Cat converter

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Oct 8, 2003 | 11:34 AM

southprk

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Cat converter

Since I can't spell catalytic I'll just say cat..

Is there a way to remove the converter without having the check engine light stay on from the sensors getting removed too?? I need to take the converter off and run a straight pipe from headers to the muffler, and I'm not too familiar with what those sensors do!

Furthermore, I need to be able to reinstall them along with the converter when e-check comes up..

Is it possible, and any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Oct 8, 2003 | 05:34 PM

MisterCMK

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From: Blue Hill Township

That is a little illegal. Why do you want to take the Cats off anyway? It won't provide you with any more power. If it is that important, buy some high-flow cats and keep the sensors and stay legal. Also, the oxygen sensors measure the amount of unburned hydrocarbons both before and after the catalytic convertor.

Oct 9, 2003 | 10:45 AM

southprk

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I need to keep all those unburned hydrocarbons to burn them later down the way.

I'm going to put a spark plug down the way, flame thrower kit, etc.. just need some help with the converter removal

Oct 9, 2003 | 10:03 PM

PaulC

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Is your vehicle 1996 or newer with a v6 or v8? If yes, this is a tall order on a vehicle with an OBD-II system. You have four oxygen sensors that you have to try to BS into thinking everything is as it was when your truck was on the showroom floor. Failure means a check engine light in your face, crappy power and fuel economy. The oxygen sensors report the air/fuel mix to the engine computer, which will fight to maintain a 14.7-to-1 air/fuel mix.

Find someone who has a 1996 or newer vehicle (OBD-II system) with a flame thrower and find out how they did it.

Last edited by PaulC; Oct 9, 2003 at 10:09 PM.

Oct 9, 2003 | 11:00 PM

southprk

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Mine is a 1998

I can buy a tank to "inject" burnable stuff into the pipes, I just wanted to use the extra fuel in the exhaust. Thanks for the tip though!

-Adam

Oct 10, 2003 | 10:16 AM

buzzard

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From: All over Texas

You should be ok inasmuch as the downstream O2 sensors shouldn't affect engine performace (they just make sure the convertors are doing their job), albeit you might get a CE light. It's the upstream O2 sensors that will detect engine problems and send appropriate signals to the PCM.

Oct 11, 2003 | 12:36 AM

Luzer27

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From: Tucson

My two cents. After years of racing mustangs with no CATS I am no one to be a legal geek. If your true intentions are for spark plugs in the pipes you may be dissapointed with the results. This system worked great on onld carburated cars that loaded up and ran rich for 70 percent of the throttle curve. The new OBD-II cars run to clean to have excess fuel to light in the pipes. The performance gains from no cats would be noticiable on these vechiles but nothing better that high flow cats would have. The problem with high flow cats is you can still get a check engine light due to the increased flow and the possibility of the cat not reaching operating temperature. I believe 1400 degrees f. With all this said you need to get ahold of the late model mustang crowd and lighting crowd. They make a device for the 4 wire oxygen sensors that compares the front oxygen sensors to the rear and always maintains a preset voltage difference to "fool" the ECM into thinking the rear sensors are reading less HC than the front. Good luck let use know. As a footnote I have seen flame thrower setups that incorporate a propane injection into the exhaust pipe.