Ok i was wondering if i should remove the catalytic converter from my 1988 RS and straight pipe it. Ive heard that it will give a little better gas mileage and sound better. Also they don't have emission checks and what not here. Also what is the fine for not having one on your car.
Thanks

 

IIRC the fine is 1k for a private party, 10k for a company. Plus possible impound ect ect.

its illegal to remove it.

However, swapping it out with a carb legal high flow replacement is fine, will not cost much is any power and keep the car from stinking. depending on mileage, your cat could be about shot anyway, so replacing it may provide a noticeable difference in the car.

leave one on the car, its not going to make that big of a difference without, if you even notice a difference.

 

Has anyone ever looked into the implications, if any, of buying a car that did not have one and not replacing it?

 

Regardless of any emissions testing in your area (or lack of), cats are a Federal thing. Removing them is a Federal Offense. You can still be fined for not having one & not pass at State Inspection time for not having one on your car.

Buy a high flow cat & you'll never notice any loss of horsepower. There are other brands out there, but mine is a Magnaflow.

 

Your car, your responsibility. It does not matter if it was like that when you bought it.

 

How much do you think a decent Cat would cost?

 

http://www.jegs.com/

http://www.summitracing.com/

Both sell aftermarket cats and you can check their prices easily on their website catalogs.

 

Thanks for those links Kev.

 

Seems like you're quite educated on the subject, but I'd like to point out that owning a car with emission devices removed is NOT illegal.

It's the act of removing a federal emissions device that is illegal.

 

But the OWNER can get fined, unless he can PROVE he was not the one who removed it.

The way the Law sees it.....Your car? You own it? You must have removed it.....

 

I think wether anyone actually checks for it is going to vary per state. Here in Florida, you can drive nearly anything. I've seen blown 8 second cars with a 8-71 sticking out the hood driving around downtown Orlando on a Friday night. I've drove my car around on open headers and past cops without them saying anything. Most everyone I know that is into cars does not have a cat on there car.

 

Thanks for all the answers but i might just cut everything out of the cat and put it back so technically i will have a cat on it.

 

the US has bigger things to worry about than 3rd gens without cats lol

 

I had a 1986 Chevy Truck that didn't have Cats on it when i bought it. I had a problem one of my hangers broke and i was away from home, so i brought it into a Midas and they wouldn't TOUCH it. Wouldn't even install a hanger for me since there was no Cat. This was in Mississippi and there are no Emissions testing in that state. Hell, most places there just do an inspection sticker slap. When i used to live in St Louis, you had to go to a special place to have your car emissions tested. Without the Emissions sticker, you couldn't get your inspection, without your inspection, you couldn't get your tags.

 

A long time ago when I was much younger and didn't know better with my 305 I gutted the cat for "more power and sound" I think I got a little more sound but more power......no, at least none you will notice. If there's nothing wrong with the cat now leave it alone and don't waste your time or energy.

 

I would think a factory cat would be worth a little HP just for being old...

 

Completely the opposite....

The OEM cats were not exactly a high flowing device. They were a newly design product & flow efficiency wasn't their main goal. Combine that with 17+years/100,000 miles of use on them? Their bad flow has only gotten worse.

New aftermarket cats flow way more than even the OEM ones did brand new.

 

I should have worded that differently, they DO rob HP because they are old is what it means...sorry. The guy posted that he felt no difference on his 305, im saying there should have been something..

 

I'm not saying there was no hp gain but if there was it's not enough that you're going to feel it. I don't think the OP should waste the time and energy, more so cutting up his perfectly good exhaust to do this. Time would be better spent making a home made CAI or something like that if he wants to gain a little hp and have a home project.

 

Yeah thats what im saying, pretty wild after all those miles the payoff wasnt bigger.

 

now, i have a 83 camaro with no cat going straight to a flowmaster muffler and duals out the back. i did get a general inspeection and they saw i had no cat running on my exhaust (and prolly heard it too lol) but they didnt do anything about it. i live near gainesville, fl. idk wht the laws are in other states.

 

Has anyone ever felt a gain from gutting a cat? I did on my turbo car, but that's pretty obvious.

 

Really for the 3 - 5 HP gain is it really worth it? I know it probably sounds better without, but its much stinkier as well. Ever been behind an old truck without a cat? Just do it right and get some headers, 3" cat and 3" catback. It will perform great and sound great as well depending on your muffler and you will be LEGAL.

 

If you want to go loud use the CHERRY BOMB EXTREME that thing is loud

 

Well on my LSX build I definitely plan to use dual cats, ever been behind an old car without cats, yuk smells awful. The only thing my L98 ever did without cats was get louder no more power. Did sound good though.