Exhaust questions

Hi guys, ok first off, my check engine had popped, found that my spark
plugs in need of replacing, while pulling the plugs noticed coolant on top
of the plugs. Pulled the plugs and thought was spraying brake parts
cleaner but turns out it was carb cleaner, too late to fix that now. The
coolant did get into the cylinder heads. The coolant had come from what
seems like a leaking temperature sending unit on the intake.

Installed the new plugs and before the car was misfiring, now it will
barely idle like the exhaust system is plugged. I got up under the car as
it was smoking. Low and behold the passenger side Cat converter was cherry
red as was some type of other part before the cat was cherry red. Shut the
car down right away.

Did some researching and everything points to a plugged converter, the
only thing I can come up with is, when I sprayed the carb cleaner to help
dry out the cylinder holes, could I have cleaned the buildup on the valves
themselves and that is what plugged the converter? Or was it the coolant
that drained into the holes that has caused this. I let the vehicle sit
over night and ran it for an hour, when you hit the gas it bogs out real
bad and it still is missing but the converter did not turn red on me. I
tried to drive it but it stalled and still runs like crap. Keep in mind
that this has never happened before I changed the plugs, the car has 104 k
in miles plugs never have been changed. It is a 1998 Mustang GT 2V.

The main question is this, I did some price shopping and on my exhaust I
have the header, that goes to a mini cat, I do not know the name of it,
then goes to the Cat, then to another "mini cat", then to the mufflers.
Looked at some exhaust systems and do not see anywhere these "mini cats".
Do I need them, as I only plan on replacing the passenger side cat, as it
was the only that turned red. Can a muffler place just cut the cat only
out and change that leaving the "mini cats" in place?

Sorry about the long writeup, just wanted you to know all the facts.

Signed,
Broke Down in Texas

On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 14:11:53 -0400, Texas69 rearranged some electrons to
form:

> Hi guys, ok first off, my check engine had popped, found that my spark
> plugs in need of replacing, while pulling the plugs noticed coolant on top
> of the plugs. Pulled the plugs and thought was spraying brake parts
> cleaner but turns out it was carb cleaner, too late to fix that now. The
> coolant did get into the cylinder heads. The coolant had come from what
> seems like a leaking temperature sending unit on the intake.
>
> Installed the new plugs and before the car was misfiring, now it will
> barely idle like the exhaust system is plugged. I got up under the car as
> it was smoking. Low and behold the passenger side Cat converter was cherry
> red as was some type of other part before the cat was cherry red. Shut the
> car down right away.
>
> Did some researching and everything points to a plugged converter, the
> only thing I can come up with is, when I sprayed the carb cleaner to help
> dry out the cylinder holes, could I have cleaned the buildup on the valves
> themselves and that is what plugged the converter? Or was it the coolant
> that drained into the holes that has caused this. I let the vehicle sit
> over night and ran it for an hour, when you hit the gas it bogs out real
> bad and it still is missing but the converter did not turn red on me. I
> tried to drive it but it stalled and still runs like crap. Keep in mind
> that this has never happened before I changed the plugs, the car has 104 k
> in miles plugs never have been changed. It is a 1998 Mustang GT 2V.
>
> The main question is this, I did some price shopping and on my exhaust I
> have the header, that goes to a mini cat, I do not know the name of it,
> then goes to the Cat, then to another "mini cat", then to the mufflers.
> Looked at some exhaust systems and do not see anywhere these "mini cats".
> Do I need them, as I only plan on replacing the passenger side cat, as it
> was the only that turned red. Can a muffler place just cut the cat only
> out and change that leaving the "mini cats" in place?
>
> Sorry about the long writeup, just wanted you to know all the facts.
>
> Signed,
> Broke Down in Texas

Did you check to make sure you got the plug wires back on in
the right order?

--
David M (dmacchiarolo)
http://home.triad.rr.com/redsled
T/S 53
sled351 Linux 2.4.18-14 has been up 26 days 23:35

On Thu, 25 Aug 2005 02:14:11 +0000, David M rearranged some electrons to
form:

> On Wed, 24 Aug 2005 14:11:53 -0400, Texas69 rearranged some electrons to
> form:
>
>> Hi guys, ok first off, my check engine had popped, found that my spark
>> plugs in need of replacing, while pulling the plugs noticed coolant on top
>> of the plugs. Pulled the plugs and thought was spraying brake parts
>> cleaner but turns out it was carb cleaner, too late to fix that now. The
>> coolant did get into the cylinder heads. The coolant had come from what
>> seems like a leaking temperature sending unit on the intake.
>>
>> Installed the new plugs and before the car was misfiring, now it will
>> barely idle like the exhaust system is plugged. I got up under the car as
>> it was smoking. Low and behold the passenger side Cat converter was cherry
>> red as was some type of other part before the cat was cherry red. Shut the
>> car down right away.
>>
>> Did some researching and everything points to a plugged converter, the
>> only thing I can come up with is, when I sprayed the carb cleaner to help
>> dry out the cylinder holes, could I have cleaned the buildup on the valves
>> themselves and that is what plugged the converter? Or was it the coolant
>> that drained into the holes that has caused this. I let the vehicle sit
>> over night and ran it for an hour, when you hit the gas it bogs out real
>> bad and it still is missing but the converter did not turn red on me. I
>> tried to drive it but it stalled and still runs like crap. Keep in mind
>> that this has never happened before I changed the plugs, the car has 104 k
>> in miles plugs never have been changed. It is a 1998 Mustang GT 2V.
>>
>> The main question is this, I did some price shopping and on my exhaust I
>> have the header, that goes to a mini cat, I do not know the name of it,
>> then goes to the Cat, then to another "mini cat", then to the mufflers.
>> Looked at some exhaust systems and do not see anywhere these "mini cats".
>> Do I need them, as I only plan on replacing the passenger side cat, as it
>> was the only that turned red. Can a muffler place just cut the cat only
>> out and change that leaving the "mini cats" in place?
>>
>> Sorry about the long writeup, just wanted you to know all the facts.
>>
>> Signed,
>> Broke Down in Texas
>
> Did you check to make sure you got the plug wires back on in
> the right order?

Unless it's coil-on-plug....


--
David M (dmacchiarolo)
http://home.triad.rr.com/redsled
T/S 53
sled351 Linux 2.4.18-14 has been up 26 days 23:38

First place.. did you look close fro the leak.. or just assume? You are
aware of the cracking manifold problem, of course.

Second.. there's several reasons for the Cat to glow... one of which is raw
fuel like from a cyl not firing. Another of which is contamination,
causing the comb to self destruct.

Third.. your cat is probably toast, but you had better fix the problem
before you install another... did you read the code(s)?

Ok we found a leaking Intake manifold that is allowing coolant to get to
the passenger side wires to get soaked and burnt and arcing. Going to
have to change out the intake manifold, does anyone have a link to
changing out the intake manifold? I need to change the intake, wires and
of course the Cat converter.

Thanks!!!