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What are my options? Mechanic telling me I'll be needing some new $$$ cats.


juntjoo

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A few months ago I got a cel for something related to one of the banks and fuel delivery I think. Lost the piece of paper. Well months later it recently started giving me problems, sluggish to almost undriveable and I could smell fuel. It was intermittent so I ignored it for a bit til it just got too bad. So it's in the shop and mech is sourcing cats. Haven't talked to him in a while. He hasn't called me back when he said he would. He's had it for a couple weeks. He's taking his time I guess. Cool dude. Just explaining situation. I wonder if he's busy or my situation is scary expensive. I'll talk to him soon but I just wanted to gather info on the situation.

Anyway, so I haven't read (yet) about bad cats causing my symptoms. So does that sound right or can they cause these symptoms indirectly? If I need five cats, what is that like, $400? What if we don't replace them? Or is there a cheaper solution? I've got him doing other things too so I'd like to keep this under a grand. Sheesh, I just spent a few k to buy it some months ago.
 


Dirtman

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Without knowing what the codes were exactly you wont get much info here... Your truck has 3 cats, not 5. One below each manifold and one downstream after the y pipe that is a double unit but can be replaced with a single. Unless its a C.A.R.B state, 3 universal cats should cost no more than 100 each (which includes mechanic markup) oe fit would be around 800. Labor rate for installing varies too much to give you an idea what to expect there. Can bad cats cause poor running conditions? Absolutely, they can become clogged up or loose there catalyst function after a long time. The latter issue would cause a CEL but would not effect how the vehicle runs. I suggest getting the details on what the DTC's were so we can actually provide you with useful information and if your mechanic has had your truck for weeks to fix the exhaust.... Find a new mechanic. From ordering parts to finishing the job should take no more than 2 days. No good mechanic "takes his time" time is money and a truck in the bay is a truck in the way. A good shops goal is to get vehicles in and out fast. And "sourcing parts" is not an excuse, its a ford truck not a McLaren. Even if he were to get oem cats he could have them in a couple days. Universal cats can be bought in less than the time it takes to order a pizza.

But again with such vague information there's not much help I can offer. I don't know the codes so no idea if really needs cats or something else, no idea what the other work thats being done is, no clue on the history you have with this shop.
 
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juntjoo

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Without knowing what the codes were exactly you wont get much info here... Your truck has 3 cats, not 5. One below each manifold and one downstream after the y pipe. Unless its a C.A.R.B state, 3 universal cats should cost no more than 100 each (which includes mechanic markup). Labor rate for installing varies too much to give you an idea what to expect there. Can bad cats cause poor running conditions? Absolutely, they can become clogged up or loose there catalyst function after a long time. The latter issue would cause a CEL but would not effect how the vehicle runs. I suggest getting the details on what the DTC's were so we can actually provide you with useful information and if your mechanic has had your truck for weeks to fix the exhaust.... Find a new mechanic. From ordering parts to finishing the job should take no more than 2 days. But again with such vague information there's not much help I can offer.

Thanks. I'll get that info. I do have 5 cats I think. At least I counted 5 of some things under there. 03 b3000? So you think them bring clogged could cause those symptoms. Leaking gas(from somewhere) and weakening the performance intermittently? Ill come back with more info later. Thanks
 

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Thanks. I'll get that info. I do have 5 cats I think. At least I counted 5 of some things under there. 03 b3000? So you think them bring clogged could cause those symptoms. Leaking gas(from somewhere) and weakening the performance intermittently? Ill come back with more info later. Thanks
The other "thing" is a resonator. Basically a useless device to change the pitch of the exhaust. The gas smell could be anything from leaking injectors to bad o2 sensors, again... Need the DTC's.
 
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Macneil87

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If you have a plugged cat it doesn’t usually smell of gas, it’ll smell like rotten eggs almost.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

juntjoo

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If you have a plugged cat it doesn’t usually smell of gas, it’ll smell like rotten eggs almost.


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That may have been what I was smelling. Can't say for sure.
 

juntjoo

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Well I didn't get the codes talking to my mechanic today cuz he told me he's planning on doing what I was wondering if he could do which is empty them out and put in dummy sensors which I read about but didn't know if he was aware or capable of doing. And that will cost me about $500. He's gotta do a bit of welding. So I think this is good news. I hope.
 

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Ghetto rigging things instead of diagnosing and solving the problem is always good news. :icon_thumby:
 

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Cats don't just go bad on their own. If they're plugged, it's a symptom of another issue (usually excess fuel and/or misfires will actually melt the substrate).
 

juntjoo

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well, if it removes the code and symptoms I'll be a happy camper.
 

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Can you spell F E L O N Y?
Well we've already established his mechanic doesn't seem to be of the highest caliber...
 

juntjoo

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Okay, so it might not be the converters themselves that are the main culprit. Just read and watched up on this. This vid sums it up pretty clearly(if anyone interested)

https://youtu.be/7ZbAHTolx4E

So mon morning I'll talk to my mechanic again. What should be done at this point then to avoid having to end back up dealing with this issue again? I'll get the codes, but if they still don't provide any more info what's the most cost effective way to continue diagnosis? Will he still have to eliminate the faulty converter(s) in order to figure it out? Will he have to go through emptying them and welding them back together first?

Again, the problem was intermittent, so it would either most of the time run seemingly perfect, then after a while of driving exhibit symptoms. What does that indicate if anything significant? Tells me some part is doing its job right most of the time but then blacking out til things cool down. I'm guessing you guys will tell me that could be one or more of many components, get codes right?

Should I have mechanic then just diagnose more at this point? I think he can only test so much the O2 sensors as they're connected to the converters right?

Should he be spending more time on the fuel system? I'll check my manual here but if you guys have any ideas off the top of your heads pls share.

Something intermittent. Good possibility it's electrical? Computer based? Sry if I'm a bit ignorant on this stuff. Better working on my 82 honda motorcycle and I'm pretty bad at that lol.
 

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Get the codes and these dudes will help you more than that guy who claims to be a mechanic. If he is a buddy of yours, he not doing you much help.

I have a good friend who is a mechanic, he will help me with any help I need, but refuses to do any actual work on my vehicles. He says it's so we will stay friends. We do stuff at my house but never at his shop, only takes money for parts so we feed him a lot too
 

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