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Hey do you think their will be much of a diff between me removing the
catilitic converters out of my exhaust pipes and buying a set of
aftermarket racing pipes?
cake872
Depends on the motor, but should free up some power either way
newyorker
It'll definitely free up some noise.
PontiacFan27
Free up some power, some noise, and maybe some smell. It's not uncommon
for cars with the cats removed to smell like rotten eggs. A full exhaust
(headers, catback, and whatever you plan on putting inbetween) will cost a
lot of money for minimal gains. You may barely be able to feel the
increase in power. Add in the pain in the ass it will be to get it
inspected plus the guff you'll get from the cops too.
giant016
well hes not in the us...if i remember hes in puerto rico or somewhere else
like that so the laws may differ
newyorker
Yeah, but it would still draw attention, and make it seem more likely that
he is involved in illegal street racing.
chris_knows
so does my side exhaust, and hid kit, and window tint, and lowered
suspension...cops never pull me over, and unlike the 300, with my car they
would need no effort to stop me even if i was dumb enough to run
newyorker
Whether or not it's legal where he is isn't the whole story. A good setup
can run over $1000, and he might gain 20hp. A lot of people do exhaust
early in the modding stage because it makes the car more fun to drive, but
for performance/dollar there are probably a few better alternatives at this
point. This is assuming he means a full race exhaust (headers, midpipe,
catback).
giant016
Maybe for noise, but at least they'll be used to the bad smells.
PontiacFan27
Well I dont have headers but I do have a catback exhaust already. And if I
just rip out the converters form my current exhaust that saves a bunch. So
it would be that lil trick and jus to purchases the headers. and yes i live
in the bahamas and it wouldnt be a prob at all. and no not any street
racing as yet
cake872
Exhaust may have minimal gains, but put engine work into your car with a
stock exhaust and then you're f-in yourself. Exhaust is a very important
part of the tuning equation. 20hp... That's a pretty good increase btw.
Laughs @ removing cat.
Integra_LS
From previous experiences, cats can smell of rotten eggs themselves, even
more so if you have just been driving quite 'hard'. I've always looked at
this as being the cats way of telling you that it hasn't got long
left.....maybe.
Cliffy
If you wana save money, take out the cats and grind out the
insides..basically hollow them out, will give the same effect as a test
pipe, and will cost nothing..dont forget to make a CEL Defouler look up how
to make one its very easy. no cats smell like gasoline..i love it
newyorker
If you mean just hollow out the cat and put it back on, minus the honeycomb
inside, I done this on my 1996 Vauxhall Astra (not for a performance
upgrade, but because it was breaking up anyway, and became restricted). And
it made no difference at all to performance or even sound. It's also worth
noting that the inside of a cat can be bad for your health...Kinda ironic
really, lol.
Cliffy
im talking about gutting the whole thing, including the honeycomb. My buddy
did this on his s2000 and gained a noticable gain in power
newyorker
Dont gut a cat, but it out and replace it with a test pipe, then sell it to
a CAT buyer and end up making money on the whole ordeal.
I do belive F-body cats are going for 35 dollars a piece.
2 cats=+70 dollars
Test Pipes put in=-25 dollars (at most)
total = +45 dollars
WIN, WIN
Enthusiast
Theres a guy paying $60 EACH for LS1 cats over on LS1tech, and something
tells me he's selling them for more.
giant016
Thats who I was talking about, damn I though they were 35, Ive got 4 laying
in the garage, time to sell some cats.
Enthusiast
Somebody said something about it being whats in them, like little platinum
balls or something
Enthusiast
From what I was told, it is very expensive metals and things they
use...platinum or titanium or something...duno why but thats what the guy
with the S2000 told me
newyorker
That's what I done with mine but with no noticeable changes, not even
noise. It might affect different cars in different ways I guess, but the
shape of the cat wouldn't help it in most cases I suppose (mine just looked
and acted like a normal silenser after gutting it!)....Probably better off
just replacing it, if of course you're not that bothered about the laws
surrounding this, lol.
Cliffy
Platinum is in them, but there is some other oddball metal in them that is
worth WAY more, but hard to extract.
giant016
cutting the cats off will also increase your horses alittle, but im a
welder so all the cars i race i cut the muffler and the cats off and weld
straight pipes to them, you can tell a BIG difference... louder and alittle
more horses
MwJ450
it looks like bee hives, its got the holes it in and everything, but it is
real platinum, we take alot of cars to the scrap yard and ill cut the cats
off and get about $80 a cat + whatever the car brings in
MwJ450
aka 'Honeycomb' :wink2:
Cliffy
yep...
MwJ450
