Exhaust rattle solution?

In article >, says...
>Hi group,
>I have a 96 jx convertible and have been putting up with this loud rattle at
>idle for the longest time, and now it has gotten louder (and somewhat
>embarassing). The shop says it is the catalytic converter, and wants $700 to
>replace it.

I would check this myself and make sure it is the cat con and not just the
heat shield that is rattling. The heat shield is cheap and easy to fix, the
cat con is more expensive and requires more labor.
--------------
Alex

you could get a aftermarket coverter for about 250 +labor to weld it in

maxpower wrote:

> The honeycomb in the convertor is wrapped with a mesh screen, if that
> screen gets worn the honeycomb will rattle within the casing, i would not
> run screws thru it, You wont be able to clamp it off or crush the casing to
> stop it
> "Rick" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi group,
> > I have a 96 jx convertible and have been putting up with this loud rattle
> at
> > idle for the longest time, and now it has gotten louder (and somewhat
> > embarassing). The shop says it is the catalytic converter, and wants $700
> to
> > replace it.
> > The car has 135k miles. I'm not willing to invest that amount in a car
> whose
> > blue book value is about $3k, and want to get a least another year out of
> > it. We really enjoy driving this "classic" car and hate to trade it in.
> > There is nothing else wrong with the car. Even the original roof is in
> > excellent (some cosmetic marks) condition.
> > I'm assuming the guts of the converter have broken loose inside. What if I
> > either squeezed it with a c-clamp or drove some stainless deck screws into
> > the sides of it. Would that hold it or make it worse? I'm not familiar
> with
> > this item. Any ideas for a quick fix without breaking any laws? Thanks.
> > Rick
> >
> >

you could get a aftermarket coverter for about 250 +labor to weld it in

maxpower wrote:

> The honeycomb in the convertor is wrapped with a mesh screen, if that
> screen gets worn the honeycomb will rattle within the casing, i would not
> run screws thru it, You wont be able to clamp it off or crush the casing to
> stop it
> "Rick" > wrote in message
> ...
> > Hi group,
> > I have a 96 jx convertible and have been putting up with this loud rattle
> at
> > idle for the longest time, and now it has gotten louder (and somewhat
> > embarassing). The shop says it is the catalytic converter, and wants $700
> to
> > replace it.
> > The car has 135k miles. I'm not willing to invest that amount in a car
> whose
> > blue book value is about $3k, and want to get a least another year out of
> > it. We really enjoy driving this "classic" car and hate to trade it in.
> > There is nothing else wrong with the car. Even the original roof is in
> > excellent (some cosmetic marks) condition.
> > I'm assuming the guts of the converter have broken loose inside. What if I
> > either squeezed it with a c-clamp or drove some stainless deck screws into
> > the sides of it. Would that hold it or make it worse? I'm not familiar
> with
> > this item. Any ideas for a quick fix without breaking any laws? Thanks.
> > Rick
> >
> >

New Jersey
Rick

"RPhillips47" > wrote in message
...
> "Daniel J. Stern" wrote:
>
>>The shop's probably right about it being the catcon, but $700 sounds like
>>the price for a dealer to install a factory catcon. Forget that noise; go
>>to a good local independent exhaust shop (stay away from the franchise
>>houses -- Midas, Meineke, etc. install ****ty parts using shoddy labor).
>>There are fully approved aftermarket catcons that will do just fine and
>>you can get one installed at considerably lower cost than $700.
>
> He didn't say where is is from but if he lives in California, and if his
> '96
> has the same system as my T&C (I believe it is the OB II system), he can
> only
> go to a state approved shop that will charge roughly the same as the
> dealer.

New Jersey
Rick

"RPhillips47" > wrote in message
...
> "Daniel J. Stern" wrote:
>
>>The shop's probably right about it being the catcon, but $700 sounds like
>>the price for a dealer to install a factory catcon. Forget that noise; go
>>to a good local independent exhaust shop (stay away from the franchise
>>houses -- Midas, Meineke, etc. install ****ty parts using shoddy labor).
>>There are fully approved aftermarket catcons that will do just fine and
>>you can get one installed at considerably lower cost than $700.
>
> He didn't say where is is from but if he lives in California, and if his
> '96
> has the same system as my T&C (I believe it is the OB II system), he can
> only
> go to a state approved shop that will charge roughly the same as the
> dealer.

Good idea. But the dealer checked and said it was the converter. I could get
a second opinion, maybe get a gas station to lift it and check myself.
Rick

"Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> says...
>>Hi group,
>>I have a 96 jx convertible and have been putting up with this loud rattle
>>at
>>idle for the longest time, and now it has gotten louder (and somewhat
>>embarassing). The shop says it is the catalytic converter, and wants $700
>>to
>>replace it.
>
> I would check this myself and make sure it is the cat con and not just the
> heat shield that is rattling. The heat shield is cheap and easy to fix,
> the
> cat con is more expensive and requires more labor.
> --------------
> Alex
>
>

Good idea. But the dealer checked and said it was the converter. I could get
a second opinion, maybe get a gas station to lift it and check myself.
Rick

"Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> says...
>>Hi group,
>>I have a 96 jx convertible and have been putting up with this loud rattle
>>at
>>idle for the longest time, and now it has gotten louder (and somewhat
>>embarassing). The shop says it is the catalytic converter, and wants $700
>>to
>>replace it.
>
> I would check this myself and make sure it is the cat con and not just the
> heat shield that is rattling. The heat shield is cheap and easy to fix,
> the
> cat con is more expensive and requires more labor.
> --------------
> Alex
>
>

If, as seems to be the case, you're trying to minimize car repair and
upkeep costs, why on earth are you taking it to a *dealer* for repair?!


On Tue, 21 Dec 2004, Rick wrote:

> Good idea. But the dealer checked and said it was the converter. I could get
> a second opinion, maybe get a gas station to lift it and check myself.
> Rick
>
> "Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >>Hi group,
> >>I have a 96 jx convertible and have been putting up with this loud rattle
> >>at
> >>idle for the longest time, and now it has gotten louder (and somewhat
> >>embarassing). The shop says it is the catalytic converter, and wants $700
> >>to
> >>replace it.
> >
> > I would check this myself and make sure it is the cat con and not just the
> > heat shield that is rattling. The heat shield is cheap and easy to fix,
> > the
> > cat con is more expensive and requires more labor.
> > --------------
> > Alex
> >
> >
>
>
>

If, as seems to be the case, you're trying to minimize car repair and
upkeep costs, why on earth are you taking it to a *dealer* for repair?!


On Tue, 21 Dec 2004, Rick wrote:

> Good idea. But the dealer checked and said it was the converter. I could get
> a second opinion, maybe get a gas station to lift it and check myself.
> Rick
>
> "Alex Rodriguez" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > says...
> >>Hi group,
> >>I have a 96 jx convertible and have been putting up with this loud rattle
> >>at
> >>idle for the longest time, and now it has gotten louder (and somewhat
> >>embarassing). The shop says it is the catalytic converter, and wants $700
> >>to
> >>replace it.
> >
> > I would check this myself and make sure it is the cat con and not just the
> > heat shield that is rattling. The heat shield is cheap and easy to fix,
> > the
> > cat con is more expensive and requires more labor.
> > --------------
> > Alex
> >
> >
>
>
>