Lt.FrankDrebin

I have a code for the bank 1 catalytic converter. Would you guys recommend this replacement as a DIY? The rear looks fairly easy to do but up front at the engine looks a little tight. Looks like I'd have to remove some intake components for access.

Lt.FrankDrebin

Guess Ill have to answer my own question. Those nuts at the manifold are a b!tch to get off, especially the upper one. I don't know if I need a crescent-shaped wrench so I can access it from the bottom or do I need to remove that rigid metal tube so I can access it from the top and have room for wrench movement. And it looks like the O2 sensors are removed/installed with the cat out?

Airbag

Sorry i have a 2.8 so didnt want to comment ... i found the 2.8 pretty easy to remove with a 10mm small socket and a universal.

Lt.FrankDrebin

Thanks for the reply. The 3.0's cat may be more difficult to remove. The actual catalytic converter is right off the manifolds in a difficult to reach area. I actually managed to remove all three nuts where it bolts to the manifold. Next is undoing the rear clamp. I just hope I can get the cat between engine and the body.

Airbag

yeah sounds like a real nightmare for sure.

even on the 2.8 you have to do a ton of rotating to get thm out so need the car really high or on a lift

Lt.FrankDrebin

Yeah, I think I'm going to have to raise the engine or something. Can't get the cat to pass between the engine and the firewall. Looks like I need an inch or two of more room.

todor

Resurrecting this thread from the dead... Did anyone ever figure out how to do this? I've heard about lowering the front subframe... but then do you have to support the engine from the top with something? I've also heard about dropping the transmission down, so that you can take the cat out... but then you'd need to undo the driveshafts? What's the easiest way?

todor

Yeah, even if I ignore the legal and environmental aspects of your suggestion, the issue in my case is that the catalytic converter is clogged and causing trouble with the engine. So even if I didn't care about emissions (e.g. I wanted to gut the catalytic converter out), I would still have to remove the whole assembly from the car. Hence my question.

So does anyone know what the easiest way to remove/reinstall the catalytic converters is?

raj99

Hi all,

I did this a long while ago on my 00 2.8 and wrote about it. But basically you have to loosen the entire sub frame and create a gap to get enough access to remove and replace.

When I get on my laptop I'll try to find the thread, but it's out there if you want to search on your own.

todor

I searched, but couldn't find your writeup. Do you have to support the engine from above when dropping the subframe? And do you have to detach anything else?