99 ML320 converter, How much to replace?
 

I have a 99 ML 320 and heard it making noises, they said that it had a big hole in the cat. converter but could try to weld it and see how long it lasts. I seemed to fix the problem, but 2 months later I hear it coming back. Does this make sense and how much should I expect to pay to buy a new one and have it installed? What could have caused it to get a big hole? Can salt air do this?
Thanks,
Kimmy:confused:

I have seen a number and have fixed atleast one. Most were still in the extended emissions warrantee (70 or 80,000 miles).

The cat is rather cheap, in the $300+ range. They aren't fun to replace but we did it without fooling with the tortion bar.

They are too cheap and too hard to remove to repair by welding as you have found out.

They said it should cost about 900.00 to fix it and they are on back order and will take many weeks to get.

$900 seems way too high?

Well, I sure was wrong. I checked this morning and the right side cat is now $700 list, so $900 for the job is not out of line. I picked the right side because all the ones I have seen bad are the right side. The left should be similar.

thanks for checking on this for me. I asked my husband and he said they wanted about $1,200 for the job. And it is the right side that I need. Is there any place to buy this thing cheaper? Or should I go on with it?

Can you get a used cat?
 

I am not sure about the emissions stuff but, I know www.pgauto.com has fairly new ML's in their corral. It is worth to give them a call...
Good luck!:cool:

It is against federal law to sell used cat converters. Its a shame!

It may be done all the time but the salvage yards aren't doing it.

Figures!
 

Last time I visited their place, they had ML's with less than 5000 miles.:(

kimmy - how about the test pipe
 

also known as an elimination pipe.

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ROOTS


These ML320 are built by Hillbilly's in Alabama.
Seems only right to throw the cat in the trash and
use an eliminator/test pipe on it.
Just test it without the cat for a few years.
See if she runs better.

some states check emmssion's some don't.

Well, that would mean the check engine light on all the time, but I hear that black electrical tape can solve that.

Problem is the cat attaches to the manifold and wanders around the tortion bar and comes out to another section and then wanders around some more and comes out at the first muffler, under the rear passengers feet. All in stainless it would be rather expensive to creat that test pipe unless you are handy welding stainless.

Oh, I don't know, Steve. If A guy could get someone with an exhaust pipe bender, you could get one with the correct bends in it and flare the ends, then saw off the cat and clamp this test pipe in there without any welding at all. After all, it's just a "test", right?;)

Gilly

OK I think I lost you guys back on the mantifold tortion test bar ( just kidden ). No really though. I need to do something, I won't let my son drive the car now that it's making that noise again. (It's his car). The shop told me when they welded it that if the weld didn't hold it would start to make the noise again and It could start ON FIRE! Well now, that doesn't sound like something I should let my kid drive around in now, does it?