Removing Catalytic Converters
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From: The dark carnival
Removing Catalytic Converters
I am thinking about removing the cats from a 1988 302. Could this cause any problem with the air/fuel mixture or any other aspect of how the motor runs? I was thinking that possibly the computor was "calibrated" to run with a certain amount of backpressure and that removing the cats would throw things off. I think that I read that somewhere.
Also, are the horsepower, torque and fuel economy gains noticable after removing functional cats that arn't plugged?
Thanks.
Also, are the horsepower, torque and fuel economy gains noticable after removing functional cats that arn't plugged?
Thanks.
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,285
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From: Bend,OR
well removing is illegal. so why dont you just replace with a Hiflow cat. if the cat is doing its job then you wouldnt notice much of a change. only when they go bad do you feel a decrease in power. plus you would need to remove other smog equipment on your rig which the ecu does infact need.
Senior User
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: Pittstown NJ
first of all screw legality take those cats off i have an 88 302 with straight pipes and it runs great oh yeah and since the o2 sensor is in front of the cats it won't mess up the readings to the computer
Last edited by '88_F-150; Jan 28, 2006 at 01:18 PM.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2005
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From: Columbia,S.C.
not try'n to be catty but i don't think you'd get so much more power as to make it worth it. They are there to help keep the air we suck in some what cleaner. Its the little things like this that those pollitical watch dog groups use to keep closing off road areas all the time.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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new cat costs a lot, straight pipe is not too much...maybe we could take up a collection (tax) from the tree huggers to help pay.
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Cats have a huge effect on exhaust tone, but if the rest of your system is stock, you wont notice much of a difference. And as far as performance, you might notice a slight difference, but fuel injection limits very noticable gains. And theres no need to worry about the computer.
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From: Dixie - Tennessee
I gutted mine... It's soooooo much easier than removing them. The exhaust tone changes DRASTICALLY!
After mine were gutted, and re-welded back into place, I had a Cherry Bomb glasspack welded onto the last gutted converter, and dual 3" pipes run back to each corner of the rear bumper. When I fire up in the mornings to warm it up and come back in the house, every window in the house rattles. It's amazing!
Good luck!
Nightrain
After mine were gutted, and re-welded back into place, I had a Cherry Bomb glasspack welded onto the last gutted converter, and dual 3" pipes run back to each corner of the rear bumper. When I fire up in the mornings to warm it up and come back in the house, every window in the house rattles. It's amazing!
Good luck!
Nightrain
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From: Midwest Illinios
The local laws should play a role in your situation. Some states require cats and you will need them to pass inspection. Here in illinois, there are no inpections but you must have a cat on the vehicle (or dont let a cop look under your truck lol). I started out by just puting cat-back straight pipes on my 95 f150 302 and it was alright. A month later i replaced both cats with a y-pipe and a hi-flow magnaflow cat and that REALLY opened things up. I can sorta notice a small hp increase at high rpm (or at least i like to think there is an increase) but it really made the tone deeper and louder.
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From: The dark carnival
Is there a muffler after the cat, or is it just strait pipe from there back?
I don't want my truck to be loud. All I am thinking about is performance, fuel economy and simplicity....or in other words less things to fail.
I don't want my truck to be loud. All I am thinking about is performance, fuel economy and simplicity....or in other words less things to fail.
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Originally Posted by 924x2150
sivad1016, youa are gonna make many friends here at FTE. One post so far and it is all negative.
I hope your grand-children appreciate your attitude someday.
I hope your grand-children appreciate your attitude someday.
There are about 800 million vehicles in the world, 500 million are cars. The US, Japan and Europe account for most of the vehicles. Asia and Latin America are going to be the fastest growing car buyers in the world. 80% of the vehicles in the US have catalyitc converters.
It is predicted that China will quadruple their pollution load by 2020. What will Latin America do? Who knows?
I would focus your concerns for my grandchildren on the events in China and Latin America before I would start a greenpeace movement on my I-6 f150.
Again, sorry to have offended you.