Hi there,
I'm new to this forum but not to my 2004 RX8. I've had my RX8 for 5 years now and although it seems like a never ending project, I love it. The first car/engine I've ever taken interest in and wanted to learn more about and also how to maintain it and work on it myself. With that being said, I am a female in need of some serious help with my 2004 RX8. So I know I'm probably going to get a little S@#t after I post this because I'm a girl; but here I go! So I drove it off a curb trying to turn around on the way back from camping last summer. And "ya I know" it was bad. I hit the undercarriage really hard and about 10 mins. later smoke started coming up through the center console. I immediately pulled over and turned it off. When I looked underneath, I saw the catalytic converter was glowing red hot. Did I damage it on the curb or knock debris loose that caused the cat to clog? I really wasn't sure what happened, and decided not to drive it home and called a tow truck. Once home I started reading your blogs and forums and of course watching different YouTube videos and decided to turn it over and see if I could find the cause. Immediately it melted both the negative and positive battery connections! What in the world would cause that? A wire grounding? I turned it off quickly but not quickly enough. Both the starter and silenoid were toasted as well. I read up on what would cause that to happen and all I could find was the spark plugs, wires and coils could be causing the cat. to become molten lava hot. Nothing about blondes going off curbs and smacking the undercarriage super hard. "No pun intended!" Or? Lol Sorry. Anyway, so I went ahead and made the obvious purchases and replaced my battery, starter and silenoid. Then I installed new plugs and wires because I was getting misfire codes. I didn't check the coils which I now know is part of the whole deal so that's the next thing on my list. All this after hitting the under carriage pretty hard right about midway under there. After replacing and installing the battery, starter, silenoid, plugs and wires I started it up and drove it 2 blocks to the store and it sounded really rough. I've never heard it sound like that before. My question is, I know I need to take the cat. off and look at the honey comb to see if it's clogged and needs replaced. I'm pretty sure it does, but after reading some stuff online do you think it could be the coils? Before I dig into the fun job of removing the cat. I thought I should ask you guys what you think? I was thinking about gutting the cat., because I really don't have the money right now for a new one. If I do decide to gut it what do I do with the 02 sensor once it's off? Do I just hook it up right back where it was? What happens to the engine without the cat. and the 02 sensor? Can I drive it home without putting a gutted one back? Just leave it off? What then happens to the 02 sensor? Will it cause it to run lean or rich? I've learned about he engine light coming on and possibly not passing emissions but that's minor compared to me being able to get it from point A to point B right now for me. Can someone please tell me what my next step should be? I know it's illegal in some states to remove or gut your cat. but I have to move it from where I have it parked. I love my car, and I'd hate to lose it to a tow guy and I really don't want to torch my engine... Please help... Thank you

 

yes coils should be replaced with plugs and wires, not sure about your melted wires issue tho. yes you can drive with a gutted cat, just leave the o2 sensor there. this will most likely cause a check engine light but isnt a big deal. side note your car will smell a little but it has never bothered me. ive always decatted most of my cars esp. rotaries

 

everything 200 said, also if you haven't yet read the new owners thread, then re-read it about 12 times

no really read this!

 

If the cat is plugged/flattened don’t gut it. The rare metals in it are worth a lot at a recycler so take the pipe to a local auto recycling depot. Enough to pay for coils and a decatted mid pipe if you’re going that route. Or to put against another OEM mid pipe.

 

Hello, thank you! That's great news.