What should I do solve this problem?

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-16-2010, 06:06 PM

The cats stopped up (were factory replaced 1yr 1/2 ago) and I don't want to put a strain on the motor. I don't know crap about exhausts so what's the best fix for $500-$1,000? I live in MS and as far as I know "emissions control" is a non-issue around here. Suggestions?

**ls1camino** · 01-16-2010, 06:10 PM

LT Headers, Off Road Y-Pipe, and Catback

**pajeff02** · 01-16-2010, 06:11 PM

Are they still under the extended warranty as replacements, or a new warranty? A year and a half is not that long... seems like there should be coverage. Any chance it is something else?

**damianj03** · 01-16-2010, 06:15 PM

just take the cat off and hollow it out and put it back on = free

**c5z28** · 01-16-2010, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Are they still under the extended warranty as replacements, or a new warranty? A year and a half is not that long... seems like there should be coverage. Any chance it is something else?

+1
Or you can pick up an off road y-pipe for $150 it is a direct bolt-on. Or you can do longtubes and that $500-$1000 budget should get eaten up quick.

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-16-2010, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by damianj03

just take the cat off and hollow it out and put it back on = free

One of my dad's friends will cut it off but won't that make it sound bad? I don't mind loud, hell I'd prefer that. If you cut them off or hollow them out, don't you need to put a pipe in there for pressure?

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-16-2010, 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

Are they still under the extended warranty as replacements, or a new warranty? A year and a half is not that long... seems like there should be coverage. Any chance it is something else?

They were replaced due to the recall so I'm not sure about warranty. I'll call and check on that Monday. The guy that's been working on it says it's the cats, I don't know myself. It started with the check engine light last week so I let him look at it and that's what he came up with.

**damianj03** · 01-16-2010, 06:52 PM

Originally Posted by BdAsBrd01

One of my dad's friends will cut it off but won't that make it sound bad? I don't mind loud, hell I'd prefer that. If you cut them off or hollow them out, don't you need to put a pipe in there for pressure?

na your headers stock or aftermarket has all of the back pressure you need your muffler that you have wether stock or aftermarket will be the factor of loudness alot of people do cat deletes all the time its just for emissions

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-16-2010, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by damianj03

na your headers stock or aftermarket has all of the back pressure you need your muffler that you have wether stock or aftermarket will be the factor of loudness alot of people do cat deletes all the time its just for emissions

Everything on there is stock. I don't think that emissions will be a prob here, just getting someone who will cut 'em off usually is but I think I've got that solved.

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-16-2010, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by c5z28

+1
Or you can pick up an off road y-pipe for $150 it is a direct bolt-on. Or you can do longtubes and that $500-$1000 budget should get eaten up quick.

That's what I was afraid of.

**damianj03** · 01-16-2010, 07:01 PM

do the cat hollow or offroad pipe which is a cat delete and use the other money for mods
with 1k you can get about 50-60 hp in mods

**pajeff02** · 01-17-2010, 06:43 AM

Originally Posted by BdAsBrd01

They were replaced due to the recall so I'm not sure about warranty. I'll call and check on that Monday. The guy that's been working on it says it's the cats, I don't know myself. It started with the check engine light last week so I let him look at it and that's what he came up with.

You need to know the code(s) that resulted in the CEL being lit. Post it up once you find out. Chances are it was catalytic inefficiency, or some crap like that. Could be as simple as a dirty or defective O2 sensor. A plugged cat will definitely affect your performance. Any driveability issues?

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-17-2010, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by pajeff02

You need to know the code(s) that resulted in the CEL being lit. Post it up once you find out. Chances are it was catalytic inefficiency, or some crap like that. Could be as simple as a dirty or defective O2 sensor. A plugged cat will definitely affect your performance. Any driveability issues?

Yeah, th gas milage has dropped off dramatically in the past two weeks (maybe a little longer, I've just noticed).

**JRENIGAR** · 01-17-2010, 03:09 PM

cut the cats off and hollow them out. The drivers side only needs to be cut at the cat rear and the other side needs to be cut on both sides. After both sides are cut just slightly pull down and use a big screw driver on the drivers side and beat the center screen out do the same on the pass side and put it all back together. I suggest using a sharpie marker to make a line on the exhaust from front to back and cutting the pipe on the mark so that you can lign up the marks when welding them back together. Use a sawzall and a welder will fill in the gap nicely. I have the stock exhaust setup exactly as I described and it sounds good. Barely louder than stock. At full throttle I can still hear the motor over the exhaust and no rasp at all. Hope this helps.

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-17-2010, 03:22 PM

Originally Posted by JRENIGAR

cut the cats off and hollow them out. The drivers side only needs to be cut at the cat rear and the other side needs to be cut on both sides. After both sides are cut just slightly pull down and use a big screw driver on the drivers side and beat the center screen out do the same on the pass side and put it all back together. I suggest using a sharpie marker to make a line on the exhaust from front to back and cutting the pipe on the mark so that you can lign up the marks when welding them back together. Use a sawzall and a welder will fill in the gap nicely. I have the stock exhaust setup exactly as I described and it sounds good. Barely louder than stock. At full throttle I can still hear the motor over the exhaust and no rasp at all. Hope this helps.

Thanks, I'm gonna get a friend to do the work and this will help him see what I need done. What about cutting them off entirely? Also a friend said that you can buy a "false" cat that's already hollowed out. I wasn't sure. Would an off-road pipe be better than the stock ?

**JRENIGAR** · 01-18-2010, 08:41 AM

well, it might but that requires fabrication and some extra pipe and the drivers side would deffinitely have to be bent to fit back like the factory. I took a 3/8 rod about 2 ft long and a small shop hammer and beat the "stuff" whatever it is out of the center of the cats and just left the hollow cat shell there and welded it back up. Worked great for me. Off road pipe might be better than stock but stock is free if you have a mig welder and a sawzall. It dosent get any better than that. Pm me if you need more help. Good luck.

**DaddySS** · 01-18-2010, 09:28 AM

If they were replaced by the dealer they are under warranty. If you want to get rid of them it's a different story but if you want them fixed - should be free.

**hutch1999** · 01-18-2010, 11:54 AM

whichever exhaust you choose I recommend not hollowing your cat out and putting it back on. My friend did this on his 02 and it sounded like complete crap. Buy long tubes, an offroad Y pipe, and a cat back.

**BdAsBrd01** · 01-18-2010, 12:08 PM

Originally Posted by hutch1999

whichever exhaust you choose I recommend not hollowing your cat out and putting it back on. My friend did this on his 02 and it sounded like complete crap. Buy long tubes, an offroad Y pipe, and a cat back.

That's what I'm worried about. Could this be done within the 500-1,000 price limit?

**hutch1999** · 01-18-2010, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by BdAsBrd01

That's what I'm worried about. Could this be done within the 500-1,000 price limit?

Well most likely it can be done if you search. Either some cheaper new stuff, pacesetter lts w/ an ORY and a Hooker cat back will be under $1000 and it is pretty good stuff. Or more expensive used off ebay or off our forum or another.