So I ordered a random tech cat converter to install in place of my old busted one. Finally got the bolts off after like 4 hours of prying and cutting and hammering and torquing the bolts... only to notice that the holes for the bolts don't line up on the header side (no it wasn't backwards, they don't line up any way you put it). We originally saw that instead of a 2 bolt connector the new cat had 3 bolts in the same triangle shape as on the rear of the cat but thought two of the bolts might line up. The other issue is that the piping on the exhaust and the cat are literally the same size, I can't really see any way that the cat will fit inside of the original exhaust piping.

Anyone installed one of these themselves that can shed some light on what I'm doing wrong? Maybe I got the wrong part?

Is this the way it's supposed to sit?


Here's the triangular bolt system on both ends

 

which model did you get for?

 

98 2.3cl

 

can you take some pics of the header pipe and the oem cat and that place where it's suppose to be!

 

Here's the header side connection on the cat


Header side connection on the exhaust


Other end of the cat


Other end of the exhaust


You can flip back to the other pictures for comparison :P

 

hmm, man i don't know! i would call back the company you bought it from!
Cause it's seems like it's are missing a piece to the cat!

 

you need to take off that section with the o2 sensor

the new cat has a bung for the new o2 sensor.

 

this...i think it should line up after that

 

the new cat has 2 three bolt flanges while the stock one only has 2. thats your problem, you're either gonna have to cut it off n get a 2 bolt one or send it back and get the correct one.

 

That's the header side piece, there's one o2 sensor there and then another one that goes at the other end of the cat to verify the gases are being filtered sufficiently.

edit: oh the cat also isn't long enough to fit if I took that section off

 

So I got the new catalytic converter and installed it. We took the spring bolts out from the front side of the catalytic converter (the bolts that were on the old cat) and just used regular hex bolts and nuts with a few washers. No exhaust leaks so it all sealed up good, but now whenever I take right turns or go over bumps or dips in the road I get this really loud knocking about where the cat is. Not when I take a left turn, only right. Ill get a video up of the noise when I get home (posting from phone)

 

Knocking seems to get worse as I've been driving longer which I'm assuming is due to the exhaust heating up more. Took a quick vid... you'll hear the sound towards the end of it.

http://s67.photobucket.com/albums/h2...t=MVI_5502.flv

 

Sounds like a turn signal..

 

I just didn't cut off the beginning part of the video where I was changing lanes/starting to turn. Listen @ about 10 seconds

 

Exhaust hanger