Catylitic converter/Bad exhaust leak. Pls help! Hello, I have an exhaust leak from somewhere and can't quite pinpoint it. I used a fuel hose and listened to the manifold gasket and collector gasket with no leaks detected. Also, the muffler and exhaust pipe are new, also with no leaks heard. My catylitic converter is shot (very noisy and ceramics all broken up) and I have a new one ordered along with new gaskets. I am also getting very bad fuel economy and rough idling. I cannot hear any exhaust leaking because the CAT rattles so bad. It sounds like little rocks shaking inside a tin can! From experience, does this exhaust leak and other problems sound like it's definitely the cat and am I on the right track to remedy the problems? I feel like I'm being gased everytime I drive. The exhaust odor is coming up the side right in through the drivers window. Oh, I'm driving a 78 SR5 long bed... Thanks!
If your cat is clogged the exhaust pressure will have to find it's way out through some other point. When mine would clog on any of my vehicles it would force it's way back, past the exhaust manifold gasket or down pipe gasket. These fumes can and will make it through holes in your firewall and into your cab. Needless to say, inhaling these fumes while behind the wheel could be very dangerous. Not a healthy thing for the motor to be running for extended periods with a clogged cat either. Problems will arise due to a domino effect of one thing leading to another. Been there, done that.
The other thing to add to that is as parts of the cat rattle around and cause this build in back pressure it can cause the engine to run rough. And if bad enough even stall!
