So I bought the SSAutoChrome headers and y-pipe from ebay, and went to install them today.

Decided against installing the headers for now... just because of the time factor. When you work 60+ hours a week doing 6 day weeks, making the most of my ONE day off is typically spent with the car.


But, the old y-pipe came off fine, no problems. Well... I should restate that. It came off of the exhaust manifolds fine, no problems. However, the nuts on the catalytic converter show every day of almost 8 years, and every inch of 130K miles. The rust is SO bad, that the threads to the bolt on the cat crumpled off, the nuts pretty much disintegrated, and basically made my whole exhaust install come to a screeching halt.


NO place in town has cats, but they'd be happy to order them for $275 and 2-6 weeks.


So, I was looking around, and since it looks like I have to replace it anyway, I might as well get the B-pipe and a muffler, or a cat-back exhaust....

But one of my questions is, do the b-pipes and catbacks for 97-99's bolt up to the cat, or that f'ed up curvy piece that has the o2 sensor on it? Do "direct fit" cats replace that piece? I can't afford dropping that kind of scratch on parts and finding out that they're 6" too short.

So, I'm probably gonna go ahead and order the b-pipe from Budget, a Borla muffler and tip from Summit, and a Random cat from Summit too. But if I need to replace that curvy s-pipe thing, then I need to know before I start swiping my AmEx like it's all free.

--Evan

 

An after market b pipe will remove the curved pipe after the cat. Don't get a borla muffler. If you need new stuff than get good stuff. Any universal muffler will need to have pipes welded to it. If you dont want to have anything welded than either get a b pipe and axle back or just get the catback. I think that the budget b and the apexi or hks axle back are supposed to be very good. Those are the only things that will bolt right up to the car. Everything else like borla,5th gen, whatever other universal muffler from summit, jcwhitney, ebay, etc., will have to have pipes welded and could raise your overall price.

 

order everything from budget(y-pipe, b-pipe and high flow cat) and get a stock muffler it's the best...no sound all go

 

Can you please dyno before and after the SS Autochrome headers?

 

KEEP the STOCK cat! Trust me. Cut/torch/break/drill the old bolts out of either end and replace them with new ones.

Almost all cat backs and b pipes replace the small s pipe, like stillen, budget, warpspeed, greddy, and apexi, but megan and courtesy dont.

With your 99 you may need to use the headers and Y depending on what y pipe you have and which one bought. Make sure they are the same if you plan on reusing the stock manifolds. 99's should have a pre cat before the y pipe, so your new y will be 2 piece with a bolt on extention for the front bank.

 

I hate that damn S-Pipe..

 

The SSAutoChrome y-pipe is a direct fit to the stock manifolds. I opted to not use the stainless headers for right now, just due to the time constraint.


And it's possible I didn't explain it clearly, but the cat needs to be replaced. I don't mind putting a stock one on there... but availability is a bit of a concern.