5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003) Learn more about the 5th Generation Maxima, including the VQ30DE-K and VQ35DE engines.

Gutting Cats

Old Mar 27, 2015 | 05:50 PM
  #41  
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ok here is my situation, what do you guys think


i have a shop that will remove the pre cats for me to gut, and I will bring them back the next day. this way they technically won't be doing it.

is this possible to finish this in one night like say 6pm to 10pm and or something like 4-5 hours?? again precats already removed and just doing the gutting. What time frame does just the gutting take?

is there tips on how to gut this crap, i have read posts above and this one from rochesters thread from jeffs post was the best so far


Originally Posted by jeff5347
Rochester, i have experience with both. The front maybe. It is made of a ceramic type filter that basically breaks like glass. Like nelledge said it has a bend at the bottom which will make the job very hard to do as getting to it is tough. The front one is not hard at all to take out. Maybe a half hour total and that is getting all the stuff out of the way to get at the bolts. If your mechanic is doing it he should know all he has to do is PB or WD 40 them, let sit, and then use a torch to heat the bolts to make the rust break loose. Once out just get a big screwdriver or whatver is handy and break it out. Just watch out for all the dust and junk

No you can not gut the rear one while on the car. It is a metal honey comb with a metal cylinder around the outer edge. For the rear you can get at the top bolts with out removing the UIM. YOu just need a breaker bar as thebolts are super tough, meaning very tight. The rear cat like i said has the metal honeycomb and cylinder holding it all in place. YOu will need things like a drill, hacksaw, 5lb hammer, chisel ect as that **** is a pain in the b@lls to get out. It took me about 3-4 hours wrestling with it to finally remove (the honeycomb) and you can do it. Just takes time. I say take the cats off and do it, dont leave them on, you dont want to risk getting junk in the cylinders. I can get the rear off now in about 10 minutes flat. Had to remove mine like 3 times.


Edit:
forgot to mention. If you do gut them you will get codes. To fix this the lower o2 sensors in each cat need to be manipulated. Meaning go to auto zone or whoever and get yourself some spark plug anti foulers. I dont remember the length but there is limited space in the front between the o2 and the exhaust. Get an antifouler that still gives you room. U will need to drill thru the antifouler as the nose of the o2 wont fit unless you drill out the fouler. Do this for both front and rear and clear your codes and you should be good to go. The only time i get codes now is if the car sits for a few days and it has been raining. So over the 9 months ive had this done for maybe 2 times ive gotten codes so not often at all.
Any advice would be killer, seems like i gotta try to do this one evening after work and get it back to the shop the next morning, to eliminate down time.

Last edited by Prophecy99; Mar 27, 2015 at 05:53 PM.
Old Mar 27, 2015 | 06:36 PM
  #42  
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multiple threads, some are even recent

spoon feeding turned off
Old Mar 28, 2015 | 07:51 AM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by Child_uv_KoRn
multiple threads, some are even recent

spoon feeding turned off
i checked multiple threads...the more recent ones. some are just pictures and feedback, and rochester's was one of the better ones, along with this thread.

i am aware you are very well versed in this, is it pretty much just nitty gritty physical work and using what ever tools to gut them? does it matter if you scratch beat up the inside walls? what tools do you suggest using?

again i am just trying to make this as simple as it can be.
Old Mar 28, 2015 | 08:12 AM
  #44  
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I used a 18" wood drill bit that is used for drilling through walls for phone/cable installers. I used it over and over in an overlapping pattern that got most of the stuff out (even the hard material in one of the cats was like butter with this thing). Once most was gone I got in there with a long chisel. Made it easy and simple. 30 minutes each. Don't forget a mask!
Old Mar 28, 2015 | 08:33 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by ateick
I used a 18" wood drill bit that is used for drilling through walls for phone/cable installers. I used it over and over in an overlapping pattern that got most of the stuff out (even the hard material in one of the cats was like butter with this thing). Once most was gone I got in there with a long chisel. Made it easy and simple. 30 minutes each. Don't forget a mask!
much appreciated man! thank you for your input.
Old Mar 29, 2015 | 07:38 PM
  #46  
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Just wondering. When people gut the pre cats how do they get to this one?

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Old Mar 30, 2015 | 07:40 AM
  #47  
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is that picture what a y-pipe would replace? and not the precat (02-03 5.5 gen) anyway
Old Mar 30, 2015 | 12:54 PM
  #48  
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It's the rear on a Californian 00
Old Mar 30, 2015 | 01:06 PM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by Donkeypunch
It's the rear on a Californian 00
Get a Ypipe, since the cat is built into it on the cali-spec 5th gens. Ypipe removes that cat.

Then gut the front one. I dont know how else you would gut the rear since its inside the ypipe.
Old Mar 30, 2015 | 03:33 PM
  #50  
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Originally Posted by Donkeypunch
Just wondering. When people gut the pre cats how do they get to this one?


That's the one that goes to the scrap yard.
Old May 15, 2015 | 06:35 AM
  #51  
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Anyone ever thought of using an air chisel? That would make quick work of those cat innards.
Old Sep 25, 2015 | 04:49 AM
  #52  
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so to those who have this , did you guys notice a little loss of low end power?

i feel low end throttle response kind of went down after doing this.
and at 184k stock precats were not disenegrated or deterioated etc etc so im not sure about this fable of sucking crap back into the manifold.

here's my set up

gutted precats > warpspeed y-pipe > fast cat > bosal b-pipe > SS walker muffler
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