i bought my 99 3.8 with no cats and a flowmaster and my SES light keeps showing up. i was wondering if instead of buying a catalytic, if i can install a thrush glass pack muffler in its place. would the sensor read it correct? it would save me a lot of $$ if this works.

 

That will not work at all. Some very good aftermarket cats will keep the PCM happy but no cats, dummy cats, or gutted cats will definitely throw a code. Check to be sure it is not the O2 sensor that is giving you the code. Some of the import guys use spark plug non-foulers on the O2 sensors behind the cat to trick the computer when running test pipes with no cats. I guess you can try that for a cheap fix but if it fails you will be buying the new cats anyway...

 

I don't understand how anybody can think that putting a MUFFLER in place of a CATALYTIC CONVERTER is going to work. One is not the other. Maybe the noise will scare the computer into not throwing a code?

 

lol, You're only knocking it because you haven't tried it. Adding a glasspack has got to be better than nothing right?

BTW, if you're hard up for cash, but don't live in cali, you can buy a cat on the cheap at an auto parts store. I've seen them on Jegs and summit for about $50 each for universal cats. They won't be Hi-po but they'll be legal in most states.

 

yea i see them a lot on ebay go for about 40-50 bucks. ima just get me one of those.

and i had a felling it wouldn't work. my cousin gave me the idea but then again, he drives a honda
thanks alot guys

 

lmao wow please explain to me the thinking behind "got to be better than nothing" a glasspack has nothing to do what so ever with emissions and would have no impact on what an o2 sensor reads. im afraid to go into too much detail here so i'll be as simp,e as i can possibly be a catalytic converter uses a "catalyst" to lower exhaust emissions. a glasspack muffler is a friggin muffler.

oh, and a universal high flow cat is pretty damn cheap like $70 for a magnaflow obd2 fedemiss compliant. they also make california emission compliant universal high flow cats.

 

It's called SARCASM. With a post count of 15, maybe you shouldn't be so condesending. I guess you've been a member for 1/2 a day or so, you need to make a name for yourself.

Do you realize in Cali you have to use an OEM grade converter on OBD2 vehicles? Per magnaflo's website the cheapest cat you can get for his Camaro in California is $209.98, for a universal and $562.62 for direct fit.

 

^^ maybe that was rude...

Welcome to the board!

 

thanks yes i may be a new member but i know alot about parts i may have came off rude 2, sorry. i work in a specialty performance auto parts store been there for years and ive in the month sold 2 california compliant cats $89 ea not easy to dig em out cause half of em arent really noted in lookups but if some 1 needs i can dig up some part no's