87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Topic: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats (Read 1271 times) previous topic - next topic

87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

April 11, 2005, 06:08:59 PM

My 87 T-Bird 3.8 CFI with 176,500 on it engine never rebuilt, reg maintenance oil change every 3000 mi has been running fine, just a little rough when it is started in the AM, but after that it is OK. The only mods are a K&N filter in the stock housing and duals from the cat back from a 5.0. I am the 2nd owner and have owned my bird for the last 11yrs trouble free.

There are 3 cats on this car, 2 on the Y pipe and 1 at the center. This is how it came from the factory. Apparently there was some sort of recall back in '90. Recently I was going to have the gasket at the end of the Y pipe at the front of the center converter changed since it was leaking. My local ler guy noticed that one of the two cats (pass side) was glowing red, He thought it was probably clogged or there is a fuel problem. I dumped half a can of catalyic converter cleaner in the gas tank and ran the other half slowly through the TPI reving the motor to try to clean it out. I priced the Y pipe with the 2 cats and it runs about $330. One shop wanted $750 installed. Any suggestions?

Re: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Reply #1 – April 11, 2005, 06:13:16 PM

I got a new y-pipe for around $250 at NAPA.

Re: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Reply #2 – April 11, 2005, 07:16:02 PM

Shouldn't even be that much, I believe Advance Auto carries the walker part (all three) for $200, and just the front 2 for about $165.

Re: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Reply #3 – April 11, 2005, 11:06:38 PM

Are you required to have those little pre-cats in your locale? An exhaust guy told me the pre-cats are not required any more. My passenger-side one broke up & clogged the front Y-junction & greatly reducing power, so I broke up the chunks in the Y with a tire tool & blew them out by revving the engine a few times before I put the big main cat back in. Later on, the driver's side one started rattling, so I took a 25-foot plumbing snake (from Wal-Mart) & snaked it up the left side of the Y & broke it up by ramming the snake around in there until there was nothing left to rattle. Beats spending money for sure.

Re: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Reply #4 – April 26, 2005, 08:22:25 PM

I was told when I replaced my main cat that the shop could legally just change the main cat, and as long as it passed emissions, they didn't need to change the others. From what he was telling me, they are no longer required. Mine are not glowing but I am sure they are shot. They rattle (the most annoying thing I have ever heard) and I am considering taking them away all together.

On the same note you mentioned, the first shop I had look at them quoted me $665 to change the y-pipe and the main cat, I paid @$150 just to replace the main.

Re: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Reply #5 – April 26, 2005, 08:25:16 PM

The pre-cats are no longer needed - just go with one new cat and run your dual exhaust off of that and you'll be good to go.

Chris

Re: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Reply #6 – April 27, 2005, 09:39:34 AM

As long as they are there and it passes they dont care if its hollowed out.

Re: 87 3.8 T-Bird Y Pipe Cats

Reply #7 – May 01, 2005, 12:34:31 AM

I picked one up the other day from my local auto supply. Walker #15754. Ran me $195+ tax. It's a direct fit Y that eleminates the two mini-cats with a seperate Cat at the end of the Y. Had it installed at my local ler shop for $70. It comes with a long replacement air tube that goes into the capped spurred end of the Cat. My shop cut and mig welded the air tube up front at the Y near where the tube went into the old Mini Cat. The rest of the exhaust is a 88 5.0 dual with regular non-stock lers. I drove it a bit today and the performance is much better. It ever seems to run cooler. With the clogged Mini Cat the temp gauge would go to about 3/4 now it sits in the 1/2 way range.