cats or no cats?

**Nates98ta** · 08-21-2010, 01:28 PM

ok..I am getting new exhaust and leaving my stock manifolds on car. The exhaust is stock except for my gutted cats. I'm getting a Random tech y-pipe that bolts up to the stock manifolds and SLP loudmouth 1 exhaust. Not sure if I need to go with the DualCat high flow y-pipe or just the plain y-pipe. I know it may sound raspy without them, but it will save me a lot of money.Will I be ok to keep running without the cats?

**ls1wallen** · 08-21-2010, 01:43 PM

I don't have cats on my car. The only thing I don't like is I smell like gas all the time.

**Nates98ta** · 08-21-2010, 02:26 PM

ya..I know all about that..lol

**damianj03** · 08-21-2010, 05:00 PM

im guessing that you dont have emissions testing in your town because of the gutted cats. Since that is the case then go with the (ORY) off road Y pipe). You already know of the gas smell so thats not a issue. If i was you i would also go ahead and get long tubes for it off of ebay. I got a set of headers off of there for 150 bucks stainless steel and work great. If you do decide to get them make sure before you put them on to have the EGR hookup on them cut off and welded because i put block off plates on them and after about 3k miles the shaft vibrated enough and broke off giving me a exhaust leak that i had to get welded shut.

**67CamaroRSSS** · 08-21-2010, 05:59 PM

Why stock cast iron manifolds? If you've deleted the cats already why not go with long tube headers? Much better sound and performance.

**Nates98ta** · 08-21-2010, 06:15 PM

The cats aren't deleted..I got the car with them already gutted..and I do want to get headers but with themand a y-pipe with high flow cats and the slp cat back system..Im looking at a lot of money not including the mail order tune I will have to get if I did go with the headers.

**Nates98ta** · 08-21-2010, 06:17 PM

and..no..cops really dont care about that stuff way down here in the country..lol

**Nates98ta** · 08-21-2010, 06:21 PM

to Damian..why would I block off the EGR on the headers and not hook them up? Just curious.. and how hard is it really to put on the headers?

**ls1wallen** · 08-21-2010, 06:31 PM

Ebay headers where easy for me. I got them for 220+ 450 for tsp true duals = 670 for full exhaust. It sounds great and was easy to install. If you already have a catback then all you need is headers and y pipe. I still haven't gotten a tune from frost yet due to a possible fuel pump issue.

**Cutlass** · 08-21-2010, 06:34 PM

rasp is not a very pleasing sound to the ears. If you must get the Loud mouth exhaust, then you should probably get cats.
Have you considered the magnaflow cat back?

**Nates98ta** · 08-21-2010, 06:45 PM

yea..I may need to hear a sound clip of the magnaflow..So..whats up with blocking off the EGR? Does your car still run ok even without the tune up yet?

**speedyWS6** · 08-22-2010, 12:58 AM

This situation is right up my street!!

I had the very irritating Loudmouth 2 and after putting hi flow cats from race Parts Direct on and then a magnaflow bullet mufler, it went from rasp city to a lovely mellow sound off of the gas to a very pleasing growl when on the gas.

Highly recommend the Magnaflow...and you will find a lot of guys on here saying the same!!

Trev...

)

**Too Fast** · 08-22-2010, 03:14 AM

Originally Posted by Nates98ta

The cats aren't deleted..I got the car with them already gutted..and I do want to get headers but with themand a y-pipe with high flow cats and the slp cat back system..Im looking at a lot of money not including the mail order tune I will have to get if I did go with the headers.

You do not "have" to get a tune with long tube headers. A tune is a nice thing to have for any car, I drove 3.5 years with no tune. The only "problem" I had were increased gas MPG, and quicker at the drag strip. My SES light was on until this spring, tho.

**Nates98ta** · 08-22-2010, 05:05 AM

ok..thanks guys

**Cutlass** · 08-22-2010, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by Too Fast

You do not "have" to get a tune with long tube headers. A tune is a nice thing to have for any car, I drove 3.5 years with no tune. The only "problem" I had were increased gas MPG, and quicker at the drag strip. My SES light was on until this spring, tho.

your situation seems to be the abnormal. it seems more people benefit from a tune with LTs.
IMHO, yes you NEED a tune with LTs. But I'll admit, I'm a bit of a perfectionist and wouldn't be able to tolerate an SES lite and less then optimized tune.

**Too Fast** · 08-22-2010, 10:29 AM

^^^We could argue about this round and round.

Any of these cars (and most all other cars) didn't have an optimized tune on them from the factory, I'm sure you'll agree. That's why I say a tune is beneficial for any car, with 0 mods or a heavily modded car, or anything in between. As you also know, which most people don't, is that Mass Airflow vehicles can self-tune to an extent, as the MAF recognizes the engines increased VE. Anything that increases VE will be recognized by the MAF, like a lid, or other CAI mod, or any exhaust upgrade.

And believe me, I did not like seeing that SES light on.

I'm just trying to help people who want to put headers/ORYs on these LS1s that a tune is not mandatory, like it is just about mandatory if you put in a performance camshaft.

**Nates98ta** · 08-22-2010, 11:32 AM

That helps..A tune sounds like it might be in the plan book. I just want more mods done first before I do that and does anyone know why people block off the EGR when they put on LT's?

**Too Fast** · 08-23-2010, 01:57 AM

Originally Posted by Nates98ta

That helps..A tune sounds like it might be in the plan book. I just want more mods done first before I do that and does anyone know why people block off the EGR when they put on LT's?

For a cleaner appearance under the hood, mostly. If you have emissions testing in your area, especially visual, you will need the EGR hookup. But if you have visual emissions checking, they will know that your convertors have been moved/removed. Catted Y-pipes are available, but they relocate the convertors which is a no-no, just like removing them.

AIR pumps and EGRs don't affect performance, unless you count the wieght of these components.

**Nates98ta** · 08-23-2010, 11:16 AM

ok..that makes sense..thankx

***SMWS6TA*** · 08-23-2010, 12:46 PM

For the time and money that your going thru now, I'd just go ahead and get LT's and ORY based on your situation. You can get a good set of Pacesetter LT's and ORY for $500 and a Magnaflow muffler for another $80-$100. Get a tune by Frost, if budget is tight, do the headers and ORY first, drive without a tune for a while then get the tune. I did it for 6 months with no issues.