would it be dumb to hollow out cats.....
97's gained a 10 hp increase from going with two different one's

i dont want the sound to be obnoxius but will the performance improve.......thats basicly what long tubes are..right???

getting the o2 sensors is no big deal.....maybe someone could help out with some pro and cons about this

 

Gut them Some will say not to, but do it. LOL. It will sound louder and raspier though. Do a search, this has been debated many, many times...

 

I can guarantee you the guy above did not gut his cat. I did, and fully regret it. It is a little louder, but it sounds like wind in a hollow can, trust me, don't do it. What I would recommend though is getting a cut-out. I know my local midas shop carry them, and i know auto places carry them too. I would go get one welded on.

You will notice a nice performance difference.

It will sound great compared to hollow Cat. That will turn heads.

 

you can hollow them out... my friends have gained some, and some other friends havent gained anything... I want to gut mine because they have 100K on them, and I want it to be louder (but i dont want it to pop, which it will with no cats)

a cutout got me 12rwhp and 10rwtq

it cost me 40 for cutout, and 40 for install....

 

I didn't gut my cat pruposely but I actually blew it out. It sounded like crap. "Wind through a hallow can" couldn't explain it better. Mine always popped and sounded real raspy. It can really take away from the car especially if you've invested in a nice aftermarket muffler system. What you can do is have the muffler shop make you a straight pipe that you can bolt into place of the Cat for offroad use...and convert your cat to a straight bolt up kit when it comes emissions time. That way you can just swap between the two. I can't really explain just how bad the system sounded with the gutted cat. Get a cut out or do the straight pupe thing..but leave the cat alone. Like most cheap mods there's always a down side.

 

I agree w/ Heatmaker. But I would replace the cat w/ a cutout instead of just a straight pipe. That's what I did plus the cutout capped is basically a straight pipe to begin with. Now w/ the cutout in place of the cat you have the option of running open manifolds or headers. My car is a little more raspy now but seems to pull harder in the upper rpms. Good luck.

 

I gutted mine awhile back. I run it gutted and no muffler right now. It got considerably louder. I personally like the loud raspy sound. Kinda sounds like old muscle car. Although the only thing i do regret about it is the gas smell you get sometimes.

 

IMHO, DONT gut the cat, get an ORP put in its place at a muffler shop.

 

WELL GUYS YOU HAVE CONFUSED ME AGAIN.....BUT I DONT LIKE THE WIND THROUGH THE CAN THING.....THATS 2 WHO AGREE WITH THAT.........I THINK THE STRAIT PIPES WOULD BE MORE THE WAY TO GO.........

WILL IT DO 10HP PER CAT I REMOVE

 

No, you won't gain 10 from each cat. Nobody has gained 20 hp from taking off their cats. Just wait until you re-do your exhaust and do it all at once. I wish I would have. I got an x pipe put on and have no cats with dynomax bullets. One thing about taking off the cats that nobody hardly talks about is the throttle response. I didn't expect to see any difference, but my throttle response was a little better after I did it. Dang, once I took off the cats and did true dual bullets, it seems like a have a freakin' lightweight flywheel on it cause it revs so fast.

 

Make that three. Don't do it. The previous owner of my car had gutted it. Raspiness and tinny is all I can say. Exhaust stunk too. I failed emissions and had to get a new one. What a positive difference in sound.

 

Most of the guys telling you to do it have single cat cars. They are much easier to gut than the dual cat cars ('96-'97) like you have.

Long tubes are not gutted cats. Having long tube headers and gutting cats are not even close to being similar mods. The long tubes do require you to go with a single cat, or a no cat setup though; so maybe that is what you are thinking?

If you want to remove the cats, your best bet is to get a premade off road pipe. This pipe would replace your existing Y pipe, which has the cats built in. With the off road pipe (ORP), you wouldn't pass emmisions though, so hang on to your factory Y pipe and bolt it back in come inspection time.

Don't expect anywhere near a 10HP increase per cat either. Personally, I doubt you will see any HP gains unless your existing cats are clogged, but that's just me.
Now if you had headers and a high flowing cat back system, then removing the cats would probably net you some HP increases; but with the rest of the exhaust being stock, I doubt you'll see much gain.

Oh, and if you do remove your cats, you won't need new O2 sensors, you will need to replace the rear O2 sensors with O2 simulators.

Thomas.

 

I'll make it real easy...long tubes => 3" Y => cutout => high flow cat...

This way you can most likely still pass emissions...

Instead of LT's => Y pipe, you can go true duals...but you have to be 100% sure you want that sound ALL THE TIME...no going back with true duals...

Don't gut your cat...sounds and smells like shi'ite...

 

i do appreaciate all of yalls replys ......it does put me in the right direction.......you guys are pretty cool....this was my first post and didnt think i would get anything back

i just got this car ( second one...my first on was a 97 also. But it liked a tree in Baton Rouge)

so far i have done the tb bypass...maf.....slp cai....borla muffler....
and just 2 days ago the hypertech PPIII.

i am now looking for some more horses without getting in the engine and it sounds like the headers and pipes would be next.

Any other suggestions from yall pimp daddys.

 

Cols Air Intake is a worthwild mod. Call about your area and ask to see is they have cutouts and can install one. You will like that and will see some power.