Catalytic converter installation question

[carldjensen]

I just bought a 91 from a state where there are no emissions tests. The owner had replaced the catalytic converters with test pipes. I need the cats to pass emissions, so the owner sent me the old ones along with some ring/flange thing. What I'm confused about is that the ring sticks way out above over the other triangular flange. Is this correct? Does the ring compress when I fit it to the exhaust system to form a seal?



Thank you.

 

[ATERPAK]

Yest it's okay. What happens is that when you finally torque down the nuts to the flange this ring will compress to fit the shape of the cat's receptacle and the flat surface of the other flange. Since it's a softer material it will provide a seal to the exhaust gases which go by. If you bought new flange gaskets it would be rounder but when you tighten things down, this will cause the gasket to take the shape you now see. These gaskets are usually reuseable so give it a try.

Al