Just bought a straight pipe to replace my cat because I couldnt find a cat for too cheap and I need something to get my y-pipe on.Is it a bad idea to have a straight pipe? I heard they can turn your bumper a nasty yellow color,true?

 

i had straight pipe for couple days and took it off, mainly because:

1. i did not feel any performance gain
2. rice fart noises increased
3. it smell like poop

........it was a waste of $20

 

??? How would a test pipe turn your bumper yellow if it's in the middle of the car? If you mean the exhaust fumes that come out then probably no since the muffler is positioned in a way to prevent that. Only things a test pipe will do is give you a raspy sound, make you lose power and fail emissions.

 

i doubt make the car lose power. people tend to think that replacing the entire restrictive exhaust component with straight thru design will free-up more horses at the wheel, but on our 4th gen maxima, the stock catalytic convertor is not restrictive at all. replacing the stock cat with a high-flow cat won't change a dramatic difference, but it won't lose any WHP if the installation is properly accomplished.

the most restrictive part on 4th gen maxima is the pre-cats, where the y-pipe (aka downpipe) is.

and yes, highflow cat will make you fail the emission fo sho.