Cats heating up the floor

[4x4mike]

I just got back from Oregon and rode as a passenger for a portion of the trip. I'm never really a passenger in the 4runner but my wife wanted to drive. Sitting there I was kind of bored so I started cleaning the dash vents, little crannies, etc. Up around Redding I noticed the floor and tranny tunnel on the passenger side was hot, like more than warm. I lifted up the floor mat (thick rubber aftermarket) and felt around. The carpet had some temp to it as did the pastic trim on the console near the shifter. I was nervous so we pulled over so I could take a look. I've got 2 cats and both are about where the heat is. Is this normal? My wife said it's always been like that but I'm not sure she's really paid that much attnetion. The floor mat seemed to insulate things as it was hot on the bottom but not so much up top. I had a friend lose an old restored jeep because the cats caught on fire. I guess I just want to get some piece of mind and make sure nothing's getting too damaged. FWIW it looks like there is a small heat shield on the sheet metal but that's all. I guess that's better than charred paint.

[slosurfer]

Damn, I thought this was going to be some video of someone rubbing their felines across the carpet or something. :laugh:

When you got out and looked were they glowing red or anything?

[MTL_4runner]

Get an infrared temp gun and shoot the temp on the cats after driving a while. They should be around 200 degrees hotter than the exhaust pipe as a maximum). Hotter than that and you may have a rich condition with the truck. Doesn't sound like you have an issue right now though.

[4x4mike]

Sorry no video but maybe I could scrounge something up.

They weren't red but with the engine off they were making the cooling off sounds (kind of clicking, popping).

[4x4mike]

Get an infrared temp gun and shoot the temp on the cats after driving a while. They should be around 200 degrees hotter than the exhaust pipe as a maximum). Hotter than that and you may have a rich condition with the truck. Doesn't sound like you have an issue right now though.

I've wanted to get one of those temp guns for a while and it looks like I have an excuse now. I think I'd carry it around everywhere just to see what the temperatures of things are. I think I'll monitor the floor temp, by feel, for a little longer and go from there. I've put 10K miles on the 4runner since I've had it and I'm still learning things.

[corax]

That's sounds about normal, most of the time cats will run arond 500-700 degrees F, maybe a bit hotter after a hard wide open throttle run up a long hill and a bit cooler after idling for awhile.

[4x4mike]

I've been playing with the idea of heading out that way to visit A-J, so if you want to put in a cooler and heat tape, just let me know if you want some help. We'll only need about 2 hours to get it done, depending on b.s. time.

I've got a 5 speed so no cooler for me. The shift lever on the tranny never gets more than semi warm so I think it's fine. I'll have to look into a heat shield to put under the carpet. Again this is the first I've looked into this for this vehicle. I wonder how much more that heated up the interior this past summer.