headers, y-pipe, and emissions testing

**1MileCrash** · 03-31-2012, 10:41 PM

yeah i'm sure this has been asked before but i'll ask again.

i'm saving up for headers and a y-pipe for the car. i have two options...first is a catted y-pipe. this puts me in the roughly $900 shipped range. second is the non-catted y-pipe option in roughly the $700 shipped range. so i can save a good chunk of change by forgoing the catted y-pipe.

the issue being that the fiance is going to be finishing school here soon and we will be moving...somewhere...for her job. no idea where yet. the idea of a catted y-pipe sounds good due to the potential of moving to a place that requires emissions testing. the non-catted y-pipe sounds good to the cheapass in me.

the aftermarket cats on the y-pipes are obviously smaller and therefore less efficient than the stock cats, but they would be better than having nothing.

i guess what i'm looking for is personal experiences for those who have non-catted y-pipe systems on their cars where emissions testing is required. and of course if anyone has catted y-pipe setup in an emissions test area...i'd be happy to hear from you as well.

is the catted y-pipe worth the extra money or not? i'm not concerned about losing performance on a catted setup as the bit of extra backpressure isn't going to amount to a hell of a lot since i have no serious power adder mods on the car and i don't expect that i'll be putting a cam or heads on the car any time soon if ever.

**tatertot91** · 03-31-2012, 11:24 PM

Texas Speed just added their new revised stainless headers and with a catted ypipe you can get them just over 700
Sounds like the way to go imo
I have their Ypipe installed on my car at the moment and all i can say is it's definitely a quality piece

**KMdef9** · 03-31-2012, 11:41 PM

On a stock motor there wont be a huge difference in performance between the two. If you go with the catted, you can always add a cutout before the cats or remove them completely down the road.

**1MileCrash** · 04-01-2012, 08:26 AM

The texas speed headers and y-pipes are actually the ones that im looking at picking up

**Manicmechanic** · 04-01-2012, 04:16 PM

Does anyone offer a Y-pipe to work with stock cats/exhaust? Have to keep my cats and was looking for something better than factory flat pipe.

**1MileCrash** · 04-01-2012, 04:56 PM

i can save myself some further cash by going with 1 3/4 pipe rather than 1 7/8 pipe...about $100. i know that either will flow way better than stock manifolds and give me better performance. will i seriously be sacrificing that much by going with the 1 3/4 than the 1 7/8. i mean...i can't really imagine that i would be on a stock engine when i don't have plans to mod it like crazy.

**tatertot91** · 04-01-2012, 07:33 PM

1 3/4 will work fine for your application

**KMdef9** · 04-02-2012, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by tatertot91

1 3/4 will work fine for your application

Agreed.

**1MileCrash** · 04-02-2012, 03:15 PM

thanks guys. i ordered up the 1 3/4 headers, y-pipe (no cats), and o2 extensions from texas speed this afternoon. $608 shipped to my door. i'm pretty excited...then it'll just be a matter of getting the time to do the install. i want to put on the headers, clutch drill mod, ball joints, tie rod ends, brakes, oil change, and tire rotation all at the same time since it'll be up off the ground.

**1MileCrash** · 04-07-2012, 01:15 PM

well the headers and y-pipe should be here this tuesday. i have the gm header gaskets and the gm egr intake blockoff plate on order. i've been sick with strep for the last week but if i'm feeling better i'm thinking that monday i'll move the car to where i'm working on it and get started tearing off the old parts. tuesday when it comes in mock everything up on the floor. then wednesday afternoon after work and thursday i have off...do my best to get it all put on. i'll be working in the driveway with jackstands out in the open by myself so it's a weather permitting and if i can manage to maneuver the parts on my own sort of thing.

**Danger731** · 04-07-2012, 03:29 PM

Some headers won't pass emissions because the cats are moved too far from the motor. Shorty headers clear some states emmisions, LT's not so much .

**az gt eater** · 04-07-2012, 08:45 PM

I would have suggested you get the catted y, and just have them tuned out. Then, they will pass a visual, and the OBD II. You know that you will have to have the ball joints pressed in, right? That prob pretty much precludes doing everything in your drive. I went through that process a while back. Took me a day to completely dissassemble the rear suspension, a week to do the front. The problem I had was that the new ball joints were over sized. And all the other balls I could get a mike on. I had to hone out the ball sockets before the machine shop would attempt to install the new ones. It was worth it, but I pulled my hair out for a few days. To get the balls pressed in, you will need to remove the lower a arms, and if you have the cash, replace the bushings while you have it apart. I put poly bushings from Texas Speed in the whole car, and noticed a noticable difference in cornering. I have a unfinished sub division nearby, and ran it before and after. Good luck, and if you need help, PM me.

**az gt eater** · 04-07-2012, 08:45 PM

Go PACK!

**Jorgens** · 04-08-2012, 03:47 PM

I was just going to pop up a thread about the emissions issue here in WI. We can't be the only ones who have to go thru the test and want LTH and ORY.... They only seem to plug in to the computer for every test. But if we drive in with a cam and a loud exhaust will they look? Can they just fail us because? Maybe buy a recall Walker sticker to put on when going thru? LOL Just wondering if anyone in WI has passed with the settup being discussed here. I was looking at the same exact thing 1mile.... Maybe roadtrip time to come out and see your bird....

**1MileCrash** · 04-08-2012, 05:05 PM

i just moved it out of the garage here 10 min ago and over to the driveway. start pulling parts off of it tomorrow.

i guess at least i don't have to pass emissions testing up here in central wisconsin...madison and the milwaukee area yeah but not here. this was a "do it now or it'll never happen again" kinda purchase...so i went for it. adding more onto my "fix it" list all the time. decided what the hell and tossed u-joints onto my list today. 110k and i don't know that they've ever been replaced. i do know that the next major expense on the car is going to have to be a trans rebuild. syncros are crap on reverse and 1st gear when it's cold.

**az gt eater** · 04-09-2012, 06:35 AM

Synchros......yeah,you have an ls1. That made me giggle.

**1MileCrash** · 04-09-2012, 10:37 AM

well everything is going pretty well so far. got the crossbrace, y-pipe, egr system, air tubing, and the ignition coils off the car. was pretty surprised too...the only bolt that i broke was the least rusted. random. i did butcher some of the passenger side front O2 sensor wiring so i'm just going to get new front O2 sensors.

being under the car and looking around i'm seeing a lot of bushings that i should be replacing too...damnit. well now just to get the exhaust manifolds off of the car and waiting for the new stuff to show up.