New CAT "test pipe"

Throaty sound and an eye burning driving experience. Especially for the car behind you

 

When the car runs dirty, the tail lights get this carbon residue build up. Notice how difficult they are to clean. Also the rear bumper.

The motors are tuned for all of those bits. Often, removing these parts without following a recipe loses horsiepower.

You can play with it, but you might decide to restore it. I did a Euro exhaust for the track, and don't think I gained that much power, so I bailed on it.

Just MHO.

 

I had a test pipe for about 8 years. Sounded great with my Tubi but after a while the smell and fumes just get to be a little much. I have a GTS so it gets in your clothes with the top off. I was young and cared more about the sound than the environment. I got all that out of my system about 10 years ago.

I swapped it for a Hyperflow like a good boy. Nice piece of equipment. It's like having a legal test pipe without the fumes. I'm glad I bought it.

 

Well, my experience has been negative, I am not for sure its 100 percent due to my non cat test pipes but since I purchased the car with them I do not know what else to blame it on.

Driving the freeway I have been flipped off more than once and couldn't figure out why, then I noticed drivers waving their hands in front of their faces around me. Once at a stoplight in Denver a guy behind me in the lane next to me with his window down yelled about the smell.

My wife followed my car and she claimed from three car lengths she was almost gassed out following me down the freeway.

when sitting in traffic the smell is so strong that I cant help but worry about the cars around me. With the targa top off the smell is so strong I get a headache if stop and go traffic.

Again, I am not sure if this is 100 percent caused by my lack of CATS or possibly a fuel problem but its not a very good experience overall.

I have parked the car until I have a moment to get it to a mechanic and figure it out. My car came with new Cats in the boxes and If thats the problem I will gladly put them back on.

Anyway please give us feedback on your experience.

 

Is your O2 sensor disconnected? Mine was and with a test pipe that is a lethal combination for the guy behind us.

 

Were you guys ever in the ground pounding Military?

Doesn't sound like it?

 

my cat is removed and the car feels more alive. Haven't notice the smell, but i have a GTB. I butt dyne says more power.

 

I have been running my QV with a test pipe with disconnected O2 sensor and thermocouple for about five years now, sure it's a little fumy but in my case no so bad. It's only bad when you stand about five feet directly behind the exhaust but while driving and/or standing still in a traffic, you can't smell the fumes, on top of all these, not only it sound throatire and better, I believe it adds a little pony to the performance too.

 

My cats were "original" 35 years old...I took them off last week and they were crushed charcoal briquets and wire. I gutted them and put them back on. Definitely a huge difference...they were plugged!
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Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.
G. Santayana

"The most significant source of pollution in the Los Angeles area comes from the internal-combustion engines of motor vehicles. They are estimated to be responsible for 60% of the pollution in California. Commercial equipment, aircraft, trains, and diesel trucks make up 10% of the pollution, while on-road motor vehicles and motorcycles are responsible for the remaining 50%."


Consider this:

1. Car sounds fine as is. I have an 85 as well and can attest to this.
2. You will not gain performance
3. You will smell like fuel
4. You will be polluting hydrocarbons that already once contributed to serious smog issues in the past and continue to bother us today
5. It's illegal to remove for the reason stated above

Why anyone would pull cats (living in CA especially) is beyond me. It's 2015, have we not collectively figured this out yet?

Put a cat-back on if you want more noise.

Sorry for the rant,

Warren.
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I have a 1981 Turbo Trans Am with 4 barrel Rochester tuned to perfection...no cats...no muffler...sounds great. As a test, I have had the emissions tested side by side with a properly running 2010 Jeep...Trans Am has less emissions. The truth of the matter is a properly tuned carb out performs fuel injection with emissions equipment. All old time mechanics know this, but the car companies decided to retire them. Why...more profits!

 

Disagree with this entirely. Yes a properly tuned carb car can/does run great but less emissions than a new fuel injected car with cats? Not a chance.

 

My experience with cat removals generally has been great. Increased responsiveness on rev, revs more freely. Runs cooler. Sounds better.

 

Note too that catalytic converter design has changed over the last 30 years.

The original cats are indeed heavy and filled with "briquettes"; modern cats have a lightweight mesh matrix (almost like tight window screens) which don’t cause back pressure.

I have modern cats on my '83 308 plus a couple of original cats (complete with “Ferrari” stamped on them) up in the garage rafters. The difference in weight is substantial.