catalytic converter

[off_da_wall4u2nv]

i was wanting to buy a cat. for my integra are there any good ones on ebay worth buying? and are all cat. the same size. what should i look for to know if it fits my car? anybody know?

[Igovert500]

NO all cats are definantly not the same size. Your car should already have a cat on it...are you looking to buy a stock replacement(perhaps yours is broken), or are you looking for a larger aftermarket one. If you are looking for a stock replacement cat for a broken one on your car, post your specific year, and model integra and we can help you identify the size or part # you need.

If you are looking for a hi-flow cat for an aftermarket performance upgrade, I would suggest not doing it without the rest of the exhaust upgrades, as it will be pretty much worthless on its own.

[Ace$nyper]

summed up well saved me some typing lol nice post

[off_da_wall4u2nv]

i am looking for an aftermarket one. any suggestions?

[Vender]

As Igovert500 has said:
"If you are looking for a hi-flow cat for an aftermarket performance upgrade, I would suggest not doing it without the rest of the exhaust upgrades, as it will be pretty much worthless on its own"

So redo your entire exhaust system instead of the CAT by itself.

[off_da_wall4u2nv]

yes i am well aware of this i was just asking. for my integra are there any good ones on ebay worth buying? what should i look for to know if it fits my car? anybody know?

[Igovert500]

Originally Posted by pepsihatman

Hi. I just wanted to ask you if you knew specifically what removing the cat on a 1998 GSR woudl do. I have a CAI, and some pretty good plugs and wires (NGK). Will it really loose low end torque, and normal driveability? This topic has been so darn confusing on the forum.

Yes I know exactly what it will do. First off, I am not sure how much you know about exhaust systems, so I'll try and do a little diagram to put this in perspective...

Engine
| |
| |<-header(s)
/ \
| | <- cat converter
\ /
| |
| | <-catback
/ \
| | <- muffler(s)
-----

Now that is about as simple as the diagram can get showing where exhaust gases travel. Now when upgrading your exhaust system, the most common is to get an aftermarket catback and muffler...this produces that aftermarket look and louder sound that you see on alot of civics and accords and so forth. If you want even more, you can get a highflow cat, and header. Now all of this will really open up your exhaust allowing your engine to breathe alot better...however, you can go to far. On Naturally Aspired engines...ie, no turbo or supercharger...exhausts need backpressure...If you remember physics, pressure creates velocity...hence getting the exhaust air out quicker. If you open up your exhaust TOO much, you will lose backpressure...resulting in a loss of low-end torque. Generally with a catback on an N/A 4 or 6 cylinder, you don't want to open it up more than 2.5inches, or your lowend torque will suffer.

Now you asked about the cat...first off, this is not the most common beginning modification...mainly because it is in the middle of the entire exhaust system...so removing it and replacing with something aftermarket becomes rather pointless as you have restrictions in air flow before and after it...even if you have replaced it with something that flows better. So generally people do the catback first to increase airflow...that is why I originally said don't bother unless you are doing the rest of your exhaust system.
The 2nd thing that will happen...the cat's purpose is to burn up unburnt fuel...it has materials on the inside walls of it...these materials mix with unburnt fuels and burn them, decreasing harmful emissions that hurt the ozone...removing the cat will cause you to fail emissions(if you live in a state that has them).
3rd...as far as performance, you have 2 options in replacing the cat, one being a hi-flow cat that will still hopefully pass emissions and do the same job as a normal cat...yet it will be bigger and allow more airflow, or 2 a race or test pipe, which is a straight hollow pipe, that is for 'off-road' purposes only and is technically illegal to use on the streets...yet plenty of people do. A testpipe will cause you to fail emissions. Either of these 2 replacements will only offer minimal power gains...about the same as your CAI, only 3-5hp realistically. And will make your car a bit louder...and I do only mean a bit.
So no, you don't lose normal driveability...you wont be technically streetlegal, and you will fail emissions, and you really wont get much from it...that is why I said, don't bother unless you are replacing your whole exhaust system...hope this helps.

offdawall...our suggestions are limited because we don't know what you have already done to your car...if you read my post maybe you'll understand. But your stock exhaust system has a certain diameter...if you keep the stock header, and the stock catback, then you wont be able to fit an aftermarket highflow cat on there without having a muffler shop make two adapters...one for each end.
For instance, let's say that your headers meet the cat at 2", the cat is 2", and the stock catback is 2". If you throw a 3" hi-flow cat in there your exhaust is now looking like this:
2"----3"-----2" That wont work, unless a muffler shop makes two adapters that connect 2" to 3" piping...and even that would be pointless for reasons I mentioned above...

Now if you already have a catback or headers, then we would need to know the diameter of those to help you. Not to mention all cats are different in length...so if you want one for your integra from ebay than do a search for "integra" and "cat" on ebay. If it is made for an integra then it will be the correct length..and we've already discussed the diameter...

[pepsihatman]

That clears some things up, thanks! I am thinking that my next change will be a performance header, then perhaps the catalytic converter, those two things with the intake should produce a pretty good raise in power right? The header before cat, and then catback if I can afford it after those two. I am not interested in the sound or look, I actually want a pretty close to stock volume of exhaust unless I really hit it (don't know if this is even possible, hope so) Does this sound like a good course of action to you?

[off_da_wall4u2nv]

thank you for the book you wrote for me i did not need all that info but thanks anyway. all i needed was that last paragraph. it was just a simple question. dipshits

[pepsihatman]

Originally Posted by off_da_wall4u2nv

all i needed was that last paragraph. it was just a simple question. dipshits

I would appreciate not being called a "dipshit." I think that's quite rude. His "book" was also a responce to my pm to answer me in addition to your question. I think the information he shared could be useful to anyone trying to do exhaust work, and now it will be picked up by the search.