rmh3093

alright so I got my new polyurethane shifter bushing in the mail, I went to start taking off the heat shield / cat and I noticed that every bolt touching the cat is rusted like a ****. anyway I tried for ****s and giggles to loosen one of the bolts on the heat shield and like I though it broke off.

i looks like I will need a new catalytic converter if I want to install this shifter bushing so my question now is... since i just bought the car this past July I have basically a whole year before it gets inspected so I figure I could just get a test pipe right now or a high-flow cat (this being the cheapest method right now plus prob a few HP), what type of extra gaskets or bolts will i need if I take out my old cat, and will I need anysort of O2 simulator for this?

any help would be greatly appreciated

upstatemax

iTrader: (15)

I went with the highflow cat from Custom maxima and it has been great.

I did not go with the testpipe because it would just make my exhaust that much louder...

rmh3093

well i really want to spend as little money as possible, i dont care if it makes my car a little louder, are there test pipes that fit our car well or do all the ebay test pipes and high flow cats leak?

GreenSeMax

the CM will leak if you aren't careful, the flanges are very thin at the top and bottom because of the large inside diameter, but still the same flange sizes. in reality, a normal 2.5" test pipe would seal better because of more flange surface seating to the Y-pipe and b-pipe.

AcerX

You should come and live down here in the Southeast ( we don't have emissions testing, that I know of) .

Side note: Don't come to Alabama, it sucks, you will be bored out of your mind(go to Georgia instead). Read my sig.

njmodi

iTrader: (4)

1. A muffler shop should be able to get the cat off with a torch without damaging the
cat.
2. You don't "need" the heat-shield. Mine broke off 4 years ago (very common on the 4th Gens, and I'm sure the 5th Gens aren't any different) and I've been driving without it.

rmh3093

well i think then I will go and break off the heat shield re-examine the bolts to the cat and see if they can be removed or not