Has anybody taken out the cat. converter and put in a straight pipe in its place?

 

better off with a better flowing exhaust system. The amount of power you pick up with a straight pipe will be minimal (by itself) unless your boosting.

GIVE A HOOT, DON'T POLUTE!

 

How do you know, have you tried this? I have no emissions to worry about anymore.

 

My dynobuttometer says their is a gain over the rt cat. Perhaps ~7hp. 1MAX2NV also has one, he may dyno test. The only draw back is that ocasionally you will have to reset the ecu code. I have had it in for ~2000 miles and have had to do it twice.

 

keep the catalytic on your car...

Our planet is screwed up enough as it is. When you get that nice sunburn/hacking cough... thank yourself. You want to pump out all this crap for maybe 2 horsepower peak? There probably is a HP loss lower down in the revs (which you use much more often). If NE1 has a dyno of RT vs. Straight pipe it would be interesting...

Smog tests not withstanding....

 

Yes, it's horrible for the environment. There are some gains but how much I have no idea. I mean my exhaust did get louder and it killed the drone. God, my Stillen catback was so annoying. My exhaust changed pitch or something. It just loud at WOT and not much drone at crusing speed now. I might spent the $50 and get it dyno. Only thing new since last dyno was the Straight pipe and Denso plugs. Plugs only worth couple HP if that much. Hmm..maybe I can round up some DC guys this weekend and split the hour dyno. The closest one only does hour increments at ~$125. If not, I have to drive an hour for the other 1/2 hour dyno facilities.