Vacuum or idle problems.

Thank you, I have an advance auto close I will try and order them there. Because of prior obligations I couldn't work on it yesterday, so I'm working on it now. I'm am trying to decide what is the front converter. I have the rear converter off. then there is a section of straight pipe going toward the manifold that connects with 2 bolts to a piece that appears to have maybe a flat metal heat shield?? attached with 4 bolts around the exhaust pipe that takes a 90 degree turn up into a piece that looks like a large can that continues up into the manifold. I can send photos later when I get back under it. I live in Virginia and it's 95 degrees with humidity to match, and I'm an old man and can't take it like I use to. Anyway do I have to take the whole assembly out all the way to the manifold? or is the converter at the 2 bolt connection? or is it the thing that looks like a large can of beans?? Oh and thank you for all your help so far you have been a life saver .

This is what you're looking for. It doesn't need to be removed, but the pipe bolted to the bottom side of it does.
I know this sucks, but many of us have gone through it, and it can be done from underneath the truck. Just be sure to wear eye protection.

I gottcha now. In my truck it is covered by what I guess is a heat shield covering the manifold and looks like it is part of it. but your photo is exactly what it looks like in my truck. I was getting ready to cut the heat shield out, because the bolts are about welded tight, the one I tried to loosen just wrung off the head. Then unbolt the exhaust from the manifold. What you are showing me, doing it from under the truck maybe a pain, but not nearly the pain it would be, doing it from above and trying to unbolt everything I would need to unbolt to get to it. Thank you very much for your time and knowledge. I will post how it worked when I get done.

I want to thank everyone that helped me out. Punching out the Catalytic converters did the trick. and it is not as loud as I thought it would be. It was smoking worse than it ever had though, and I was getting bubbling back into the coolant overflow reservoir. A friend said I might had blown the head gasket trying to limp it home overheating. I tried a bottle of Bars-leak H G repair and she is running like her old self again. Again thank you all for the information I needed . Maley 709