Okay, I know this question has been asked before, but I'm very serious about doing this. I have a buddy who is a teacher in the ag shop of the local high school. He has agreed to help me cut off my converters one afternoon before he leaves.

Here's my situation...

My truck has the original factory exhaust system from the manifolds to the end of the second converter. From the manifolds, there is a Y-Pipe that brings the driver's side manifold pipe right beside the passenger's side manifold pipe. There is a small tube between the two pipes, in which the O2 sensor is located. The first converter has two inlets. That converter has one outlet and there is 10"-12" of pipe until the second converter. Then, after another foot of pipe, there is a custom Y-Split pipe. From there, there are dual pipes, which exit at the rear of the truck.

It would be nice if the Y-Pipe on the manifold combined the outlets into one pipe, but it doesn't. This is going to create one of our problems. A custom Y-Pipe will have to be made to combine the two so it can run as one pipe to the custom Y-Split pipe. I hope that all of this isn't too hard to follow... lol.

I have no concerns about the pipe fabrication itself... My main worry is the exhaust smell. Everyone has told me that when you cut the converters off, you get the exhaust smell into the truck, even if there are no leaks. I don't know how it does this, but that's what they tell me. My truck has no muffler on it currently, but I'm sure that I will have to get one if run straight pipes. This truck isn't *very* loud at the moment, but we all know that it will get that way once those converters are cut off.

I'm going to do some more thinking and see what I come up with. Surely we can all figure something out. lol.

Any input is appreciated.

Nightrain

 

Umm..I kinda lost you in there but I can tell you from my experience- I had a 92 Bronco w/5.0 and my second cat fell off while driving (was rusting out). It broke clear off from the first cat and the 02 tube was just dangling. I had a welder weld in a 3" straight pipe into the first cat (which was a perfect fit) and go straight into my flowmaster single 3" in and dual 2 1/2" catback exhaust. It sounded sooo mean and mroe like an older truck. Those cats hold a LOT of noise back. I never got a CEL from the 02 sensor not being hooked up, but I did get an exhaust smell inside the truck. Although my passenger side manifold had a crack in it, and I believe it could've also been from the 02 sensor not being connected. I'm currently looking at a 94 F150 and plan on cutting the second cat off when I get it, I still passed emissions inspection with flying colors on my 92 with 167k miles so its not really needed IMO.

 

I figured that it would be hard to follow... lol.

I thought about just cutting the second cat off also. I might start with that and if I get bored there, I can cut off the first one.

Thanks.

Nightrain

 

Guys,don't get me wrong here,I'm a firm believer in "lettin it breath".But watch the "FEDS".Any removal of emissions related equipment is a no-no.Last I heard it was like $10,000 fine to person who does it and $1,000 to owner if they knew about it.

 

Lets just pretend we never had this conversation.......

 

you can knock all the catalyst out of the front cat and just use it as a y-pipe. Cut the pipe just as it exits the first converter, then reach up in there with a chisel or punch of some kind and have at it until you get it all out. Then you just weld the pipe back to the converter housing and you are set. For the back converter, you can either test pipe it (cut it out and stick a pipe back in its place) or you can gut it like the front one.

 

Way to go.Didn't know I could put that kind of stuff on this site.As long as it looks right go for it.

 

I don't recommend doing it, but if you have your mind set on it, then I can't stop you. It is illegal, keep in mind, regardless of whether or not your state/county checks for it or not.

 

I understand that it is an illegal practice and I have kept this in mind. But, even if I knock the catalyst out of the converters, they won't know about it with a *visual* check.

Nightrain

 

He understands you can "get away" with it, but he's suggesting you don't remove the cats because it's illegal. I personally don't think you should be cutting cats off either, simply because high-flow cats are available for short money, and the truck could be very loud even with the cat(s), so I see no reason to remove them. The 2nd cat does very little in sound deadening. The 1st one is the cat which would quiet things down. I have a bassani Y-pipe that I've ordered, very nice stuff, and is going on the 393 soon once I get that installed.

It doesn't matter whether or not you'll necessarily get caught, but you're giving the feds another reason to clamp down on the laws as they'll hear you. Either way, enjoy the project.

 

here let me make this thread legal

ALL INFORMATION IN THIS THREAD IS FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY

 

I guess the guy I'm taking my truck to to get my exhaust done is crazy! 200 dollar exhaust with cat's pulled...and 10k fine? O_O

I want the sound. No cat's and big glasspacks O_O. Hope I don't have to baffle the tips...lol.

 

Educational purposes, or it's legal for any vehicle that will be strictly used off of legal roads (i.e. offroading / racing / testing / farm), thus the info is needed, and allowed to be dispensed, on this site for a few applications.

If and when I do it, my truck will (be reported here to be) used in off-road situations only.