I am trying to find a picture of a catalytic converter for a 99 suburban...mine needs replaced but I can't afford that so mechanic suggested putting a hole in the thing and breaking the brick inside of it up...or removing the whole thing...trying to see where the brick is inside of it.

 

All I can say is, huh?

 

A Google image search of catalytic converter cross section will yield you your pictures...
There is no brick per se, its a honeycomb of materials that you could say look like a brick...

 

And it fills the entire case. Not sure how crappy your truck will run w/o the cat.

 

You can't do that dude, I assume you still have O2 sensors on it...it will run very rough for ya. You can buy a set of universal catalytic converters off the internet for under $100...Its worths it. Buy a couple of claps and get to hacking your OE units out. cut them smaller or right agaist the cats on each side and installed the new ones.

As far as drilling and breaking...I think your mechanich is on DRUGS...stuff inside you can't brake. they are very small steel tubes with ceramic/platinum coating. Nothing to brake...its way easier to just cut it off and replace it with a straight pipe.

 

Unless you are planning on getting rid of it in six months, I'd advise against getting non-OEM cats based on the info I've seen on this forum.

 

No real mechanic would recommend this. There are no steel tubes inside, if you could get to it you could break it up. You will never be able to do it through a drilled hole, you would need to cut it open then weld it closed. You will have a check engine light if you remove the cats. What are you trying to fix? If the same guy that told you to break it up told you you problem is the cats then I think you better have someone else look at it. I would be surprised if a hack like that is even correct about the problem.

 

do you know what a used cat is worth at the recycling yard?
don't break it up, cut it off and sell it for $100+..
then weld in strait pipe.
that is, if you don't care about the environment.

 

Cat removal will screw up the ECM and who knows what it will do to the fueling function.

 

SUV's are particularly susceptible to theft on this item BTW... ground clearance = easy access. A couple of years ago a few folks in the neighborhood started up there vehicles in the morning to the roar of an open exhaust system...