Thanks to my BB brothers, I came up with a solution to fix the catalytic converter that fell off the header pipe on my trusty Brick. But I can't weld. So I took it to a local mechanic who welds. My instructions: weld away. His response: replace the header pipe with an aftermarket part. Thank you. Cranked it up and the thing let out a full throated roar. Shuddering and roaring like the goddamn cowardly lion in the Wizard of OZ. But if you're standing next to it, it sounds fine. Only when you get in it does it rumble and feel like it's falling apart. I couldn't figure out where it was coming from.

I got it home and inspected the engine first. I noticed the P/S belt was jiggling and loose and the cap was broken and not closed tight -- well to be honest, the cap has been broken awhile and I managed to get it on there some kind of way but it would not tighten and I can't find another cap. I tightened the belt, but noticed the pulley was pretty loud. The rumbling continued.

I put the car on jackstands, started it, and put it into gear. I saw right away that the reverse light switch attached to the tranny was sheared clean off by the spinning drive shaft. It's supposed to be in a clip and was swinging free. And the tranny is sitting on the cross member.

The question is this:
Is there a hole in the crossmember to fasten the tranny mount to, or does it just sit on there. My tranny mount is about the size of Abraham Lincoln's NBA playbook. I have no idea what it looks like, but i ordered one from Groton.

How can you tell if a header pipe and catalytic converter are properly married? Can you see the doughnut gasket in there that's supposed to be there between them. How can you tell if it's leaking? I should have done that job myself.

How do you change the P/S pulley, and should you change the low pressure and high pressure hoses when you're doing the job?

If I'm gonna lay in the cold fixing this thing I might as well do it right.


Thank you.

Cuddy