85 2.3 cat removal will it mess with o2 sensors

[petter]

i have a 85 2.3 4*2 when its cold the cat rattles bad i dont have enuff cash lying around to replace it so i want to cut the cat for few months and just run a pipe but i dont know if it will mess with the o2 sensor i have only 1 o2 sensor and its in the manifold

 

[Baseranger]

No it will not bother the o2 sensor. Only 96 and newer vehicles monitor the catalyst with an o2 mounted before and after the cat. Just so you know it is a federal offense to remove an emission control device.

 

[petter]

ya i know but im scrapping Penney's right now its only going to be for 3 months

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

if some tin can happened to be hollowed out and welded back in place nobody would know or care unless somebody had emissions testing in their area.

 

[mixmaster42]

If its not restricting the exhaust run it till you can fix it. There are cheap aftermarket units for as low as 60us. good luck.

 

[Rogue_Wulff]

Are you sure it's not a heat sheild that's rattling?

 

[TheUndeadRanger]

as a side note, i don't have emissions here locally, they only count them for vehicles up to 15 years old. i have a '96 (skimped by that barely) but i run a mini cherry bomb in place of my cat, it has both o2 censors, but my exhaust runs along stock mounts, it meets with local lawys its loud as hell, and it passes required inspections. fails massively fo rnot having headlights and the like, but most states and counties are fairly lenient when you live in the country and not on the state's front doorstep. you could easily get away with using an "exhaust repair kit" (o'rielly sells for around $50 last i checked) just cut the cat, slip this flex-tube stuff over it and hose clamp it down. its a fairly simple shore. a sawzall, a flat head, and some patience and all is good.

 

[scotts90ranger]

I second checking if it's the heat shield rattling before pulling it, I've fixed one before by wrapping a wire coat hangar around it then bending a Z in it with a pair of pliers, worked great... Ford's highly technical fix was a big hose clamp, just as complicated but much more expensive than my method

If a cat is not damaged and the engine in the vehicle is not a big block IT IS NOT A RESTRICTION, I have no problem with your reasoning and understand as I've done the same thing, the people that think their 4 cylinder ranger will gain power by removing the catalytic converter are greatly mistaken, I ran my turbo 2.3 through a stock '89 cat for over a year before upgrading the exhaust, went from a stock 2" exhaust to 2.5" with a Thrush muffler (like a flowmaster) and didn't notice a difference (yes, without a cat at first for the same reason as the OP), I've driven maybe 2000 miles since I pulled the cat and fully plan on adding a high flow cat in the near future as the turbo will be happier

 

[petter]

i dont think it is the heat shield cause there is almost 3 inches of clearance from the cat to the frame and while im under it the cats not shaking but it has a knocking/rattle sound louder on the passenger side coming from the cat the tuck sat for 10 years before i found it