I developed a clanging rattle in the back right area and when looking beneath the car saw a rusted out spot in the elbown if theright side of the "Y" and a split in the pipe past the rusted spot
I ordered a new cat back Y Pipe set from Corvette Central which is due to arrive shortly.
I sprayed some magic juice "pb blaster or something like that) on the nuts n bolts yesterday.
I put her up on jack stands today and discovered a few things.
The clanging rattle was a heat shield that looks loose above the rusted spot.
I tried to remove the four bolt assmbley that attaches the Y Pipe to the rear of the catalytic converter with zero luck other than stripping a nut.....(who puts a set of 12 mm nuts and bolts on a 1980 chevy....figured it would be standard sizes)
I am not going to get it off at the rear of the Cat....however the access to the four bolt assembly in front of the Cat looks promising. If I can get the whole thing off with the Cat I should be able to heat up and free the bolts behind the Cat and replace the Y pipe.
Has anyone had these issues or has anyone delt with this sort of replacement before? Should I be aware of any looming issues with removing the catalytic converter?
I don't need an emission test on this thing....should I replace the catalytic converter while I am under there or is there a reason and a kit to just remove it altogether?
Also...there is a flat piece of heavy duty rubber, rectangular in shape, which looks like a hanger assembly, that attschesnlart of the Y pipe assembly to the undercarriage. The hole which had a bolt through it wore through and broke. It almost looks like a sound dampening part but I do not see where it is keeping metal from hitting metal.
That is a lot of info..I know....this is my first work i am doing to the car my dad handed down to me.....any tips or advice is gladly accepted as I am not a gear head...yet.
PIC 1
(2 large pics modified to links and added to single post-aapple)
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56
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(click for Texas-sized view!) NCRS
"Money can't buy happiness -- but somehow it's more comforting to cry in a CORVETTE than in a Kia"
What are the benefits of going to true duals and eliminating the cat?
And as a side note I had an extemely poor experience trying to order from corvette america and will most likely never use them again.
edited to add....thanks for changing the pix to links. The goop under the car in the pix is the pb blaster I sprayed all over the bolts.