So I just installed a new y-pipe from britpart. One of the cats is hitting the frame. Is this a problem? It makes a little noise while driving like a scraping noise. Can I hammer it down or will that damage it?

Thanks
Tyler

 

Yes that will be a problem you don’t want that hitting anything as the exhaust moves etc with no play you risk cracking the pipes

also it’s going to be noisy

also you don’t want that much heat that close to the frame. After heat cool cycles you could damage your frame

 

Ok thanks how can I fix it? Can I hammer the edge of it down? Or bend the pipe somehow?

 

This is an aftermarket cat right? Not OEM? Aftermarket may be the issue.

The flanges on your cat appear to be 90* opposite these. This is a photo from AB. From your picture, that might be the differnce.

 

I bought eBay cats before with no issues

 

You can probably hammer down that flange and bend the pipe slightly with a crowbar to clearance it. If you attempt to bend it I would recommend doing so right at the welds in front of and behind the converter. If you take it to a muffler shop they can heat it with a torch and bend it slightly.

 

yeah one has the flanges upright and one is rotated 90* I bought it on Amazon. it used the same picture as that but it came in two pieces.

 

Great thanks. Could I used a mapp gas torch to heat it?

 

Mapp not hot enough,you would need a rosebud torch with oxyacetylene

 

The heat will not damage your frame. All it would do would be to anneal the steel, but the frame is not best treated.

You're not really going to see any long term issues in my mind, but the rattle would be a bit annoying. I'd take a cut off wheel on an angle grinder and just shave a bit off the edge. 1/8 inch or so, make sure you leave half the width of the weld and that ought to be just fine.

I would not hammer on it at all. The catalyst material inside is pretty delicate and hammering will damage it.