Do you need your CAT CON sheild?

Searched and found that other people have had this issue, but didn't find a resolution:

Today the noise I have had building for the past two weeks finally got bad enough to be detectable while idling. It seems that the shield on my catalytic converter is rattling. Even if I tap it while parked with the engine off I get a pretty nasty - PO'ed bull-frog type sound that is really loud at 1500 RPM

Can I just rip that thing out? If I can salvage it I will since it protects the cat and all, but the noise has got to stop. I think its just dented and rubbing somewhere, but in any case the bolts and fasteners all have to be drilled out and replaced to trouble-shoot the issue.

Thanks!

 

The converter gets really hot...I imagine you'll end up melting your carpet or something if the shield is removed.

Can't you figure a way to tighten up the fasteners mounting it instead?

 

The shield I am talking about is the aluminum one surrounding the cat not the one bolted on the frame. Is that also for heat?

 

I had one that rattled at 2500 RPM on another truck I had. Took it to the exhaust shop and the guy said he could weld it back on the cat or he could rip it off. He said it wasn't 100% necessary and could break loose again, so I told him to take it off. He said it was just to keep the cat from catching grass on fire when off road (??) Not sure about that, but that truck was fine for several more years. Just my experience.

 

Thanks for the info looks like it's coming off.

 

Yes, Catalytic Converters Will Ignite Grass. If You Keep That In Mind, You'll Never Return to a Smoldering Truck.

 

x2

I remember that when cat's first appeared on cars in the 70's...it even happened to my father-in-law. There were scorch spots all along I-35 in Oklahoma from the cat fires. It's more of a problem for cars of course, being lower to ground, but an off-roader is more likely to wander into, and park over, tall grass too.

 

Hmm. Well I am hoping that it is as simple as a rock lodged in the housing or something that I can remove. The issue is to get it off since the bolts Toyota used have all rusted to bits.

 

Use large stainless steel band straps to tighten up the sheild. If the sheild isn't rattling, the catalyst honeycomb could have broken loose. It will cause problems in addition to noise.
Also, the cat burns up the unburned fuel from the engine. Powertrain contol modules have been known to fail and keep the mix too rich and overheat the cat enough to set the vehicle on fire. Keep the sheild if you can.
Good luck.

 

I waited until the rattle got so bad it was doing it at idle at which point I jumped under the truck to have a look. I guess it got justled about and was rubbing against the side. After prying on it to pull it towards the passenger side and widen out a small part of the sheild I got the rub fixed.


Thanks for the help and info gents!

 

I was just about to confirm that, yes, it can set off a grass fire.