Frame Rust Next To Cat. Converters

[Danger]

2005 V8, I just dug into some frame rust with a drill/brush. It was definitely worse than anywhere else on the vehicle. The rest of the truck has some light surface rust at most. The proximity of the cats means that the steel stays in the danger zone of corrosion (200F-400F if I remember correctly) for long periods of time.

Just a reminder to check this area specifically if you haven't already. I mostly have been looking around the rear of the frame so this came as a bit of a surprise since it is so far along. Looking at doing rust converter and re-coating, and maybe getting a patch welded in the future.

Pics are attached

 

[rdruss]

Maybe an additional heat wrap for the converter.

 

[MikeinNH67]

On the 2nd picture it looks like the piece left on the inside is no longer metal but more like a cracker. Give it a whack and it may disintegrate. Almost all of my rust holes have formed from the inside out. I don't have any near a CC but I have the V6 if that matters any.

 

[BB_2005]

Wow! The last time I saw frame rust like that was on my dad's G3 4runner, near the muffler. It had a perfect parallel frame rot "gash" next to the muffler.

The guy who patched it did say the extra heat from the system does cause problems. Probably why they put heat shields around the cats, which often tend to fall apart over time and get lost. Keep the heat in the cats and away from other sensitive steel.