C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

Catalytic Converter Caused Poor Performance What ia a good replacement

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 01-27-2019, 07:16 PM
  #1  
raya123_2000
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
raya123_2000's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2010
Location: Dania Beach, Florida
Posts: 47
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts

Default Catalytic Converter Caused Poor Performance What ia a good replacement

!990 Coup 6MT removed the front half of the exhaust and then removed the cat from the Y pipes the front half of the cat was shattered.Any ideas on a replacement.

I will not replace it til spring as I'm going out of the country in February for a month.

I'm looking for a replacement and it seems the EPA requires to replace with like so I need the 2 pre-cats and the main cat. Not sure if the pre-cats need replacing.

any suggestions would be appreciated.

Ray
Old 01-27-2019, 08:26 PM
  #2  
84 4+3
Le Mans Master
 
84 4+3's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2017
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 6,608
Received 1,373 Likes on 1,061 Posts
Default

I've got a magnaflow for my main cat. Idk what you would do for the pre cats though.
Old 01-27-2019, 09:39 PM
  #3  
auburn2
Racer
 
auburn2's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jun 2018
Posts: 429
Received 77 Likes on 60 Posts
Default

The best replacement is a straigt pipe in my opinion, although that may not be legal in your state. What is legal in your state will vary by quite abit.

Under Federal law I believe it is illegal to remove or disable a functioning emission control device. I don't believe it is illegal to remove a broken emissions control device.
Old 01-27-2019, 10:58 PM
  #4  
raya123_2000
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
raya123_2000's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2010
Location: Dania Beach, Florida
Posts: 47
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts

Default 1990 Vette exhaust

1990 Vette 6MT

I am looking at straight pipes with out the pre-cat and flow master sells one, I live in Las Vegas Nevada, and that version is legal here.

I plan to gut the main cat and see if the pre-cats are good. I like to keep the originals

Reading on the internet indicates the cat's only last to about 70,000 miles, I have 72,000 miles.

Thanks for the reply's

Ray
Old 01-28-2019, 01:18 AM
  #5  
65Z01
Team Owner
 
65Z01's Avatar
 
Member Since: Dec 2000
Location: SE NY
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 0
Received 300 Likes on 274 Posts
Cruise-In II Veteran

Default

On my prior '88 I had the front Y replaced with a mandrel-bent 2 1/2" SS Y and the main cat replaced with a hi-flow unit.
It never failed the OH sniffer test, nor their quick visual inspection.
The following users liked this post:
BlowerWorks (02-02-2019)
Old 01-31-2019, 11:40 PM
  #6  
raymnz
Advanced
 
raymnz's Avatar
 
Member Since: Feb 2017
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 65
Received 25 Likes on 14 Posts
Default

If it's legal in your neck of the woods, eliminate the pre cats entirely.

On my 1988 the front cats were making rattling noise so I had them cut out and straight pipe welded in on the Y section. Now the car *seems* more responsive to the throttle, but that may be a subjective impression from the altered exhaust note. Here in NZ we don't need all the emission controls that the car came with (from California) so no issues with legality.

My neighbour reckons my C4 sounds much better now when I start it up!
Old 02-01-2019, 12:32 AM
  #7  
L.V. Vette
Instructor
 
L.V. Vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2016
Posts: 120
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by raya123_2000
1990 Vette 6MT

I am looking at straight pipes with out the pre-cat and flow master sells one, I live in Las Vegas Nevada, and that version is legal here.

I plan to gut the main cat and see if the pre-cats are good. I like to keep the originals

Reading on the internet indicates the cat's only last to about 70,000 miles, I have 72,000 miles.

Thanks for the reply's

Ray
Ray, I’m in Vegas too. Are you certain precats are not required? I can’t find any shop that will remove them. Any exhaust shop you can recommend?
Old 02-01-2019, 01:09 AM
  #8  
raya123_2000
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
raya123_2000's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2010
Location: Dania Beach, Florida
Posts: 47
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts

Default

First off I have a 1990 corvette with the L98 engine it was purchased new in Cali. I does not have a Engine Family Number EFN, so the cat just has to be legal in your state. In Nevada you do not have to have the Pre-Cats. When I registered the car in Nevada they only checked for the main cat.

Now you need the pre-cats if the main cat requires it. There are mfg's that sell the Y pipe with out pre-cats and there main cat, and the sell it to Nevada.

Here is a URL that discusses that point.

http://www.walkerexhaust.com/support...nverter-basics

I am going to do it myself. I took the exhaust off because the main cat was plugged, looks like the O2 sensor caused the cat to heat up and break up.

I'll put an oscilloscope on the O2 sensor this week end and verify it's bad.

From what I have read you must keep the car original until it no longer passes smog, then you can replace with what is legal in your state.

It takes me about 2 or 3 hours to drop the exhaust, remove the cat from the Y pipe and remove the broken up cat guts, the put it back on.

I am planning to buy a new cat and install it but the mfg of the cat suggest you get it running correctly before putting a new one on.

If you need anymore info we can go out for a beer and talk, or reply back. I am going out of the country later this month for a month, so I will not by the parts till then.

Ray
Old 02-02-2019, 03:33 PM
  #9  
L.V. Vette
Instructor
 
L.V. Vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2016
Posts: 120
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Thanks for the info Ray. May reach out to you in a couple of months
Old 02-02-2019, 03:57 PM
  #10  
BlowerWorks
Supporting Vendor
Support Corvetteforum!
 
