CAT's
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Professional
Joined: Jun 2007
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CAT's
Ive posted in the past about how I dont like how my exhaust isn't as loud as i want it to be. So I was thinking how would I go about taking all the stuff out of the CAT and run it like that? My check engine lights has been on since I got it so that wont be a big deal. I only have a hammer and some wrenches. I dont know how to weld. Could someone give me a little information on how it sounds, and how hard it is to, do the job?
Captain
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 554
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From: Plant City, FL
RE: CAT's
No matter which way you go in removing the internals, you will need more than just a hammer and some wrenches. You might be able to cut the single pipe coming out of it with a sawzall at 2" or 3" away from the cat casing,. This will allow just enough pipe to install a coupling to reattach the rest of the exhaust when you're done. Once the pipe has been cut, I would use a drill with a larger concrete bit to drill / bore a few holes through the pipe opening directly into the inside material of the cat to weaken it. You will have to plan where you drill the holes to get it to break into smaller chunks to be removed through the pipe opening. You will also have to make sure you don't get carried away with drilling and end up coming out the other end of the cat casing. Once the internals have been broken up into small enough pieces, you could work them out or just remove the cat from the truck and turn it upsidedown to shake the stuff out. This proceedure may end up taking some time to complete and you may have to be patient because it might not break apart as easily as you would like.
The best way I've seen is to cut a large flap of metal on the side of the cat and remove the material that way, then rewelding the flap back in place. This is probably the best way to do it to ensure there aren't any pieces left in it that could end up blocking exhaust flow. By trying the drilling method, which I haven't actually done but I know could work if you have the time, patience, and a few different drill bits, once the material inside is broken, you are then committed to finish it before you can use it again. If the internals are loose and you drive the truck, they very well may block exhaust flow. Also by using the flap method, there would be no cutting of the exhaust pipe that would have to be coupled together again.
Before you do anything, you need to be sure the state you live in doesn't have, or plan on having, emissions testing. As I'm sure you're aware, once the cat is gutted, there is no putting it back the way it was. You would have to buy another one at the tune of +/- $150 and up for the oem part, then whatever labor to install if you had someone else do it.
By gutting the cat, it will definitely add sound volume to your exhaust. If you want an easier way to get more sound, you could first try removing the muffler and keeping the cat. I would first try that unless you already have. On the truck I had before, I had replaced the stock muffler with a FM si/do exiting out the back on either side of the hitch and it was way too quiet. It actually felt like a little loss in performance which was hard to believe since it was the one they said was designed for my truck. I then had them remove the FM and replace it with just a y-pipe and no muffler at all. This was much better. Power was back and then some. Sound was a nice grumble at idle, but got louder with more throttle. No resonating drone in the cab but you could definitely hear it. That final setup was:
stock exhaust manifolds, stock functioning cat, muffler replaced with y-pipe, and dual 2-1/2" pipes running out the back on either side of the hitch.
The best way I've seen is to cut a large flap of metal on the side of the cat and remove the material that way, then rewelding the flap back in place. This is probably the best way to do it to ensure there aren't any pieces left in it that could end up blocking exhaust flow. By trying the drilling method, which I haven't actually done but I know could work if you have the time, patience, and a few different drill bits, once the material inside is broken, you are then committed to finish it before you can use it again. If the internals are loose and you drive the truck, they very well may block exhaust flow. Also by using the flap method, there would be no cutting of the exhaust pipe that would have to be coupled together again.
Before you do anything, you need to be sure the state you live in doesn't have, or plan on having, emissions testing. As I'm sure you're aware, once the cat is gutted, there is no putting it back the way it was. You would have to buy another one at the tune of +/- $150 and up for the oem part, then whatever labor to install if you had someone else do it.
By gutting the cat, it will definitely add sound volume to your exhaust. If you want an easier way to get more sound, you could first try removing the muffler and keeping the cat. I would first try that unless you already have. On the truck I had before, I had replaced the stock muffler with a FM si/do exiting out the back on either side of the hitch and it was way too quiet. It actually felt like a little loss in performance which was hard to believe since it was the one they said was designed for my truck. I then had them remove the FM and replace it with just a y-pipe and no muffler at all. This was much better. Power was back and then some. Sound was a nice grumble at idle, but got louder with more throttle. No resonating drone in the cab but you could definitely hear it. That final setup was:
stock exhaust manifolds, stock functioning cat, muffler replaced with y-pipe, and dual 2-1/2" pipes running out the back on either side of the hitch.
Rookie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 96
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From:
RE: CAT's
i think the 88 dellta 88 with the 3.8 v6 came with factory headers, haha but yea its a bit redundant to say such a thing, unless you buy a ferarri or lamborghini with stock headers anyways, enough ranting