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Hi, First post here. I recently acquired a 2000 firebird formula with the ls1 (ws9 y82) and have been having issues with a p0430. I purchased a laser thermometer and figured out that the catalyst on the passenger side is going in at around 380f and coming out at around 320f. The driver side is going in around 400f and coming out around 485f, so the passenger is obviously the issue. now comes the difficult part, in my research it sounds like in 2000 they should have both cats up right by the engine. on my car, it appears that the catalyst is part of the y pipe around where the floor bump from the 3rd gens is. i am wondering if a previous owner may have put the exhaust from a 98-99 car on, or if they continued this practice in 2000. Trying to figure out if i am buying a 700 dollar catted y pipe or a 250 dollar cat and a cat back. Ps- due to emissions in my state, i am unable to get rid of them as much as id like unless i spend 1200+ with dirt legal for Montana registration any help would be greatly appreciated
I think the cats were always a bit downstream of the manifolds. But regardless of that, you have something else going on, like a bad cat
Location a little ways up or downstream won't make the difference in temps that you're seeing.
BTW, you can delete the other post you made in error. Go to the lower right of the post and hit "edit". Then go from there.
I think the cats were always a bit downstream of the manifolds. But regardless of that, you have something else going on, like a bad cat
Location a little ways up or downstream won't make the difference in temps that you're seeing.
BTW, you can delete the other post you made in error. Go to the lower right of the post and hit "edit". Then go from there.
I do understand that it is a bad cat, and know which side is bad.
My post is in an attempt to figure out if the car has the wrong style of cat/exhaust on it before making repairs.
as far as I've been able to find, the ls1 in 2000-2002 should have both cats right up by the engine coming off the manifold.
on my car, the driver cat is up by the engine, and the passenger is back further, about half way down to the y pipe.
sorry for any confusion
I do understand that it is a bad cat, and know which side is bad.
My post is in an attempt to figure out if the car has the wrong style of cat/exhaust on it before making repairs.
as far as I've been able to find, the ls1 in 2000-2002 should have both cats right up by the engine coming off the manifold.
on my car, the driver cat is up by the engine, and the passenger is back further, about half way down to the y pipe.
sorry for any confusion
It does, in fact, sound like you have the "wrong" system on your car. The system you have described was not used on a 2000 model year (2000 to 2002 have modular cats that can be removed from the Y-pipe on both sides; 1998-'99 only uses a modular cat on the driver's side - passenger side is molded into the Y-pipe and further downstream as you have stated). Just to avoid any confusion, here are images of both systems...
This is the 1998-99 Y-pipe:
Here is the same version with the driver's side cat also pictured:
This is the 2000-02 Y-pipe:
And here is the complete 2000-02 version with both modular cats pictured:
So yes, again, you are correct that your 2000 model year car would have originally come from the factory with two removeable cats that are bolted directly to the exhaust manifolds, and that the earlier 1998-99 system would have the passenger side cat farther downstream, molded into the Y-pipe (not removeable) and not closely connected to the manifolds. Furthermore, you could check your exhaust manifolds to see if you have the correct ones for your model year. Here are more images:
1998-1999 exhaust manifolds (rolled stainless):
2000-02 exhaust manifolds (cast iron, with the 2001+ version not being tapped for EGR but still having the provision as seen below):
I bought a 2000 LS1 Trans Am brand new, with 3 miles on it, and I can tell you that it definitely came with the later style exhaust components pictured above.
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P0430 help, what kind of cat 
