[Shotimes] rattling cat

[James F. Ryan III]

If FL has no emissions testing why would it be illegal to remove it?

Back in the 70s and early 80s the cats were added after the engine selection
and design and consequently "choked" the engine, hence the bad rap that cats
still have to this day (in some people's minds).

Nowadays it seems as though engines are designed and tuned with the cats as
an integral part, and the cat technology has improved dramatically in the
last 15 years.  It's been said many times on this list that "removing the
cats from your SHO kills the low-end" AND "the SHO engine likes some
backpressure".

I don't know if that holds true for the 3.0 or 3.8 in your SLO, but gutting
one cat and having a difference in back pressure between the cylinder banks
can't be a good thing.

Do your part for the environment and get it replaced, or just live with the
rattling until the piece finally works itself out of the cat and comes
flying out your tail pipe in a puff of smoke.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jon Heese" <heese@digi-net.com>
To: "SHOTimes List" <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 11:51 AM
Subject: [Shotimes] rattling cat


> My '95 SLO was running rich due to some changes I made to the throttle
> body (since fixed), but I fear it already killed my passenger bank cat.
> I don't much care about its functionality (FL has no emissions testing),
> but now i've got a bunch of rocks rattling around inside the thing.  I'd
> take it to a muffler shop, but I presume that they won't just gut it for
> me (still illegal, right?), and I don't want to pay money I don't have
> for new cats I don't want, just to get rid of the rattling.
>
> I looked at the possibility of removing the downpipe assembly (FL car
> has seen no salt), but I'm not sure exactly how I'd go about gutting the
> thing afterwards...
>
> I know the ATX SHO cats are different, but if anyone has any experience
> in general, I'd appreciate any tips or advice on the matter.
>
>  - Jon Heese
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