High Catalytic temps. 1200 degrees

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buddyhotrod

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Ive always suspected that the catalytic converters were clogged on my Tahoe.

Ran a live data and kept a eye on the Catemp. After initial start up I let the vehicle idle for about 15 mins and plugged the scanner into the OBD.

The Catemps for 11 and 21 were about 800 degree F.

Pulled out on the road and got up to 35 or 40 with moderate acceleration and they shot up to 1000 degrees F.
After a few miles they were staying right around 1200 degrees F at about 35mph.

This seems WAY high.

Both of these images are of the vehicle idling for 5 mins after driving 35mph.

IMG_0166.jpg IMG_0167.jpg
 

drakon543

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1200 degrees hope you dont get stuck in traffic after a long drive
"whats that smoke honey"
"oh thats just the carpet about to catch on fire"
 
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buddyhotrod

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Anyone think this is high?

From what I have been reading this seems really high.
 

CHOO CHOO

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I don't know the answer to that question, but if it was me, just replace them. If you have suspected that they have been clogged, then don't risk a fire or something major happening and replace them. Not sure of your capabilities, but get some high flow cats and weld them in or have a shop do it. $300-500 and you should be fine, and that's on the high end imo.
 

shreksbrother

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Ive always suspected that the catalytic converters were clogged on my Tahoe.

Ran a live data and kept a eye on the Catemp. After initial start up I let the vehicle idle for about 15 mins and plugged the scanner into the OBD.

The Catemps for 11 and 21 were about 800 degree F.

Pulled out on the road and got up to 35 or 40 with moderate acceleration and they shot up to 1000 degrees F.
After a few miles they were staying right around 1200 degrees F at about 35mph.

This seems WAY high.

Both of these images are of the vehicle idling for 5 mins after driving 35mph.

View attachment 211682 View attachment 211683
How's your truck running otherwise? Typically it takes an issue for the cats to clog (unburnt fuel being a favorite culprit).

I had one clogged cat on a Land Rover I used to own (it had a bent pushrod which caused it) and that cat would get red hot after ten minutes of driving. I mean visibly cherry red.

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Regency

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1600 degreees is at the high end of cat temps. I would be worried if it’s getting higher than that. 1200 is as hot as they would get?
 

kbuskill

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If I remember right my new ones got up to 1400 or so degrees. I think it was earlier this year that @kbuskill and I were talking about it somewhere on this here forum. I seem to remember them cooling down into the 700s while idling. Any of this ring a bell Ken?

Yes... what James said is pretty accurate... mine usually run 1350ish while driving and 7-800 idling... according to the Torque Pro app.
 

swathdiver

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Had the Tech2 with me and saw the cat temps run up to almost 1500 while accelerating to 70 mph between 2500-3000 rpms. Once at 70 mph, the cats cooled down into the high 1200s. While cruising at 40 mph, they were in the 1200s too. Burning E85 through Magnaflow cats.
 

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