Muffler shops terms I can't remove precats or hut them out?
 

Why is this? I just want to remove the precats and I'm hearing a manifold issue.

:Police: its the law,

Try all different shops. Somebody will do it for you.

Federal law. You cannot tamper with emissions equipment. This is even more strict if you live in a state with state inspections. You need to find a mom and pop muffler shop or a friend to gut the manifolds or install headers.

Maybe they thought you wanted to remove the pre-cats and install custom pipe? That would absolutely result in exhaust manifold issues!

FYI, you either gut/hollow out the precats or you install headers. You would never cut out the precats and leave the stock manifolds on the car.

Is it better to install headers and keep the precats incase I wanna sell? Also what is the manifold and how does it work with the precats?

It seems headers are better option, so what's the cheapest header I buy? I'm gonna get one today.

Or if you got one to sell. Non racing though, I don't speed.

Bet everyone is going to recommend OBX V2 headers and y.

If you aren't into performance, there is no need to get headers. Just buy replacement precats (if they are indeed bad) and just call it a day.

Their expense, I'm looking for the cheapest method.. it's a older car and I'm trying to make it last till next year when I can buy something new.

Any decent header will do.

OBX's are about 330 or so, 2 pre-cats (Bosal IIRC) are about 150-200$ more than that.

Your current pre-cats should last a year longer. I'd just drive it until they fall off.

even with the 420 and 430 codes? lol

Yeah. So what about those. Just emissions.

:sprint:

The precats are already falling apart and causing damage long before any codes show up (if any codes EVER). The front one will be rattling around knocking bits off.

This may be true, but his car isn't showing any symptoms of that and he's at 196. I'd say just leave it.

What's the worst that can happen, throw cheap quarts of oil at it for a while? Still economically better than spending money on an exhaust set-up if he's not keeping the car.

Yeah sorry mate that's the law, if you've got a bud that's a mechanic im sure they'd do it for yuh. How much would it cost to get a muffler shop to install a catalytic converter anyway...?

About 900 for 2 precats, car runs like shiat cuz it cat is clogged up I have no top end speed. I just drive slow... needs paint, new seat since the leather is torn, sunroof leak, bunch of other crap.

Just gonna leave it, if my finances allow I may just keep it as a second car. It's probably worth 3k maybe less than that but these cars are solid.

If that includes labor, then that makes sense. But parts for just pre cats is about 500$ for OEM repalcments, or 360 for OBX's.


http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/sh...rter-2003.html

In your position I would consider:

gutting the pre-cats and re-installing the OEM y-pipe.
replace the primary O2 sensors.
maybe perhaps consider an O2 sim to add to the secondary O2 sensors.

The rationale here is, with the gutted pre-cats the primary/secondary O2 sensors should pick up the the missing pre-cats. However, brand new fast primary O2 sensors coupled with tired old secondary O2 sensors may be enough to let the ECU think that all is good.

The check engine light you are getting now is probably due to ALL your O2 sensors being in a similar state of tiredness.

Question for DW: I will be running all new (3) NGK/NTK OEM spec O2 sensors on the 99 with Y-Pipe and Magnaflow high flow cat. Do I need to add anything else for running in a state that no longer requires vehicle inspections or emission tests?

Nope :bgrin: Nice to be FED-spec, aint it? :)

Yeah you are good to go. If you get an O2 check engine light...maybe add an O2 sim after the cat.

Thanks DW. I learn something new every day. I found the following O2 sim link below.

http://www.o2sim.com/

I have no cats, an O2 sim after the test pipe, and no issues.

For the original poster, why don't you get some used manifolds with pre-cats?

Search car-parts.com. Should be able to get them for around $50 each.

It's technically illegal to sell used cats and precats. You would need to look in the classifieds to get them from someone for a junkyard won't sell them.