catalytic converter

[collegekid]

I am a college football player for small college NAIA, limited amount of funds. I have a problem on my 97 3.8 firebird with my catalytic converter being stopped up can't afford a new one. Don't have to worry about emissions check in the small town I live in. Someone told me just to cut it out and replace with straight pipe to the muffler. Will this mess up the computer system on the car?

thanks for your help.

[ROUDA]

The 3.8 97 Firebird Has 2 Cats. I Think There Are O2 Sensers After The Cat. So If You Take The Cat Out I Dont Know What You Would Do With Them. But If Anything You Could Just Hollow Them(cats) Out.

[importeater38]

Originally Posted by ROUDA

The 3.8 97 Firebird Has 2 Cats. I Think There Are O2 Sensers After The Cat. So If You Take The Cat Out I Dont Know What You Would Do With Them. But If Anything You Could Just Hollow Them(cats) Out.

does it really? i thought that was just for v-8s?

[ROUDA]

In The Middle Of 1995 They Put The 3.8 Out . It Was Made In California For Emmisions. With 2 Cats , Also Give It Less Back Pressure More Power.

[ikeyballz]

basically, if you didnt get what rouda said..

take the cats out..

shove a pipe through them until you can go freely to the other side...shake all the crap in there out..

install,
drive.

[Helmuth48]

Originally Posted by collegekid

I am a college football player for small college NAIA, limited amount of funds. I have a problem on my 97 3.8 firebird with my catalytic converter being stopped up can't afford a new one. Don't have to worry about emissions check in the small town I live in. Someone told me just to cut it out and replace with straight pipe to the muffler. Will this mess up the computer system on the car?

thanks for your help.

How do you know it is stopped up??? ....pressure check ??? or test pipe ???

[79Bandit]

Originally Posted by Helmuth48

How do you know it is stopped up??? ....pressure check ??? or test pipe ???

or you can do what i did and for about 20 dollars buy a "test" pipe wich is just a hollow catalytic converter and bolts right on where the stock one did. probally could find them cheap on ebay. but for free you could just hollow out the ones on there now. just scrap all around untill you can see threw them.

[frizbal]

Originally Posted by ROUDA

In The Middle Of 1995 They Put The 3.8 Out . It Was Made In California For Emmisions. With 2 Cats , Also Give It Less Back Pressure More Power.

You say in 1995 they started putting 2 cats on the 3.8? I have a 96 3.8 and i have one cat with an o2 in front and behind of it.........

[frizbal]

Originally Posted by 79Bandit

or you can do what i did and for about 20 dollars buy a "test" pipe wich is just a hollow catalytic converter and bolts right on where the stock one did. probally could find them cheap on ebay. but for free you could just hollow out the ones on there now. just scrap all around untill you can see threw them.

Why would you go through all the trouble to get a hollow bolt on? or hollow out the existing cat? Wouldn't a straight pipe do the same thing? or is for back pressure..... or emissions test?..........im just tryin to get some info for mine cuz i want to take off mine but dont know if it will mess with the back pressure

[tg1hq]

OK, I was going to "gut my cats" but someone told me it was going to screw up performance. I thought it would help. Does it have something to do withthe location of the O2 sensor?

[skibum1111]

It has to do with the o2 sensor itself. If you empty out the cats, the sensor(s) after the cats will give different readings, causing your car to run differently and show a check engine light. There are dummy sensors available to trick the computer into thinking it has cats on the exhaust, dig around a little they should be easy to find.

[97formulaws6]

Hey I've got a 97 WS.6 and was wanting an exhaust cutout kit cause i think that the idea of running open manifolds or through my whole system with the flick of a switch is cool. Anybody out there know a good brand, type, etc...also I'm thinkin' that I only need one 3" cutout since the birds that year aren't true dual. Any advice/testimonials welcome please.......


http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2120781

[frizbal]

Originally Posted by skibum1111

It has to do with the o2 sensor itself. If you empty out the cats, the sensor(s) after the cats will give different readings, causing your car to run differently and show a check engine light. There are dummy sensors available to trick the computer into thinking it has cats on the exhaust, dig around a little they should be easy to find.

If i got a hi flow cat... would it mess with the o2 sensors? or would it still throw the c/e light?