87 having issues when removed from storage
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
87 having issues when removed from storage
PUlled my 87 out of storage the other day. It has been sitting for about 5 months. Ran a bit rough, took it out on the highway and discovered there is little if any power at all. It started running a bit rough prior to it going in storage. Matter of fact, went from 22-24MPH down to about 5 or 6. But I didnt want to mess with it at the time so I put it away for the winter.
Drove it for about 30 minutes. Tail pipes were ice cold, revd the motor some, nothing coming out of the tail pipes at all. I have an idea what the problem may be and a fix, please give me your diagnosis and a quick fix.
Thanks in advance,
Steve devos
Drove it for about 30 minutes. Tail pipes were ice cold, revd the motor some, nothing coming out of the tail pipes at all. I have an idea what the problem may be and a fix, please give me your diagnosis and a quick fix.
Thanks in advance,
Steve devos
Racer
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: New Hampshire
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
Do you have to have your cars run trhu a smog check? If so, then removal of the cats will cause the car to fail the test.
You can remove the pre-cats and weld pipe in their place. I would still run a main cat in the stock position. Replacement high-flow cats are available and easy to install. Make sure you get one that has an AIR tube to connecto to the existing air pipe. You can also get a front Y-pipe without the pre-cats from Mid-America or other accessory suppliers.
If you go to a muffler shop and ask to have the cats removed, you may get a quick refusal. Removal of the cats (either removing functioning ones, or removing them and not replacing them) is a violation of federal law and a shop could get a huge fine if they get caught. It's around $10 to 15 thousand dollars
The main cat is not welded, there should be a 3" clamp at the frnt of the main cat and there is a ball-and-socket connector at the rear of the main cat. You could weld in a piece of pipe but you have to fabricate a hangar strap to the front hanger just in front of the main cat.
You can remove the pre-cats and weld pipe in their place. I would still run a main cat in the stock position. Replacement high-flow cats are available and easy to install. Make sure you get one that has an AIR tube to connecto to the existing air pipe. You can also get a front Y-pipe without the pre-cats from Mid-America or other accessory suppliers.
If you go to a muffler shop and ask to have the cats removed, you may get a quick refusal. Removal of the cats (either removing functioning ones, or removing them and not replacing them) is a violation of federal law and a shop could get a huge fine if they get caught. It's around $10 to 15 thousand dollars
The main cat is not welded, there should be a 3" clamp at the frnt of the main cat and there is a ball-and-socket connector at the rear of the main cat. You could weld in a piece of pipe but you have to fabricate a hangar strap to the front hanger just in front of the main cat.
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Michael S. Palmer
Pro
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 508
Likes: 0
From: Vancouver WA
If you want to go with a cheap and quick solution: Just chisel out the crap from the precats, which is what usually what cloggs the main cat, replace main cat if you have emission testing or if it looks shot. This way you don't have to mess with a welder and such.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 17,640
Likes: 1
From: Lenoir City TN
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11
With a saw? When I got my 86 the precats were removed and a section of pipe cobbled in, looked like azz, the main cat was gutted. I purchased a used Y pipe w/ precats and installed a new main cat and the performance of the engine was so much better, ran much smoother.
If I were you I would drop the exhaust and take a look at what the problem is. Not hard to drop at all.
If I were you I would drop the exhaust and take a look at what the problem is. Not hard to drop at all.