ok here is my problem, i just bought a 93 ruby convertible last week and i love it, but i took it to have some chrome wheels put on it (sawblades) and got it back and parked it for a few days, just got in it today and something is wrong its has a loss of power and its making a clinging/rattiling sound from the left side near the cat, so i looked at it and the cat has a dent in it about the size of a dime, so i thought to myself that the guys that put the wheels on could have hit the cat when they raised it up. so here is my questions? could a small dent like that damage the cat? if the cat is damaged will it make a rattling sound? and what is the cheapest way to fix it? and if its not the cat what could it be? the sound goes away when you rev it up, or going down the road. my vette is sick and needs some help, thanks guys

update: I took it to goodyear and they said ahh thats not the cat its a rod knocking, i about had a heart attack seriously, so i said screw them took it to a real shop and the guy listened to it and said that sounds like the motor (heart attach#2) the guy gets under it and a min later poped up and said its your lucky day! its the cat, he said he is 99.9% sure its the cat because the oil pan was quiet, anyway he said they damaged it, so i called back and let them talk to the mechanic and the guy basicaly said i was s.o.l. i still am scared that it could be the motor? but happy that its only the cat, i never really new how much i loved my vette

 

Yeap, sounds like the cat, sounds like someone went over a curb or tried to jack it up by the cat. They are EXPENSIVE. You could punch out the guts and it won't plug your exhaust, but it won't pass emissions

 

On the 93 you have two precats, y pipe to the main cat and on back. The precats are know to break up internally and then the loose pieces get blown back and block the exhaust at the main cat. If emissions is not a problem pull the precats off and replace them with a Y pipe. Some members say they have even passed emissions with no precats. Or the cheap route of take them off, pound the guts out of them with a broom handle, clean out the debris and put them back on. In the meantime I would suggest you NOT drive it around very much, maybe just to a nearby muffler shop.

 

aaaa, LT-1's only have two cats. Two big, very expensive cats!

 

thanks guys, driving it can hurt it? i cant just gut it i have to pass next year.

 

I stand (actually sitting right now) corrected. I know mine is true dual, but I was thinking the 93s had the pre-cat/y pipe set-up. Thanks for pointing out my error.

 

could that little dent have messed the cat up?

 

Yes

 

Could have, but you'll need Perry Mason to prove it. I took my wife's Blazer in to get the trans replaced last year and they dropped the exhaust when they took it off, You guessed it, little dent. Cracked the cat which then subsiquently plugged the rear cat. Took a while and $$ to find and fix that one.

 

Well, if it is the cat, there's a set from a 96 in the C4 Parts for Sale section. I've got the C4 parts microfiche in PDF so I could check the interchangibility (but I'd be suprised if they weren't the same):

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1460996

 

Yes, as others have mentioned the dent could have damaged the cat and may well have been caused by a mistake while installing your wheels. Most reputable shops do have insurance to cover such incidents, why not take it back show the damage to the owner or manager and at least give them an opportunity to make it right? The worst they can say is "No" at that point you are no worse off than you are now!