mine. Little tougher here in the eastern sector. ----6

[horsesoldier03]

In KS, we do not have vehicle inspections. I would likely take it to the muffler shop and have a good muffler and tailpipe installed with no converter. Just noticed your comment on it had to be visible for inspection. GUT IT!

[Blaine]

A stiff dose of 100% IPA in not much gas will usually trick the test....that's what my old work did when a old one wouldn't pass.....

[stretch]

I knew Sixgun would know the letter of the law!

While I grew up in Pa., it's been a LONG time since
I had a vehicle inspected there.

Up here in Maine, we have no emissions inspection, so
as long as there is a catalytic convert-shaped object in
the correct place, you're good to go. They don't check whether
or not there's anything inside.

-Stretch

[Mich Hunter]

I had the same year jeep and issue as you. I also had it happen in my beater 97 Grand Cherokee. Their are 50 state legal low profile cats that are threaded and allow for the down stream O2 sensor. These can be had on line for under $100 all day long. That or I would just straight pipe it. However, you may throw a code if you unplug the O2 sensor.

[OldWin]

OBD 1 diagnostics can sometimes be quirky and a little tougher to diagnose.........right Six?


As long as you have no downstream (behind the converter) O2 sensor, bypassing or through-piping the converter should not be a problem. If I were going to do this, I would make sure that before I made the change there were no existing or pending codes already in the system. Be as sure as possible that everything is right. That way, if it causes a problem, you will know the cause and have much less to sort through to fix it. Eliminate all the variables you can.
That said, I don't think you will have a problem.

Jeeps are forever.

[cshold]

Wow! This turned out to be a little bigger job than anticipated
I about got'r licked though. Everything goes back together tomorrow
6 ya didn't tell me when ya drop that big o'l skid plate underneath, the
dang transfer case drops about 10" with it

[1894c]

hmmmmmm... :)

SargentSchultz.jpg

[cshold]

Yes there were indeed a couple of those moments 1892

[OldWin]

I usually put a floor jack with a block of wood under the transmission just behind the bell housing. The skid plate is what supports and locates the transmission/transfer and the back of the engine.
While its out, its a good idea to check the transmission mount. They have a rubber isolator that stops driveline vibes from reaching the tub. It can separate from the mount and allow the transmission to move around a bit.

Good luck.

[cshold]

Thanks OldWin,
I ran the floor Jack up through that large hole in the skid plate to support the transfer case.
Dropped the plate down over the floor Jack to the garage floor.
This made it possible to get to the cat for removal, modify and reinstall.
I put a new muffler and tailpipe on (cat back).
Got it all back together and very happy with the sound.
Sounds just like the old school four banger Jeeps of yesteryear

[OldWin]

Glad you got it Cas. I did that same thing with my old beater TJ that my dad has now. I put one of those Banks stainless muffler and tailpipes on it. It's a little louder but it will last forever. It's been on there since 2006.
Jeeps are easy enough to work on that it's actually enjoyable to do so.

[octagon]

I took a 90 chevy 4/4 truck with 5L, and removed the converter at 200,000 miles when it was getting 16mpg. After The converter came off, It was getting 19 mpg, and better horsepower. Felt like you just took 600 lbs out of the back. Still runs great...
I was told not to do that to the new GMC 5.3,as it has too much computer stuff tied to the converter. Bummer.

[cshold]

I took a 90 chevy 4/4 truck with 5L, and removed the converter at 200,000 miles when it was getting 16mpg. After The converter came off, It was getting 19 mpg, and better horsepower. Felt like you just took 600 lbs out of the back. Still runs great...
I was told not to do that to the new GMC 5.3,as it has too much computer stuff tied to the converter. Bummer.

Weren't we told the same story about the vehicles of the 90's back in the 90's

So far I've definitely noticed the engine runs much smoother.
And it does seem to be a little peppier than it was.
Time will tell on the gas mileage.
The best thing is, I don't have to hear those pieces of honeycomb banging around inside the cat.

[cas]

Look around a little. I know for some engines/cars there's a way around it, some doodad that you put in place on the 02 sensors that lies to the computer.

[cshold]

Look around a little. I know for some engines/cars there's a way around it, some doodad that you put in place on the 02 sensors that lies to the computer.

Don't need to.
So far not a hiccup from the (only one on my Jeep) O2 sensor or computer.
To date an absolute night & day performance experience with this modification.