BlowerWorks's Avatar
 
Member Since: Oct 2004
Posts: 755
Received 65 Likes on 56 Posts

Default



Do NOT use any pre-cat - period !!!! Not needed with modern CAT.
Old 02-02-2019, 06:00 PM
  #11  
L.V. Vette
Instructor
 
L.V. Vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2016
Posts: 120
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

That’s the route I want to take but the couple of exhaust shops I spoke to said they are required and wouldn’t remove them.
Old 02-02-2019, 06:33 PM
  #12  
aklim
Team Owner
 
aklim's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2004
Location: Hartford WI
Posts: 24,292
Received 2,234 Likes on 1,943 Posts

Default

The store cannot remove emissions equipment unless they are replacing it with an equal or better one BUTTTTT hypothetically, what if I came over for a visit, had a few beers with you and installed a TPIS header set with the Y-pipe to the main cat for testing purposes only? What if I got a call from the wife and had to run off and have not been able to make a trip there to put it back to original?

PS: I thought I heard someone say that it is only illegal when you get caught?

Last edited by aklim; 02-02-2019 at 06:34 PM.
Old 02-02-2019, 07:17 PM
  #13  
raya123_2000
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
raya123_2000's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2010
Location: Dania Beach, Florida
Posts: 47
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts

Default

We do not follow C.A.R.B in Nevada if the cat fails you can replace it with any system that is legal in Nevada. My cat failed.

Yeah come over and do a swap, it take 3 + hours depending id the car is from Nevada or any desert location. Cars from where ir rust not sure if I can,

Ray
Old 02-03-2019, 05:36 PM
  #14  
L.V. Vette
Instructor
 
L.V. Vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2016
Posts: 120
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by raya123_2000
We do not follow C.A.R.B in Nevada if the cat fails you can replace it with any system that is legal in Nevada. My cat failed.

Yeah come over and do a swap, it take 3 + hours depending id the car is from Nevada or any desert location. Cars from where ir rust not sure if I can,

Ray
The car is from southern Cali. Last few years in Vegas. Will PM you Ray. Thanks!
Old 02-03-2019, 05:39 PM
  #15  
L.V. Vette
Instructor
 
L.V. Vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2016
Posts: 120
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by aklim
The store cannot remove emissions equipment unless they are replacing it with an equal or better one BUTTTTT hypothetically, what if I came over for a visit, had a few beers with you and installed a TPIS header set with the Y-pipe to the main cat for testing purposes only? What if I got a call from the wife and had to run off and have not been able to make a trip there to put it back to original?

PS: I thought I heard someone say that it is only illegal when you get caught?
When getting Classic Rod plates out here, the car does not get tested for emissions
Old 02-04-2019, 12:00 AM
  #16  
raya123_2000
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
raya123_2000's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2010
Location: Dania Beach, Florida
Posts: 47
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by L.V. Vette


When getting Classic Rod plates out here, the car does not get tested for emissions
I looked at that, you have to pass smog to get the plates then you have to go to a smog station to verify mileage every year, you can only drive, I think, 5000 miles a year, I have been thinking about that.

Ray
Old 02-04-2019, 02:19 AM
  #17  
L.V. Vette
Instructor
 
L.V. Vette's Avatar
 
Member Since: Aug 2016
Posts: 120
Received 11 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

Originally Posted by raya123_2000
I looked at that, you have to pass smog to get the plates then you have to go to a smog station to verify mileage every year, you can only drive, I think, 5000 miles a year, I have been thinking about that.

Ray
I have had classic plates on a few days of my cars for years. It’s technically true there is a 5,000 mile limit per year, but, it’s basically on the honor system. Every year the plates are renewed the dmv asks you to write your mileage down. Never once have they asked to verify my mileage. And the last few cars I’ve had, I did not need the initial smog test, as far as I can remember

Get notified of new replies

To Catalytic Converter Caused Poor Performance What ia a good replacement

Old 02-04-2019, 09:35 PM
  #18  
raya123_2000
Intermediate
Thread Starter
 
raya123_2000's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jan 2010
Location: Dania Beach, Florida
Posts: 47
Received 10 Likes on 9 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by L.V. Vette

I have had classic plates on a few days of my cars for years. It’s technically true there is a 5,000 mile limit per year, but, it’s basically on the honor system. Every year the plates are renewed the dmv asks you to write your mileage down. Never once have they asked to verify my mileage. And the last few cars I’ve had, I did not need the initial smog test, as far as I can remember
OK I'll go classic plates, I still have to buy a cat because I have not seen where to buy the Y pipe with out the pre-cats, by itself you always have to buy it as a kit, but it's cheap.

Thanks a lot for the info.

Ray
Old 02-05-2019, 04:24 PM
  #19  
ghoastrider1
Le Mans Master
 
ghoastrider1's Avatar
 
Member Since: May 2006
Location: indy indiana
Posts: 7,708
Received 265 Likes on 240 Posts

Default

the best stall converter came with the 86 vette. Its no longer listed in inventory. However, the latter years V6 s-10 had the same converter and can still be had.
Old 02-05-2019, 06:53 PM
  #20  
aklim
Team Owner
 
aklim's Avatar
 
Member Since: Jul 2004
Location: Hartford WI
Posts: 24,292
Received 2,234 Likes on 1,943 Posts

Default

Originally Posted by ghoastrider1
the best stall converter came with the 86 vette. Its no longer listed in inventory. However, the latter years V6 s-10 had the same converter and can still be had.
Catalytic or torque converter


Quick Reply: Catalytic Converter Caused Poor Performance What ia a good replacement



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 02:41 PM.