hey guys im confused still and want to take the best route and now i was thinking about hallowing the cats, should i just remove it then break all the material inside?? or how is it possible to do?? thanks

 

It's more work on a '98/'99 car, because you can't unbolt the cat from the Y-pipe on the passenger side. You'll have to cut the pipe.

 

i have a buddy with an ly1 car and he was wondering the same thing...i told him i didnt know anything about the lt1 so i dont know how the exhaust systems are setup

 

I hollowed out my cats in my 2000 trans am but i lost some torque with the loss off backpressure. I did it the ghetto way and im looking to get headers with no cats instead. Sounds nice but i actually feel that i lost power.

 

ok i believe that u lost power, but what about all the other people who claim u get more power with ORY and headers! i know the headers will give power but wont not having cats make u loose power either way? well i dont know if i can fully afford the headers i want right now! so im going to have to loose the power with guttin the cats! i guess

 

The ORYs flow way better than a Ypipe with gutted cats, the exhaust flow isnt smooth from a gutted cat. Just save up for a Ypipe and headers and save your time. But if your bored then pull out your cats, get a torch, heat the inside of the cats and go to town with a crowbar. Its what all my friends back home do to there trucks.

 

I have a 98z28, I unbolted mine, took a broom handle and smashed the crap out of that stuff till it mashed up , I don't remember what I did to the other side think I just cut a section out took out the cat stuff then just welded the piece back on. Then bolted it back up.

I have no idea how anyone would lose power hollowing out a cat when the pipe is like 2 1/4 - 2.5" around.

My car went faster and thats how I did it.

 

I dont think you would loose enough power for it to be noticable, but you have to admit the flow characteristic would go to ****... Just buy some nice headers and a Y pipe, do it right. My $.02

 

if u want headers just take off the cats cut the flanges off weld them on to some pipe bolt those on to ur car and sell ur cats for $135

 

yea i understand what u mean! i know i dont like to be cheep when it comes to buying the right parts for my car but, as u can see i have opened up like 6 threads from yesterday till today since yesterday i have found out my cats are clogged and the more i drive it the more i damage it, so now my car is in my driveway sittin while im getting dropped off to school and back !bummer! so i wanted to buy the headers since i thought i was going to spend some money to gut the cats then when i get the headers those go to waste! but i need to get my car back on its feet, so i can have proper transportation! so im guessing the simplest way is to gut the cats right! i dont wanna loose like 15 HP so let me know what u guys think!

 

If you gut the cats will the check engine light come on? If that is the case you have to get a tune....

 

ya i would gut them, i read some of your other threads as well. i dont think you have to get a tune because the o2s after are only to make sure the cats are working. you will just have to deal with the check engine light. there are people who do this for performance so i doubt you will lose that much, and even if you do you at least get your car back. it beats getting rides everywhere and its a temporary solution till you can get headers anyway, right?

 

who can i sell them to for that price??? somebody wants to buy my internals for $40

 

yea im just gonna tune em out! its like $20

 

yea im gonna do this saterday ill llet u guys kno what happens thanks 4 ur input bro

 

2000Firehawk WTB - $$$$ for catalytic converters , cats

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I pay $145 per pair or $70 each for factory LS1 LT1 LS2 LS6 GM cats.
$20 each for pre-cats.... $30 each for LS7

I pay by check or paypal, your choice.
Send your payment information with your cats, when you send them.
I pay within 24 hrs of the same day that I receive your cats.

Send cats to:
Dave McElrath
2942 Crosby Ave
Pittsburgh , PA 15216

No gutted or internally broken cats. Broken studs, bad flanges a-ok.
You can cut them out of the piping if you want.
The more you cut, the cheaper it is to ship. I just need the cats.
Fedx ground is cheapest.

Or , if you cut away all the piping , they will fit into a USPS ‘flat-rate” box &
Cost you only $8.95 from anywhere to me. Free “flat-rate” boxes at your post-office.

Check out Trader Ratings at the top of the page.
I'm #3 on the list with 168 trades & a 100% rating...

You can also send me all other factory cats, & I will pay you top dollar, for your cats... I can only price non LS1 cats when received, as there are 1,000s of different factory cats made.

 

that guy does

 

STEP #1..Remove Fur.....

 

thanks bro ill pm him right now dude thanx

 

Finnally some one to back up what I've been saying. Removing the core of the cat leaves you with a big empty can with a pipe at both ends. Not exactly the best setup for airflow. While it causes minor backpressure the core of the cat directs airflow through the cat to minimize turbulance.

Removing the cats is not what costs power. Making the exhaust gasses flow through the empty cat is what costs you power. The empty cat causes turbulance and backpressure. If you can't afford headers but want to loose the cats. Have an exhaust shop make some eliminator pipes or buy one of the off road Y pipes made for the stock manofolds.

As for the people who said gutting the cats gave them a lot more power, I think it was actually the racing stickers you put on the same day. Do it right or don't do it at all.

Re'