Gutting a Cat on 95 7.5

[Toadmeister]

Anybody have any info on gutting a cat on a 95 7.5 with single exhaust? I had the 55 gal drum muffler replaced with a flowmaster (the round all stainless RV model). I tow a 10k 5th wheel and was wondering if getting rid of the cat guts would increase exhaust flow and give me a bit more power. Don't care much about MPG. It's 6.5 towing, 8 solo. I also have a set of Gaberial Hijacker air shocks and was going to put them on the give the rear suspension a bit more cushion as the 5r has a pin weight of 1450lbs. Anybody pull a 5r and have air shocks? Thanks, Toadmeister

[Diesel_Brad]

If you are going to gut the cat, go buy a hiflo one

[Old93junk]

Did you get rid of the 02 sensor on the cat?......I would suggest just doing what the previous post says.......You want a little more power, try a set of long tube headers on that 460.

[DasCheckers]

Gut the cat holmes, you won't regret it.
Cut/unclamp the cat, from one or both ends and take a digging bar or piece of pipe to it, just beat the hell out of the insides of the cat until it busts through.
Once it's through, work your way around all the sides, try to free up as big of an area as you can.

If you don't need a cat in your city/state, then just cut it out and weld in a new length of pipe.

[Diesel_Brad]

If you punch out the cat it will rob power from the engine. It creates turbulance inside the cat and fights air flow

[6CylBill]

Gutted cats create a gas pocket that rob your scavenging affect and rob you of power. I have a gutted cat too. The only thing a gutted cat is good for.. Fish bait. =)

[1994 F250: 351, C6]

As was stated by both Diesel_Brad and 6CylBill, gutting a cat creates an expansion chamber in your exhaust system which is not good for exhaust flow. If you want rid of it, cut it out and put a piece of pipe in its place.

As long as you have the stock manifolds on the truck, anything you do behind them is not going to produce a difference in power. I got my cat-back and high-flow cat before I got my headers and y-pipe and there was no difference in power, it just sounded better.

Also, I have no experience with "air shocks" but I have used Firestone Air Bags and they are a high quality product and are very effective both leveling and handling. In all honesty though, with a 1450 lb. kingpin, you probably don't need airbags unless you have a bunch of stuff in the truck as well. My dad has been pulling a 5th wheel of similar weight with a 1400 lb. kingpin for for over ten years with his '97 F250 HD and it does great without them.

[choochoof150]

I second the swaping the stock cat with a hi flow unit or eliminating it all together. If you are wanting more power for towing a set of quality headers and hi flow y pipe would be well worth the money.

[Toadmeister]

Thanks for all the info all. The O2 is still in place. I did read about going to long tube headers, which I can do in my state but all the local exhaust shops won't delete the cat, so I guess I get to them myself.

So what do I do about the O2 or will there be a place to relocate it in the new headers?

I heard that I need to go with Hooker long tube. Some of the other cheap brands don't work as well.
Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Toadmeister

[Diesel_Brad]

you will nee to y the headers back together other wise you will not be able to run an O2 sensor

[choochoof150]

They make header collectors that have a O2 bung built in them.

[Diesel_Brad]

but there is only 1 o2 sensor so the pipes will need to be tied together so the computer can get an accurate reading

[choochoof150]

Isn't the O2 sensor before the y collector on a 460?

[Diesel_Brad]

It is just before the cat