i have a 1993 mustang gt vert and one of the cats have broken loose internally in the cat housing. i dont really want to replace it with the cost of $100 labor and another 100 for the part. are the cats required on all production cars all the time. when i went to a muffler shop they would replace the two front cats with blank spacer tubes for $100, and the added airflow would be nice for performance and sound.
are the cats required on daily driven cars
- Thread starter darkarrow
- Start date
Legally, yes they are required, but no the car does not need them to run. If you need to pass emmisions, you'll need them, if emmisions test isn't an issue where you are, ditch them, an aftermarket catless H pipe goes for around $120.
i live in oklahoma, which doesnt require vehicle inspections, currently. but soon they will reinstitute the law requiring vehicular inspections. since oklahoma doesnt have smog problems, does anyone know whether or not the two front cats would be required to pass the vehicle emission laws in oklahoma, because i will keep the rear two cats on the car?
Michael Yount
Mustang Master
The front and rear cats work together - the front ones only work on certain chemical reactions in the exhaust stream; the rear ones work on other reactions. So leaving only the rear ones won't work if you want the car to pass emissions. They do make replacement single units that replace the 2 cats on each side with just one - but as you noted, they are farily expensive.
cevtv
Founding Member
90mustangGT said:
Well......cats are requires by the EPA, and are covered under Federal law.....it doesn't matter what the state/county emissions laws are....if the car came with cats, legally it has to have cats on it......
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cevtv said:
I know, that's why I typed in first....
90mustangGT said:
All that could really happen is that you would get an "improper exaust" ticket and would have to "fix" it. I know someone that the cop checked under his car. Now the penalty for removing cats can be steep, but they would have to prove you actually removed them. With all the BS going on in the world right now, I don't see the FBI busting down your door or sending servailance equipment to catch you. Don't admit you took them off. "no officer, I bought the car like that"
Technically they are required on every car that came from the factory with them. But on the other hand nobody except emissions stations and 1% of all cops actually looks for then on your car. So if emissions isn't a problem then i would get rid of them.
Ranchero5.0
The Voice of Reason
Cats can not be removed until 50,000 mile of vehicle life. Most states require them for inspection or have emmision testing that pretty much requires them.
JAmie
JAmie
HISSIN50 said:where did you get an aftermarket catted pipe for that much? i have not priced them much, but i thought they were a bit more than that....
You know what Im retarded.Dont listen to me.It was 250.00.I got it at Summit.Good thing is Summit headquarters is like 45 min away for me so I just pick stuff up and dont have to wait or pay for shipping.
no biggie. i thought it sounded low - but like a good deal (we have emissions here so i keep those things on there).shonoff said:
I do appreciate the reply - I might have jumped on one for that price.
MustangLX-5.0
Founding Member
A few months back,my 92 LX 5.0 vert had problems with the cats similar to darkarrow's.The front drivers side cat started producing gobs of rattling sounds like there was all sorts of rocks or whatnot bouncing around in there.I was debating whether or not I should spend the dough on an aftermarket pipe but being short on cash a friend of mine suggested I gut them out.
And that we both did.Him helping me get that damn stock h-pipe off made it a breeze.After getting the pipe off I shook it a few times but nothing came out.I knocked it around on both the front and back sides..Lots of heavy crap rattling around in at least 2 of the cats..yet..still nothing came out any of the pipes.So he took a piece of rebar and started jamming it down into the cats...bending it through the pipes then jamming it down in there.Doing this a few times loosened so much crap that was in there.Lots of burned up and clogged honeycombed rocky charcoal crap just kept coming out.That's usually what happens with cats over time.The honeycomb crap either gets clogged or charred so bad it starts breaking up into pieces.
Well eventually after about 10 or so minutes of this,the cats were empty,except for a couple small pieces of mesh wire that were attached to the insides.And they wern't a problem.No rattles from them,plus the car sounds a whole lot better.Sounds allmost like an offroad H-pipe,just not quite as loud and beefy.
I only had one minor problem after re-installing the stock H-pipe.About a half minute after starting the car and revving of the motor,I started hearing rattling again.Only this time it was in the muffler.Growl......!! Turns out after putting the pipe back on,a very loose piece of crap that hadn't come loose prior to re-install,blew out the h-pipe and into the muffler.Had to remove the muffler just to get it out.
So keep in mind,if you decide to do this,make sure all that crap is cleared out of the cats.I would install the h-pipe onto the headers,leave off the muffler then start the car and rev it a few times to blow any crap out the pipes.Now,if your cats are still in very good shape,leave them alone.Mine were in piss poor shape so there was an exception,not to forget it had 91,000 miles on it.
Do at your own risk.If you have state emmisions laws,leave it alone or get high flow cats.
And that we both did.Him helping me get that damn stock h-pipe off made it a breeze.After getting the pipe off I shook it a few times but nothing came out.I knocked it around on both the front and back sides..Lots of heavy crap rattling around in at least 2 of the cats..yet..still nothing came out any of the pipes.So he took a piece of rebar and started jamming it down into the cats...bending it through the pipes then jamming it down in there.Doing this a few times loosened so much crap that was in there.Lots of burned up and clogged honeycombed rocky charcoal crap just kept coming out.That's usually what happens with cats over time.The honeycomb crap either gets clogged or charred so bad it starts breaking up into pieces.
Well eventually after about 10 or so minutes of this,the cats were empty,except for a couple small pieces of mesh wire that were attached to the insides.And they wern't a problem.No rattles from them,plus the car sounds a whole lot better.Sounds allmost like an offroad H-pipe,just not quite as loud and beefy.
I only had one minor problem after re-installing the stock H-pipe.About a half minute after starting the car and revving of the motor,I started hearing rattling again.Only this time it was in the muffler.Growl......!! Turns out after putting the pipe back on,a very loose piece of crap that hadn't come loose prior to re-install,blew out the h-pipe and into the muffler.Had to remove the muffler just to get it out.
So keep in mind,if you decide to do this,make sure all that crap is cleared out of the cats.I would install the h-pipe onto the headers,leave off the muffler then start the car and rev it a few times to blow any crap out the pipes.Now,if your cats are still in very good shape,leave them alone.Mine were in piss poor shape so there was an exception,not to forget it had 91,000 miles on it.
Do at your own risk.If you have state emmisions laws,leave it alone or get high flow cats.
Depending on whether your car has been serviced for previous recalls, you might be able to get a stock Ford Catalytic Convertor for free. Ford had an emissions recall on the stock cat system, and replaced the entire section for free. The previous owner of my vehicle never had the recall done, so when I brought the car in for a clutch replacement in 2001, they put on a new stock cat pipe for free under the recall. Here's the info. on the receipt they gave me. It's worth a shot.
Emissions Recalls
TSB Number Issue Date TSB Title 91E13
MAY 92 Recall - Catalyst Inspection and/or Replacement
91E19 MAR 92 Recall - Wiring Harness Modification
91E03 JAN 92 Recall - Catalyst Inspection/Replacement
Emissions Recalls
TSB Number Issue Date TSB Title 91E13
MAY 92 Recall - Catalyst Inspection and/or Replacement
91E19 MAR 92 Recall - Wiring Harness Modification
91E03 JAN 92 Recall - Catalyst Inspection/Replacement
mattkimsey
I've compiled a list to recap this thread:
I just gutted my cats, I still passed emissions without them. My car is in good running condition so your results may vary. Luckily, I don't have to pass emissions anymore, but I do have to pass the visual.
cevtv
Founding Member
Ranchero5.0 said:
Even then, they can only legally be removed if they are defective - and are being replaced.
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