1988 4runner
-3vze
-5 speed

Okay so today i was crusing down the highway and my engine started to die on me, all the dash lights came on and i started to slow down. I down-shifted into 4th to try and regain power but was unsucessful so I pulled off onto the shoulder. I popped the hood and everything seemed to be normal (the block was not excessively hot). Next I looked under my truck only to find my cat BRIGHT red, glowing!!!. My truck will not start now, the starter cranks and cranks but it will not fire. My engine temp was completely normal and I am looking for some advice on where to start. By the way I have a magnaflow high flow cat to go along with my cherrybomb.

thanks!

 

Clogged cat? Caused by?

 

Some 411 about converter failure from Magnaflow: http://www.car-sound.com/04basics/04failures.asp

 

I had a crack in my coil. I replaced the plugs, wires, cap, rotor and now its running better than ever. I will soon be replacing my oxygen sensor... I looked on www.sparkplugs.com and they seem to have some pretty good prices. Does anyone on here have an o2 sensor avaliable?

 

Unfortunately there's a good chance your cat is, er, "toast".

Unburned fuel causes it to glow red, and when it does that, the ceramic matrix can melt, crack, fuse together. Kind of like Chernobyl:




Re: the O2 sensor, Amazon has very good prices on sensors lately. If you get the Denso part number (from sparkplugs.com or wherever), just search on "denso" and the part number. Yours is $88 shipped:

http://www.amazon.com/Denso-234-4152...dp/B000C5UFN0/

 

I highly recommend gutting the cat it will make flow alil better and increase power slightly plus you won't ever have to worry about it again!

 

Don't gut your cat & screw up emissiomns. If your truck is running good now then your cat is just fine. I have gotten several cats red hot & they were fine. You would know if it was melted & clogged.

good luck to you.

 

zachw90
I had to rewrite my post because I didn't read your second post comment.
I'm glad to here that you have resolved your problem and hope that every thing goes well for you from here on out

 

if its clogged it will increase your NOx output, and rob a bit of power. if its red hot, then yeah id say its clogged. pick up an aftermarket hi flow cat for like 80 bucks or so. (i think). good luck!

 

I thought the cat was supposed to reduce HC output and the EGR system was suppost to reduce NOx!!!

 

Um getting rid of cat will SOLVE EVERYTHING!!!!! My 86 Toyota 4runner has been running a gutted cat for 10 years and its just fine. Theres no emissons prob with it since its pre 95. All O2 sensors are pre cat so theres no issue GET RID OF IT!!!!

 

well sounds like a couple issues goin on. unbolt the cat for now try starting it and then check the basics fuel spark compression. I'm guessing you're cat got hot because you began loosing cylinders and the unburned fuel all dumped and burned inside the cat. good luck diagnosing your problems

 

Didn't any of you guys read the original posters reply? His coil had a crack in it, he replaced it & now it runs better then ever. With this information why would anyone suggest gutting the cat? If it was clogged up then I could understand replacing it but everything seems to be fine if it's running great.

I have no idea why anyone in there right mind would hollow out a good functioning catalytic converter? Do you know how much a OEM Toyota converter costs? Are you aware that it does in fact serve a purpose?

And yes, the EGR system controls the NOX by reducing cylinder head temperatures.

 

turborich
thanks for the reminder to read all the replys not just some.....

 

(QUOTE:turborich) I have no idea why anyone in there right mind would hollow out a good functioning catalytic converter? Do you know how much a OEM Toyota converter costs? Are you aware that it does in fact serve a purpose?

When cattys get very old and are taken 4wheelin and hunting and have some engine probs that get fixed they get messed up. If you have a missfiring engine and its running rich this can ruin the catty converter. I'm only saying gut it because of its age it ain't worth nothin prob anymore i know when i gutted mine it was nearly clogged 40%. Had too much restiction and when it was done and gone the truck ran better than before. It does not affect perforemance. Now i have a an 86 truck i could understand not guttings a 94 or 95 truck. Not much usage and is still worth somethin. Bookoo people get rid of cats start a thread on it and see how many people have cats or gutted cats.... i bet its not much.

 

I can agree that if the cat is clogged up then you should replace it or "gut" it if you wish . I understand that not everyone is in an emission required area. There are a few simple test that can be done to see if a cat is clogged. most muffler shops will do a free test to see if it's clogged. They will drill a very small hole just in front of the cat & attach a pressure gauge to it & rev up the engine. They can then tell if it's bad or not by the pressure reading. A vacuum gauge can also be used on the intake to check as well to an extent. Around here all muffler shops will do this for free.

All I'm trying to say is don't gut it if it ain't bad. Technically a catalytic converter should last the life of the vehicle as long as there are no issues with the condition of the engine that would cause it to fail. A rich condition for a prolonged period of time could harm the converter. You should be able to tell though by the lack of power.

I'll admit that when I was younger I hollowed out a few converters expecting power gains from it. I NEVER received any noticeable power gains from hollowing out a converter. This was on a few V-8 engines as well, Mustang GT 5.0 & Trans Am GTA 350. On my bronco II I actually lost low end torque & had to install a new converter to get it back. That's why I am so against removing them now.

 

Well every vehicle is different. Diff vehicle respond diff to diff changes. I saw increased power with my 22re gutted catty... every cars diff. But yea its not a legal and recommended way to go.... but its an option. Yea i've seen alot of trucks go 3-400k miles with the original cat.

 

i gutted my cat, it was filled with melted ceramic pieces. haha!