my car started making a raspy noice in the exhaust when at a high rpm and felt like it had no power, recently the cat had a rattle in it as if something was loose, when i would floor it and shift a little bit of smoke came out, could it be clogged?

Yup That might be a good indication its toast. put a straight pipe in there if your state allows it. or replace witha new cat.

is there no emission problem with a straight pipe on these cars? and would it be better than a high flow cat? im sure thats a dumb question but im still learning alot

You won't pass inspection without a cat, and it is technically illegal to run without one. But if you have a state with relaxed laws and no inspections, it is very unlikely to get noticed.

if u got emissions than u need one and since u need a new just go with a high flow cat

oklahoma kicked the inspection stickers, so the straight pipe would be better than a high flow cat?

if no inspection just go no cat better sound less restriction

im just now getting into my exhaust and im not positive if my car would have an issue with the emissions do you know? it an 84 with 350 crate swap all old school still

well even if ur area had emissions tests i not 100% sure but when a car is 25 years old it dosent need to be tested eny more and if ur cars a 84 then its 24 years old so u maybe ok takin the cat off now

just have a piece of pipe put in place of it? or would that be a y-pipe? sorry im asking reall dumb questions but thanks for the help

No, a y-pipe is what connects the manifolds/headers to the cat. So yes, just put a piece of pipe in place of it. But if you're having a shop do it, they most likely won't because it's not legal.

It's illegal to remove your cat. Even if you don't have emissions checks, you can still get caught. I've had 2 cops get down on their hands and knees and check to see if I had a cat.

Eventually they will change the laws to California style emission checks for every state and you will get caught. Just go buy a high flow cat. They're only like $80 and barely any restriction at all. I'm gonna get one this summer when I put new exhaust on my car.

i dont have a cat on my car. i didnt do it my uncle (who works for the township) made a stright pipe for my exhaust when he put my exhaust on hes one of the guys who puts the computer stuff and thiongs into cop cars i cant wait to get pulled over and a cop checks for a cat and dsoent see one and see what he says when i tell him who did that gonna be a fun conversation. If your cat is clogged just gut it an put it back on then it looks like you have one.

i work for a body shop so i got the hook up they yanked it and put a shiny new pipe in lol but thanks for the info,but he said my cat was all clear so i dont know why i had such a loss in power and the puff of smoke when i shifted but its all gone anyways

Yep, mine was making noise, or so I thought. I unbolted the Y-pipe, looked inside and there was NOTHING in it...Looked like everything had been cooked out long ago. I hooked it back up without a problem. I live in California in an "Enhanced" smog check area, meaning they hook you up and run your car while under load, with the wheels rolling. Anyway, I passed smog no problem.

My buddy bought an 86 TPI Z28 with an automatic a few years ago for $800. The car was in very nice shape almost mint. The sellor thought the tranny was toast thus the cheap price. Turned out the Cat was plugged solid. He replaced it with a strait pipe and it ran fine. I was so jealous of his lucky find. I took mine out years ago. I live in the middle of nowhere so no one ever inspects for emmissions equip.

I am in the same boat right now. My mechanic said the tranny was shot and when I brought to a guy familiar with thirdgens he stated it was only a clogged cat.

Did not fix yet (waiting on parts)

i still have a bogging problem in second gear about mid way and through the top end of 2nd removing my cat gave me a noticeable increase in HP and seemed to have helped it a lil bit, also after shifting to second sometimes i can feel the front end drop as though it cuts out but picks back up good till that mid point, does anyone have an idea? im thinking either carb issue or i might have a clogged EGR valve and just need to completely remove emmisions, any advice would be appreciated

I'd post that question in a new thread.

How does it run in the other gears? Is it only second?

When the cat in my truck was clogged, it had no power at all, felt like I was towing a bus or something. Top speed was maybe 35mph, and the engine wouldn't really rev past around 2500 RPM.

yes the very beginning of second it studders a lil bit but then it picks up and goes till about 50 then starts cuttin out unless i reduce the throttle a bit and if i do that it takes off like its floored again

First thing, put a new fuel filter on it. If it's never been changed theres a good chance that it is clogged. Old clogged fuel filters can produce symptoms like yours. Will run ok when idle/light throttle but starve when the hammer is down. When you let off the throttle and it "takes off again" could be the crap in the filter loosening under lower fuel pressure. Floor it and the high pressure tightens the crud up against inside the filter. Check for a kinked fuel line also.

f*ck that BS,Just pay the guy who does your inspection $20 extra, you'll pass, You dont have to run a cat

From someone atop of the gene pool....

no from someone who livesoutside the box you goody twoshoes
who cares,people pay to have the car illlegaly pass inspections everyday

Okay will do, im pretty sure its not kinked i still have the metal fuel lines running up from the pump to the carb so i doubt it is but cant hurt to check

sorry for almost stealing your thread

lol i noticed but its okay just tryin to get rid of this f in bog my car would be much faster cuz the times it doesn't bog its a blast to drive, it seems to not mess up cold but once its really warm its not good anymore

Iam by no means an expert, especially on carbs but the cold/hot thing would make me suspect carb problems. Some kind of vapour lock or the floats are sticking down.