Random pictures that you did not take.

[HO455]

My buddy sent me this photo he took with his new borescope. I thought it was really cool. Sort of like something you would see on the NASA web site.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by HO455

My buddy sent me this photo he took with his new borescope. I thought it was really cool. Sort of like something you would see on the NASA web site.

Ehh, what IS that?

[HO455]

Whoops! The photo is of the inside of a catalytic convertor. The honeycomb platinum material appears to have failed and there are two balls of it bouncing around inside. The honeycomb in the back looks to be clogged with pieces that came off the balls. The car has no power. It idles and runs ok but will only do about 40 mph. We pretty sure it is due to a plugged exhaust at this point having seen this.

[Boog]

I've posed the question before how long a cat is good for and it remains unanswered. I could see the pellet type cats maybe wearing out. My 91 truck has the original exhaust system on it other than the muffler. 33 years old now.
I have no idea if it's done anymore but I remember folks running a long drill bit or something up in the cats to break up the catalysts to open up the flow while maintaining the stock appearance outside. Today's honeycomb style cats might be difficult to do the same with?
An exhaust shop can insert a pressure sensor in the upstream o2 hole to measure the back pressure to help determine if there is a blockage down stream.

[HO455]

I'm no expert but I will share what I know.

If your getting the rotten egg smell out the exhaust that in a good indicator of a cat that is no longer working properly. Most newer cars will give you a code if it isn't working correctly. Hence the upper and lower O2 sensors.

The best test to see if it is working is an emissions test.

You can test to see if it is plugged yourself. Just drill a 1/8 inch hole between the engine and the cat and hook a 0 to 20 PSI pressure guage up to the hole. If it reads above 3 PSI the exhaust is clogged. You will need to rev the engine up to be sure it is not clogged.

If you get a high reading then drill a 2nd hole after the cat and test again. If the cat is clogged you will get a lower PSI. If the PSI doesn't drop then the plugged area is farther down the exhaust pipe.

After testing you can plug the hole(s) with a self-tapping sheet metal screw, tap the hole for a machine screw, or do a plug weld. If you weld it shut make sure your ground lead is attached to a clean area near the hole your welding closed.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

That wagon must have had the warranty work (overheated because of a 2-row radiator, and AC in the California heat) done (new, larger radiator and an engine rebuild) and the people just wanted it gone. Those things were famous at my dealership, for overheating. I remember one with a blued converter, it got so hot. I'm amazed that it actually hadn't caught fire.

One of our customers had a '69 SS 427 Impala convertible. It was drop-dead gorgeous, but it was only 3 years old at the time. It had a light color interior (I think "parchment?") and was a color that I would call "amethyst". Man, that was a nice looking ride. I went and looked up paint colors from '69, and that color wasn't on the list. Probably special order.

Curiosity got the better of me, I went and looked for the color. Cadillac "Wisteria Firemist". A pic-

https://find-great-cars.ebizautos.co...-f9113052.html

That color was known as "evening orchid" in 1966, and was a rare color on an impala.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by Boog

Ooooh. That reminds me of a guy who loaded up his 1/2 ton pkup with logs. It snapped a rear axle shaft and turned upside down in the middle of the highway.

I used to work for a diesel parts/rebuild shop, and one of our vendors had an earlyl 90's Ford F350 dually diesel that they hauled Cummins 855 cylinder heads in. They weigh about 100 lbs each. They brought us 120 heads on that truck from Knoxville, TN, to Pierceton, IN, and took 120 cores back with them.
with the truck loaded the rear wheels looked like they had a lot of camber, lol.
That truck made that trip for at least a couple years.

[yuccales]

Someone caught us at the cemetery Sunday doing Wreaths Across America. It was a great turnout to place the wreaths. We would do 14 then head back for more.