Possible cat issue?

[rusty ol ranger]

My after-cat gasket goes out occasionally, and sometimes it takes me a while to crawl under the truck and fix it (it makes it sound like I have custom exhaust, which, in a way, at that point I do ). Maybe it's just the lack of noise, but it seems to run better/smoother after fixing the leak. I wouldn't have thought that an exhaust leak after the lightened cat would affect the performance, but it does.

I have a leak there to lol.

 

[Paulos]

I have a leak there to lol.

I discovered that the flanges there tend to bend (I removed those bolts and springs and installed stainless bolts, nuts, and lockwashers), creating a slight gap in between. So I've found that a wire brush attachment on a drill and high temp silicone (no gasket) seems to last longer for me.

I use a combination of high temp silicone and a Felpro cat gasket in the front of the cat also.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

I just had the front one changed not to long ago, it seems to be holding. Im sure my neighbors apperciate the exhaust bein somewhat fixed...i leave at 12-2 am for work quite often lol

 

[ecgreen]

I had a clogged cat, shined a light in one end and couldn't even see it out the other side.

...then the cat bit me