removing cat converter

[m102486]

i have an old ford ltd 302cid v8 will it be ok if i remove the catalytic converter and just replace it with a pipe? what will be the negative effects? or should i just replace it with a bigger cat converter

[bone]

throw it out!

[Peter3hg]

Originally Posted by m102486

i have an old ford ltd 302cid v8 will it be ok if i remove the catalytic converter and just replace it with a pipe? what will be the negative effects? or should i just replace it with a bigger cat converter

The only negative effects will be on th planet so I chuck it out.

[sandor_]

if you are in the US, the one downside will be an inability to pass inspection/emissions testing.

[Buba]

^ And everywhere else in the civilized world

Don't remove it, make holes in it. Sound great.

[bone]

Originally Posted by sandor_

if you are in the US, the one downside will be an inability to pass inspection/emissions testing.

one of my friends has his one emptied out, and passes the tests fine

[andyhui01]

well... there is 1 downside to removing the cat. converter that I noticed, one who owns a car garage and one who is a mechanical engineer.

Both my uncles owned the Exact same car (Proton Perdana 2.0 V6) with the exact same year, same specs, even the same color and one decided to remove the cat. converter and one left it on, so one day we were in a mountain resort that was quite hilly with certain steep slopes and all the while, on the highway, acceleration, I've noticed that obviously the one without Cat. converter clearly had more power because of a more free flow exhaust. But as soon as it started hitting hills, mainly because of how the exhaust has less pressure, the one without cat converter kept revving very high making it very difficult to keep the power at a certain RPM, it just kept increasing and increasing just to accelerate a little while the other one could maintain a steady RPM, obviously it isn't alot of difference, but it is enough to feel driving 2hrs up a hill.

One thing that made me notice this is mainly because I've also sat in another Proton Perdana (not same year, but same specs. And yes, these cars are very popular in Malaysia) that had balancing done for the cams (it is simply drilling holes everywhere to make every cam the same weight), I never sat the car up the same hill but I noticed up hill, it just kept revving and revving without much increase in speed, obviously it is alot faster down the straight because of the engine being lighter, but yea.

I can't say if its a good thing, something which you have to judge for yourself, but this is my experience and my 0.02

[Redliner]

Well, from my experience...it sounds cooler without sounding too loud and you get a litlle tiny weenie increase in power...at least in my 1.6 16v Palio

[m102486]

thanks, hahaha going to remove the cat and burn our planet.

[sandor_]

Originally Posted by bone

one of my friends has his one emptied out, and passes the tests fine

true. it all depends on the efficiency of the combustion. here in Philly, you need to pass not only a smog visual inspection (make sure all the bits are there) but a tailpipe test, so you need to have lower than allowable amounts of certain exhaust by-products.

the good thing is that there is a rolling 20-year exemption - any car older than 20 years only needs to pass the visual inspection. hence hollowed cats and removal of )2 sensors on older cars. oh, and there are plenty of corrupt inspection stations, and bypass pipes etc, that make "removal" of the cat simple, and still allow you to pass emissions testing.

[patrick10]

here we have a tailpipe test and inspection and i passed in my audi without a cat but with just the bottom dust shield wired to hang where the cat would be. it all matters on the car. but if your car is pretty stock, i say just keep it on. also a pipe where the cat should be is called a test pipe.

[epp_b]

If you are in the US, the one downside will be an inability to pass inspection/emissions testing.

So put it back on when you sell it

I have no personal experience, but I've learned that...

The negatives are...
- more emissions (but who really cares...)

And the positives car...
- A slight power boost
- Louder/better sounding engine

The best thing is...
- On some cars, removing a cat will actually cause the exhaust to spit flames when you lift your foot off the throttle (apparently, an RX-7 will do this)...so, if you want to have the coolest car within 500 miles, then go for it!

[andyhui01]

Originally Posted by epp_b

The best thing is...
- On some cars, removing a cat will actually cause the exhaust to spit flames when you lift your foot off the throttle (apparently, an RX-7 will do this)...so, if you want to have the coolest car within 500 miles, then go for it!

yup... I know that for sure , but thats only after doing almost full boost at 0.6BAR up to almost redline then there will be a loud BOP sound

[bone]

Originally Posted by epp_b

So put it back on when you sell it

I have no personal experience, but I've learned that...

The negatives are...
- more emissions (but who really cares...)

And the positives car...
- A slight power boost
- Louder/better sounding engine

The best thing is...
- On some cars, removing a cat will actually cause the exhaust to spit flames when you lift your foot off the throttle (apparently, an RX-7 will do this)...so, if you want to have the coolest car within 500 miles, then go for it!

an RX7 does this caus it has a rotary engine and uses ports instead of valves
unless you have a high performance engine, a piston engine shouldn't be allowed to spit a lot of flames
if it does, it's about time to change your valveseals, or to have your valvetiming checked

[C53A_4G63T]

Originally Posted by bone

an RX7 does this caus it has a rotary engine and uses ports instead of valves
unless you have a high performance engine, a piston engine shouldn't be allowed to spit a lot of flames
if it does, it's about time to change your valveseals, or to have your valvetiming checked

My Mitsubishi Mirage shoots a good 3 foot flame when I lift off after a wide open throttle pull. But I am running pretty rich.....

[epp_b]

an RX7 does this caus it has a rotary engine and uses ports instead of valves
unless you have a high performance engine, a piston engine shouldn't be allowed to spit a lot of flames
if it does, it's about time to change your valveseals, or to have your valvetiming checked

What about the Koenigsegg CCX? That's spits massive flames!

[bone]

^

Originally Posted by bone

an RX7 does this caus it has a rotary engine and uses ports instead of valves
unless you have a high performance engine, a piston engine shouldn't be allowed to spit a lot of flames
if it does, it's about time to change your valveseals, or to have your valvetiming checked