Well about a week ago my check engine light came on (P0430) Left bank low efficiency or something. Anyways the cat it do for replacing i'm sure it is the cat it would explain the bad exhaust smell and the rattling at low rpm i have been getting the past few months. So here are my car specs: 2002 Camaro Z28 Stock, 26,500k on the clock. I took it into a GM dealer and the 10 year/120k is up. So they want almost $800 to replace which is ridiculous, so i want to seek my options. Tell me what i should do about replacing it. I could probably replace myself next spring because the car is getting ready to get put up. So should i just replace the two with high flow cats? replace just the cat that is out with an OEM? My price range is limited and obviously not willing to spend $500.

 

Do you have an emissions test that involves an actual exhaust gas analysis? If so, then your only option is a replacement cat of some kind. If not, or if your test is OBD scan only, then you can simply turn the light off via tuning, remove the cat if it's rattling, and forget about it.

As for replacements, if you must have one, the most affordable option might be to buy a stock cat off someone that has removed theirs for headers. Of course, you are taking a gamble on whether or not that cat is near or already at the point of failure as well.

 

I pulled the cat off my 1994 v6 bird because the pipes around it were rusting. My exhaust shop charged me $75 to weld in straight pipes. No dash lights came on and the rusty metal is gone.

 

rpmws6 i found this http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cto-9106 if i went with this it sounds to me like the converter would just bolt right in and out.

 

Goto Summit and order a cat and a couple of clamps, cut off old cat, clamp on new one, should be about 100-120$
Done.
Or buy a new generic cat and have it welded in by a shop-done.
Make sure you measure the pipe size and get the proper size's.

I don't think you should ever remove your cats (unless it's a track only car), they don't pull that much power, and no one will be breathing un-necessary toxic fumes-including you,your loved ones and the children that may be near your car.

 

Brian, thanks for your reply can you send me a link to the clamps and cat you recommend?

 

Looks like a direct replacement that should fit right in. But you could probably get a pair of used stock ones for half that price. If you could find low mileage ones, they might be worth the risk.

Children did just fine from the time of the first gasoline powered automobiles all the way through the 1974 model year. I was never bothered by the smell of my Dad's pre-emissions Buick when I was a kid, nor am I bothered by the smell of non-catted cars as an adult. I guess you get used to whatever you grow up with, or maybe today's kids just aren't as hardy.

 

lol that's funny because i'm a kid i'm not sure about finding stock ones around my area the junk yards never have these cars.

 

Track car or not, if you want LTs the stock cats have to come off. I still have the stock cats, I should get rid of them.

 

Regarding your comment RPM WS6,
Lock yourself in a small garage for 30 minutes running a cat free ls1, than, if your still alive and not too brain damaged from the non-toxic emissions -than we can talk about hardy children......Oh, if you try that with a properly tuned LS1 with functioning cats, you'll be just fine.....
The crap that comes out of a cat-less engine is toxic, and does cause cellular damage to the brain, lucky for us, we have a lot of extra "disposable" cells. I just don't understand why we need to grossly pollut and stink up the air for a few hp? Just seems really selfish to me.

 

Someone's been drinking that 'left coast' Kool-Aid.

 

Agreed.

I never suggested that anyone lock themselves in a garage with a cat-less OR catted car. If someone wishes to do this, then whatever happens to them is a direct result of their own stupidity (or their purposeful desire for a specific outcome), and thus is not of any concern to me. If you feel the need to test your own theory about this with a catted car, then that is your right as a free American.

Humanity survived prior to 1975 (first year for cats), and some of us are still driving around cars that were built prior to this. No one is dropping dead in the wake of our exhaust trail.

If you are truly concerned about pollution and emissions, then why have a 5.7L V8? Seems that a smaller engine burning less fuel, thereby producing less emissions, would be the more socially conscious choice. An LS1 with a T56 is certainly fuel efficient, but there are modern 4 cylinder cars that are even more efficient. It could be seen as selfish that you would demand a larger engine just to make more power, when a smaller engine would burn less fuel and still get you from point A to point B.

 

RPM, I'll have a rebuttal after I get home from work tonight, Game on

But for now.

Please stop with the denial, rationalizing, excuses, and attacking my desire for a torquey engine (that does get better MPG and has MUCH better emission counts than the old 5mge it is replacing) just stick to the facts man.

Also, If "left coast Kool-aid" is decisions made on fact, logic, and scientific data, and not listening people who are bought and paid- for pushing corporate agendas- and my strong desire for my kid NOT having to wear some sort of filter mask outside when she gets older....well than color me left coast !!


I'll be back, and we will discuss "Stupid Laws"-not name calling, just going to try and shed some light on why I think de-catting is irresponsible.
until then, TTFN.

 

Yes, lets stick to the facts. You could have installed an engine that is smaller, newer and even more efficient. You did not. You chose a 346ci V8. In fact, you could have bought an entire car that was even smaller/more efficient. You didn't. Having said that, I'm sure you are well aware of the pollution/emissions disaster created by the production and distribution of the Prius. However, once they are built, the damage is already done, so if your primary concern is emissions reduction you should really consider picking up a used one rather than owning a torquey high performance V8. Or for a more conventional approch, consider a used Aveo.

As someone building an unnecessary hotrod, you really don't have much credibility getting on an emissions high-horse about cats. As a nation we could ban the entire hobby, ban all old cars that didn't even come with such equipment in the first place, and legislate all drivers into tiny econo-boxes with tiny engines (hmmmm...looks like upcomming CAFE regulations might be working towards that goal anyway, so rejoice!), and even after all of that you are looking at reductions in world emissions levels that are only akin to a squirt gun's flow removed from a fire hose.

Uh-oh! Sounds like you too have fallen for the brain washing of someone else's agenda.

No, this discussion will not continue. This is a basic tech section of a tech site, not a law/political debate forum. It is not our mission to create an open forum for your opinions of what is or is not socially irresponsible when it comes to hotrodding.

As a final note, I understand that you would probably love to respond to everything I have posted and tell me how wrong and horribile you *think* I am. But your words would be falling on deaf ears, as I do not share your opinion on this matter, and nothing you say will change that. So instead of wasting your time sending me a PM that will accomplish nothing, spend that time doing something enjoyable with your daughter. Have a good evening.