How to gut a catalytic converter without removing it

Catalytic converters are becoming more of an integral part of modern vehicles. They come with both advantages and some disadvantages. Now, if you feel like the disadvantages affect your experience too much then this is for you.

One thing you should know is that removing the catalytic converter also comes with some issues in the future. So, what to do now? The best course of action is to gut your catalytic converter without removing it.

Don’t know how to gut a catalytic converter? That’s why I am here to explain everything here. Also, I will give you a little step-by-step guide on gutting a catalytic converter without removing it.

Let’s get started then.

The best way to gut a catalytic converter without removing it

When it comes to gutting a catalytic converter, you will need some mechanical knowledge to execute it. You don’t need to be a professional but some mechanical knowledge helps a lot in that case.

Now, let’s check out the steps you should follow to gut your catalytic converter. These are some simple steps that require some special tools to do the job properly.

Preparing the vehicle

The first thing to do is prepare your vehicle for gutting the catalytic converter.You have to begin the whole process by lifting the vehicle. Then you have to keep the engines off.

Next, you have to remove the rear exhaust clamp. You will also need to disjoin the exhaust pipe. Lastly, you will have to take away the converter that you can find on the muffler of your exhaust pipe.

Find your converter

Now, you have to look for your converter. Usually, they should be around the front part of the muffler. If you see the converter is hot, you will need to let that cool down for a while. Then you can use a crowbar to bend the cut flaps.

When you are doing that, make sure not to cut a huge hole there. It can cost you a lot to repair that kind of hole. You have to do some defined cuts at the base of your converter and create a flap.

You can finish this step by forming the cuts into accurate proportions. Using an ethane welding torch or a wheel grinder makes the job much easier.

Connecting flaps

Now, you have to weld the flaps to connect them and seal some parts. The whole thing can be done through welding. You have to reshape the metal and turn it into a flat and smooth piece.

Then you can use a putty knife to seal some of the areas besides the flap. Finish it up using the still strip to put the flat closed together.

Breaking up the covering

The covering of your converter should look like a honeycomb. What you have to do here is remove the honeycomb using a hammer. Just some small taps on the covering should be enough to do that. The honeycomb will come out of any kind of ceramic slice.

Make sure that you are removing every bit of it from your converter. You can also use a chisel for chipping the converter.

Related: Catalytic Converter Cleaners Reviews

Close the flap

After that, you can simply use a broad nose plier to close the flap. You have to make sure to keep it as tight as you can. Just be careful that you don’t hurt yourself.

Bending the flaps will be a pretty hectic task. You will need a lot of strength to bend the flaps properly to your desired direction.

Inspect the whole thing

The last step is to check the whole thing once again. See if there is any kind of leakage happening or not. If you find any faults then make sure to repair that before starting up your car.

Sometimes the converter can get damaged during this whole process. And it happens beyond any repair too. In that case, you will need to remove the converter and replace it altogether.

Having said that, is it worth gutting a catalytic converter? What are the benefits? You might have these kinds of questions. Don’t worry that’s what I am going to discuss right now. I will take you through the pros and cons of gutting a catalytic converter.

Related: Bad Catalytic Converter Symptoms

Pros and cons of gutting catalytic converter

There are surely some benefits to gutting your catalytic converter. There are some drawbacks as well that you should be aware of. So, let’s check them out one by one.

Pros

• Gutting your catalytic converter can potentially result in a slight increase in horsepower.
• You can also end up with better gas mileage on the car which in turn saves up money for you.
• The exhaust of your car starts sounding much better. It’s healthier and deeper which is always satisfying to hear.
• You don’t need to be an expert to do the whole thing. With some basic mechanical knowledge, you can do it yourself.
• Gutting is far better than removing your converter because you don’t face permanent problems with it. If you close the flaps properly there is nothing to worry about it at all.

Cons

• The most crucial factor is that gutting your catalytic converter is illegal in many places. So, if you get caught you will need to deal with a hefty fine.
• Your vehicle may go through some pressure changes because the converter will be much wider compared to the other components of your car.
• While you may want to improve the performance of your car, the opposite can also happen. So, it’s a bit of a risky job to do.

Wrap up

To sum it up, you have to be very decisive about whether you want to go with the process or not. Now that you know how to gut a catalytic converter, don’t just jump into it.

First, you have to consider the legality of the process. Then you have to be willing to take the risk of damaging and ruining the performance of your vehicle. Once you have gone through all that, you can then attempt the process.

However, I don’t suggest doing this by yourself if you don’t have any prior mechanical knowledge. Things can go very wrong in that regard.