Ok.. I have a '84 TA that I want to gut the cat and weld a pipe through it.. We just have visual inspections. If I do I'll have to cut the AIR pipe out of the middle. Is it ok if the AIR is still hooked up? My question is, if the air is running to the cat but its not going anywhere because of the pipe will it build up pressure and hurt the air pump or anything? could I just drill holes in the air tube somewhere the inspectors can't see to let the pressure out? I don't think the AIR pump puts out much pressure but not sure..

Thanks

 

If you straightpipe the cat and still have the air going to the cat I'd drill the straightpipe so the air can go in. Or just have the airline strapped next to the cat somewhere and let the air in the air line go into the air and not the cat confused yet?

------------------
-Tas
'89 Formula WS-6

305, TBI, auto, 14x3 chrome flat based open element with K&N, Milodon 160* thermo, functional Formula hood, cross-flow Flowmaster, '99z28 rear pipes and tips....

Soon to be installed:
Hooker 1-5/8" 50 state legal headers, Dynomax 3" I pipe (PN 44063 and 43248), Catco 3" cat, and injector spacer.

Super GRK_Taz World
F-Body Dual Exaust
EFI & Intake Options
AOL IM: superGRtaz

 

I've thought about drilling the hole in the pipe but the AIR pipe is welded on the outside and I don't think I could get my hand down in it to get it to go in the hole.. I'm going to have to splice in outside anyway. I guess after I get it inspected I could just take the AIR line loose. That wouldn't be too bad.

 

If you have visual inspections why do you want to remove the cat? Just put a high-flow cat in there and be happy knowing you're doing your part to keep the air clean. Cats dont kill as much power as you think. And if you get caught with a fake cat its a huge fine.

------------------
1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
13.23 @ 107.62 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Webmaster: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

Ive heard $1000 first offense, $8-10k second offense in cali

------------------
1992 Pontiac Firebird
- 5.0L V8 TBI
- Automatic Trans

 

I've never known anyone that got caught and I don't know anybody that knows anybody that has gotten caught. Its all scare tactics.

 

Here in NY (upstate not NYC) for state inspection the cat simply has to be present. There does not need to be any catalyst inside it. FURTHERMORE!! The car does not need to have an exhaust system either! If everything is there from the engine to and including the cat, then it passes the inspection, even if you can look inside the cat and see that it has been hollowed out. Now driving this thing on the road is another story....A trooper can write a ticket if its too loud.

------------------
Ed Stevens
88Roc350TPI
1988 Camaro IROC-Z
350 TPI
700R4
T-Tops
"1KILLRZ"

 

Well, now you know someone. I've almost been busted. One of my buddies got busted with a gutted cat (can't remember his fine amount, but it wasn't small). Another one was almost busted with OR pipes (5.0 'stang), cop let him go after he told him the "story" of why he had them on. It's not scare tactics at all.

As for the air pipe into a gutted 3-way cat with a pipe inside. Plumb it, the air pump doesn't cause enough pressure to cause damage. If pressure is "felt" at the air pump, it will be deverted to the other pipes leading out of the air pump or through the pump housing itself.

------------------
George P. Lara
1984 Z28
SCCA, SCFB, SC3GFB