High Flow cat issue- PLEASE HELP ASAP

[zporta]

High Flow cat issue- UPDATE- VID INSIDE

Well today i was going to weld a bung in above the cat for my wideband sensor so i could finish the aeroforce install up. I dropped the H out of the car and i looked in the cats to see how they were holding up and the driver side didnt look so hot. The passenger looked good as new.

here is what i saw.

like i said the pass side still has a tight weave just like the day i put it on.
The pipe was custom made by the company that does lethals pipes ( i think miami exhaust) and its a 2.5" H pipe with magnaflow highflow cats. What is the problem here? Im only around 565-585 whp so it shouldnt be too much power for highflows. I really dont want to delete the cats due to the emissions hassle and the added rasp.

Here is a picture of the positioning of the cats

could the cat have been mounted too high and close to the stock manifold?


What should i do? Buy a new pipe all together? I want to stay with the H pipe because i really like the sound of it. And the only option I have seen out there is the MRT. But what will stop this from happening again?

Or do i need to go cattless?

Any info or options will help, thanks guys
Z

 

[JetmechF16]

Last time I had a cat plug up on me I just bought a replacement from MRT ($60) and had an exhaust shop weld it in place of the old one.

 

[tktlwyr]

I had the same problem with the driver side. I have since removed the cats.

 

[zporta]

i have a feeling thats what i need to do. now i am waiting to hear from my tuner for a few things.

 

[UnleashedBeast]

I'm curious what causes that. Does high pressure/hot exhaust do that alone? Looks like something made contact with it, but that's not possible in the exhaust stream.

Are you sure it didn't look like this before installation?

 

[zporta]

I'm curious what causes that. Does high pressure/hot exhaust do that alone? Looks like something made contact with it, but that's not possible in the exhaust stream.

Are you sure it didn't look like this before installation?

Positive that it wasn't like the before install. Van said that heat causes that and that aftermarket cats are hit or miss. Lots have people have had issues with them.

So I'm going to gut the cats and see how it goes

 

[Bulldogger]

The problem is most of the cats are made overseas and their quality is really hit or miss. If you do long tubes it moves the cat further away from the heat plus on the Dynatech set up you can remove and swap them out in about five minutes vs. tha hassle of cutting and welding in a new one. The install kinda sucks but all the 02 are really easy to get too and changing cats is simple.

 

[zporta]

I think I would rather save $ gut these cats and save for a tvs

 

[Bulldogger]

I think I would rather save $ gut these cats and save for a tvs

Depends on emission test? In NY you plug in. If you're only visual you can gut but will set codes due to down stream o2 sensor readings. You can try o2 simulators or pulling the o2 sensors futher out of the exhaust stream but it doesn't always work and throws a code

 

[UnleashedBeast]

Zak,

After you gut the cats, report back with a new video of your exhaust note. This is a good time to see before and after results, with your input on drone and rasp.

 

[zporta]

^ will do, and just when I was happy with my exhaust sound. I wouldn't mind a little louder. But I don't want any added rasp.

 

[69b302]

Depends on emission test? In NY you plug in. If you're only visual you can gut but will set codes due to down stream o2 sensor readings. You can try o2 simulators or pulling the o2 sensors futher out of the exhaust stream but it doesn't always work and throws a code

No problem plugging in with a proper tune. I was told by a reputable tuner, that something like the cat overtemp paramter was diabled to ensure a consistent top end A/F ratio. I melted mine, same as the OP, and question the tuner why. The company that made the cats said it was the tune, and the tuner indicated that much of the cat protection was turned off, by design(more consistent A/F rather then have a cat parameter dictate a/f). A plugged up cat could cause lots of issues so I gutted mine. I have done at least two plug in inspections since without issues. No cats can smell nasty.

 

[zporta]

yea i want to make sure all of these things are turned off before gutting my cats

 

[ShakeNBake]

last time i had a cat plug up on me i just bought a replacement from mrt ($60) and had an exhaust shop weld it in place of the old one.

+1

 

[Bulldogger]

No problem plugging in with a proper tune. I was told by a reputable tuner, that something like the cat overtemp paramter was diabled to ensure a consistent top end A/F ratio. I melted mine, same as the OP, and question the tuner why. The company that made the cats said it was the tune, and the tuner indicated that much of the cat protection was turned off, by design(more consistent A/F rather then have a cat parameter dictate a/f). A plugged up cat could cause lots of issues so I gutted mine. I have done at least two plug in inspections since without issues. No cats can smell nasty.

Intersting because I was told if you turn off the EGR the system shows not ready. You can turn off the down stream o2 but can't disable the EGR that's pretty weird.

 

[tktlwyr]

I think I would rather save $ gut these cats and save for a tvs

You may have an easier time just welding some new pipe in there. These aren't "bricks" like the factory cats and are significantly more difficult to "gut".

 

[ZOMBEAST]

You may have an easier time just welding some new pipe in there. These aren't "bricks" like the factory cats and are significantly more difficult to "gut".

You aren't kidding! I just gutted my Bassani high flow cats. Took a shower before, and had to shower right after I was sweating so much. You have to get a small core out of the middle first, and then work your way out.

I too was happy with my exhaust note after I had resonators welded in just after the Bassani X. It was already pretty loud, but never pulled over for it. I haven't started it up yet. Hopefully this weekend.

I didn't have any issues with the Bassani high flows. They looked perfect with around 625rwhp. I just want to avoid the OP's issue since I should be over 700rwhp.

 

[zporta]

did u just drill through the center? and then work your way out?

 

[overtime]

So I guess you are telling me that my new Lethal catted x-pipe is NOT going to last with my new 680 rwhp. I have the same emission issue here in Missouri, so what to do, what to do. Always something. :shrug:

 

[JL-KA]

You could have an exhaust shop weld some flanges on to your cats and on to some straight pipes so you can just swap the cats in when you need to test. the initial investment would be more but then you can just do it yourself from then on.