According to Google, a cat back is:

-an exhaust system which includes the muffler and all the hardware from the catalytic converter and back. Sound and performance gains are seen with this option.

I don't quite understand this definition?

 

Its the parts of the exhaust behind your rear axle. If you look at from an over head kinda loots like a cat.




See the resemblance

 

lol, you guys have got to be kidding me....

 

The 3rd gen platform implements a 3 part exhaust system. It has the exhaust manifolds and y-pipe, catalytic converter, and rear section (aka cat-back) exhaust section.

A cat-back does exactly what it sounds like. It replaces the exhaust components aft of the catalytic converter. These "changes" often take the form of larger pipe diameter, freer flowing muffler, and consistently bent piping (ie. mandrel).

Adding a cat-back to these cars is just one third of the necessary steps to alleviate them of a restrictive exhaust.

 

What's so funny?


Not much else to say, shifty covered it well.

 

i just thought that the thing about it looking like a cat over head was funny

 

hehe

 

So the parts after the catalytic converter is considered a cat back?(Back of the cat: catback)

If you remove your catalytic converter, would you need a cat back, couldn't you go use a straight pipe and go straight to the muffler? Assuming the car is an 82...

Does anyone have any diagrams I can look at? Showing the entire exhaust assembly? I'm trying to learn

 

yes, without a catalytic converter you could go right the the muffler (not legally though)

 

If he wants to keep the muffler in the stock location and or run the normal pipe routing that is intended for these cars, he will have to run a spacer pipe between the cat-back and the y-pipe to fill the void. You can relocate the muffler and or change the pipe routing but that becomes time consuming. Not to mention the quality rarely matches that of a pre-designed mandrel bent 3" system.

So, if you don't want to run a cat then run whatever headers and cat-back system and you want and bridge the space between the two with a spacer pipe. The muffler sits all the way in the rear of the car and is a far ways downstream from the cat location. You can't run a pipe from one to the other without it having bends in it.

 

Are spacer pipes just regular pipes? Or are they special?

 

They will have to be custom made. Depending on what cat-back you go with along with various y-pipe designs, you will have to reverse engineer one. Any exhaust shop should be able to help you out for a minimal cost.

 

If a car is a certain age, aren't you allowed to remove the converter if it's not working?

If the shop sees I have no converter can't they report me to the police?

And are you saying that if I go with a straight pipe right to the muffler, that the muffler will be like in the centre of the car if I do that?

With no cat-back system, and just going straight through, wouldn't it make a lot more power? No converter, just straight pipe to the muffler? Seems like it would to me.

EDIT: Added power question

 

That depends on your local laws. You will need to contact an authority there to verify. Not everyone has the same visual and sniffer requirements.


Do you have access to your car now? If so just crawl under there and look at the stock routing. The three part system is obvious and will make more sence to you when you look under there. You should look under there and ponder ideas (look at hangers, clearance, suspension travel, etc etc) before you buy anything.

Yes it will but it will be small. High flow converters do not really rob power at all and to have the "most free" flowing of systems you would need a cut-out right after the header collectors (ie. no piping at all). Playing around with cat-back pipe length won't alter the power of your car to any significant level.

I would use the search function and take a look at some of the pictures people post of their set-ups. You will see what you can do.

In the end what are you trying to accomplish? What are your goals for this system? I am not really sure what you are hung up on.

 

Technically, your car must meet federal emissions requirements in order to be operated on public roads, streets, highways & byways. Age doesn't change that, neither does whether your local/regional government does emissions testing or inspection. Most muffler shops won't remove a converter, or put on an exhaust that doesn't include one. I haven't heard of a shop reporting a car owner to the police, but many shops have been caught in sting operations where the Feds take a car into a shop and ask them to remove the converter - $2500 (or more) fine.

FWIW, magazines often refer to the catback as an "after cat" system. Basically means the exhaust after the catalytic converter, whatever that is for whatever application.

 

My area doesn't do emissions testing, any way I could get caught?

 

Why test the system? A high flow cat will not rob power and can be had for less than $50. Check out ebay for carsound cats.

 

Are they universal fits?

 

There are many universal cats out there.

Magnaflow
Supreme Performance
Carsound
Catco
Dynamax

These companies all make universal and direct fit cats.

 

I want a free flowing exhaust, something a lot better than the stock exhaust setup on an LG4. Nothing to, to expensive, but not a cheap set-up.

 

You have good goals that are shared by many. Unfortunately most of the manufactures have done their homework for us and have the necessary tooling to make great exhaust kits right off the shelf. It is hard to accomplish/duplicate what the aftermarket has to offer for less cost (assuming you go with a motor to tail pipe system). Some people are able to easily accomplish their exhaust goals because they have access to some of the afore mentioned tooling (mandrel benders or to someone who is skilled at exhaust fabrication. If you don't you are kinda limited to the aftermarket. In that case you will need a solid $700+ to build a quality and high performance set-up. If that cost is too high I suggest looking at used parts. You can find great deals on the local f-body classifieds (www.thirdgen.org, www.camaroz28.com, www.ls1tech.com, www.ebay.com, www.ls1.com) that will give you high quality parts without the high cost.