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Topic: Running waaaaaaay too rich (Read 1727 times) previous topic - next topic

Running waaaaaaay too rich

I would have never believed this story if I didn't happen to me.  I drive an 87 cougar with a 5.0  Recently, it had been running quite rich.  I'm talking 4 to 6 mpg!  Not to mention it ran rough too.  So I picked up a couple O2 sensors thinking they were the problem.  I pulled my car into my garage, pop the hood, and get ready to jack it up.  I'm looking around the engine compartment, and I don't know how I even saw this, but I see something under my upper intake.  It looked like insulation. Great, I got a hitch hicker.  I pull out the little bugger's nest all out, and I examine the area a little closer.  And all I see is frayed copper wire.  :wtf: So now I pull the upper intake off and I find that this critter chewed up the wires going to the injector on cylinder #7  In fact, they were crossed.  :shakehead So I splice in some new wire, put the intake and o2s on and away I go.  Now, my car stinks, really really bad.  I'm pretty sure the cats are toast from running super rich for so long.  And now I'm burning oil in that cylinder.  All these problems from a mouse or chipmunk.  Like I said, I never would have believed it if I didn't see it myself.

So this leads me to the big question.  Should I spring for a new h-pipe with no cats or cut a square in each cat, bust out all the material, and weld it back togther?  Would the latter work?

Re: Running waaaaaaay too rich

Reply #1 –
I have a guttet cat H on mine. It works but I am not to fond of the sound. It has more of a melow rumble to it. I liked my off road H better.

Re: Running waaaaaaay too rich

Reply #2 –
You could bust the catalyst out and weld them back up i've seen it done a couple times, I wouldnt worry about a new h-pipe if you buggered up a cylinder.
1980 birds X 3, 1982 bird, 1984 XR7, 1988 TC

Re: Running waaaaaaay too rich

Reply #3 –
I got an old tire iron and cut it right at the bend with a hacksaw ( a lot easier to cut than I had thought) .I used the rest as a long chisel with a hammer to bust out the catylist from the cats.No welding required.On 2 of the cats there was some wire mesh and a little steel wool type material along with the catylist.It does have a deep mellow tone.....until I hit the gas.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

Re: Running waaaaaaay too rich

Reply #4 –
Quote from: vinnietbird
It does have a deep mellow tone.....until I hit the gas.


lol, mine too. I only smashed out the first 2 cats. so with HO stock headers, 2 cats, 2-chamber flowmasters, and 2.5" tailpipes, it sounds pretty mean. it's louder than my uncle's fox mustang :D

Re: Running waaaaaaay too rich

Reply #5 –
I killed them all.It took about an hour to get it all out.It sounds real good.I have generic turbo lers on it for now.They've been on for about 2 years.I also have headers and H-pipe (for the past couple of weeks anyway).
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..
 

Re: Running waaaaaaay too rich

Reply #6 –
I used a 25' plumbing snake from Wal-Mart to pound out the remains of the pre-cats on my '88.  A tire tool finished off the big one.