ym42

I have been getting the cat converter code for years. Changed the sensors, played with data-loggers etc, no avail. Recently, started smelling the exhaust under the hood and inside the cabin when the fan was on. I knew there is a leak.

I kept thinking about it and trying to pinpoint where it is, so after I read about it a little, decided to get a plastic tube I can use as a stethoscope and look for it. First I could not find it until I used an old blanket to plug the exhaust pipes behind the car. At that point, I could hear some hissing from under the car on the drivers side. I proceeded to use the plastic tubing to find the hissing sound coming from the upper side of the driver's catalytic convertor.

Currently, waiting for exhaust system to cool down so I can reach over there with my friends and feel whats wrong... Of course, regardless of what it is it will need to be fixed... It probably won't be easy. I head aftermarket cats are not good, and getting a used cat is not that easy either... May be I can fix this one with some high temp epoxy and some special tape or something like that?

moosestang

You have a hole in your cat? It's probably just the flange nuts needing to be tightened.

JThor

If the CAT is defective, and your car has less than 80,000 mi, Ford will have to replace the CAT under warranty. http://www.epa.gov/oms/consumer/warr95fs.txt

OOPS! Just saw your SIG. Too bad you didn't go to Ford earlier on this one.

ym42

I waited for the pipes to cool off and went under the car to inspect the left cat. I could not find anything wrong with it, indeed may be I need to tighten the connection going to the manifold, the one above the cat... Is that normal to get loose? And I certainly hope that my P0430 code was connected to this leak...

moosestang

Mine was loose. I think they get 35 ft lbs, but don't quote me on that. Spray them with lots of penetrating oil before you try to tighten them.

ym42

Well, I looked at the bolts. There is one I dont even know how to get to, the one above the converter. The angle of it and also lack of space around it makes me really wonder how to get to it. HOWEVER.

Its not the bolts, the seam that keeps the side with the in-pipe and the main oval cylinder of the converter seems to be damaged. It must be a hairline crack since I can not even feel/see it on iPhone pictures.. ( its on the other side above the converter where the hearshield is... )

Now what are my options? Have it welded back by exhaust shop? Try to use some high temp epoxy to cover the crack? Go aftermarket?

moosestang

How do you know it's leaking there? I'm not even sure where you are talking about.

You can get to all the nuts with a couple of extensions and a universal joint. You really need a torque wrench to tighten them though, because just feel won't cut it on these nuts.

It's really not that hard to remove with the right tools.

Menace

FYI if you're getting the P0340 code it is most likely the alternator. I just got the code recently and after researching 99% said it was fixed by replacing the alternator. The code says it could be the Cam Position sensor, but it's the alternator sending a bad signal that is throwing the code.

Take it to autozone and have them test the alternator, mine had a faulty diode.

moosestang

He's getting the P0430 code, not P0340. The alternator doesn't send a bad signal. It's leaking AC voltage into your DC system which causes the cam sensor to send a bad signal. The alternator makes AC voltage and converts it to DC for your 12VDC system to use.

Menace

My bad, dyslexic. P0430, isn't that usually a o2 sensor issue?