Does it matter where the cat goes?

I moved from an state with no emissions to a state with emissions. The good news is I only need to pass a visual since my car is OBD1.

I still have the cat from when I installed the headers. Can I just add it between the end of the y-pipe and the start of my cat back? I'll probably need to cut some pipe off my cat back, but thats OK with me.

The other ? is, since the cat will be so far back at that point, should I gut it, or will it otherwise choke up my car for some reason

If it matters, I'm running Jet-Hot LT's into a Hooker Y-pipe into a Borla cat back.

Sorry if I missed a existing thread in my search, but it seems like everyone is either adding a catted y-pipe or adding cats to a y-pipe!

Thanks!
CL

 

From what I have heard, you will not pass a visual. The cats need to be in the stock location. But thats just what I have read on the boards. I dont have tests in my area.

 

By moving the cat from its stock location, your car technically will not be emissions legal. That is assuming the technician actually looks underneath the car and knows what they are looking at.

 

It's actually a safety inspection that I need to pass, but they do a visual for a cat. I'm hoping the technician is only looking for the presence of a cat and isnt concerned with its location.

Assuming that, does it matter where I stick the cat? And if I put it that far back it will never get warm enough to be effective, so do I need to gut it?

Thanks!
CL

 

If it is that far back, I doubt it will heat up enough where it will be fully efficient. Gutting it is your call, but I doubt it will hurt anything.

 

Passing a visual inspection is dependant on where you live and what they actually check for... you would probably know better than us.

But for function.. you want the cat as close to the engine as possible. The closer it is the hotter the exhaust. It will still work putting it at the end of the Y-pipe but it will take longer to heat up and start the chemical reaction.

 

no way a stock cat is going to fit in that location. Only thing I can see doing, is installing 2 mini cats in the ypipe. Few of us here have done it.

 

I was somewhat concerned it might not fit....

Are you talking immediately after the collectors, or somewhere "in" the ypipe before it merges to one?

If it's the latter, I'd probably be better just finding a catted ypipe and saving myself the hassle since I dont have welding equipment. Is there a catted ypipe that will bolt to Jet-Hot/Hookers?

 

Unless you go with the Kooks header and y-pipe setup, there are no catted y-pipes offered for the LT1 long tube headers.

 

Well thats not good!

So I cant add my factory cat to the end of the y-pipe because there isnt enough room.

Which means I have to somehow add cats between the collectors and ypipe. Is that possible to even do as a DIY? Is there a mini-cat that would bolt to the collectors and y-pipe? Or is this something an exhaust shop would need to fabricate and weld?

 

I added an 11" hi flow cat about 18" behind my ORY and it seems to work great. In my state they only care if you have a cat anywhere up from the muffler.

 

I just had a shop do it. For the cost and the potential aggravation it saved me, it was worth it.

 

Weld up some heat shields...
They will never know

 

Any chance either of you guys might have a pic of your setup?

This sucks...so much for being an easy fix in my driveway...

I suppose this is as good of an excuse as I'm going to get to ever sell my Borla CB and get a true dual setup

Regardless, my car wont have an obnoxious rasp anymore!

 

Sorry I don't have a pic, another member on here named 96flame has a setup near identical to mine and he had some pics of it as well. Maybe try PMing him and see if he can provide you with one.