gutting the cat

cuel

Supramania Contributor
Jan 8, 2007
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Baytown, Texas
You're steps sound good. My 7MGE has a test pipe, and there is no stink. Has a little more noticeable condensation on certain days, but that's it. A good tune-up and properly functioning o2 sensor helps a lot. It does blow a little black smoke at WOT, but I'd rather it ran a little rich than lean.
 

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The Magnificent Seven
Oct 16, 2005
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come to think of it my o2 sensor hasn't been replaced in maybe 3 years. should i change it while im at it?
 

dbsupra90

toonar
Apr 1, 2005
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indiucky
i changed my 02 sensor every 15k miles when i do the plugs. i run leaded gas so i change it more than usual. i would still change it if its been 3yrs tho.

about the cat, here is a little fyi. most of the places that buy junk cars will buy your cat too. a foreign car has more platinum content than domestic cars for the most part. there is a guy around here that will pay me $75 for a foreign car cat. i wouldnt be so quick to gut yours.
 

cuel

Supramania Contributor
Jan 8, 2007
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Test it. No need to change parts that are good.
Your car shouldn't have bad exhaust fumes with or without the cat. I was just pointing out some likely suspects. Cleaning/replacing air filters would probably help as well.
 

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The Magnificent Seven
Oct 16, 2005
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i'm going to knock the stuff out of the insides and sell the platinum or palladium for scrap. we've got about the same prices here as you do.

is testing covered in the TSRM?
 

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The Magnificent Seven
Oct 16, 2005
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thanks, i dont have mine here at college:) its back home on my bookshelf with all my important books
 

7MGTEsup

Formerly 'Down but not out'
Jun 14, 2005
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s383mmber1 said:
Hey i never said my car stinks like hell, but it has a noticable rotten egg smell after a hard pull....

You must have your wires crossed, the "rotten egg smell" as you put it is sulphur dioxide which is a by product of a cat. My car is de catted and doesn't smell that bad at all. 7M's smell bad because they run 10:1< at WOT so there are a fare few unburned hydrocarbons being pumped out your exhaust.
 

TurboWarrior

New Member
Apr 1, 2005
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It smells bad no doubt. Gut 1 of the cats. It will probably still pass emissions that way (at least here). You should have at least 1 catalyst.

I just kept ramming a prybar down the cat until all the guys fell out. Wear a mask!! The dust from those things is bad news.
 

TurboWarrior

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Apr 1, 2005
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OneJoeZee said:
My car doesn't stink like hell, I have no cats. What's wrong with you guys' cars? :dunno:

Windows down, even at stop lights, I smell nothing. Even if I kneel down near the exhaust while it's running I don't smell anything out of the ordinary.

Ive been behind supras with no catalyst and driven my own without one. Trust me. The 7m reeks.
 

tissimo

Stock is boring :(
Apr 5, 2005
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if never had a rotten egg smell from my cars? only time I've smelled a rotten egg smell was from an old car that still had a cat on it (that was most likely dead)..
 

7MGTEsup

Formerly 'Down but not out'
Jun 14, 2005
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jetjock said:
Not that it's important but hydrogen sulfide is responsible for that smell, not sulfur dioxide. In fairness you're far from the first person to make the mistake.

Thanks for the correction JJ was just about to edit it.
 

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The Magnificent Seven
Oct 16, 2005
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TurboWarrior said:
It smells bad no doubt. Gut 1 of the cats. It will probably still pass emissions that way (at least here). You should have at least 1 catalyst.

I just kept ramming a prybar down the cat until all the guys fell out. Wear a mask!! The dust from those things is bad news.

i thought i only had one cat. NA/not a cali car?

and don't worry, the environment will be saved because my original cat will be in one piece. its an extra im trying this out on.
 

figgie

Supramania Contributor
Mar 30, 2005
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gut cat, causes turbulance in the exhaust stream as you slow the exhaust velocity down.

test pipe with no increase in inner diameter is the better way to do it.
 

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The Magnificent Seven
Oct 16, 2005
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ok, so ill go ahead and weld a sleeve inside the cat with the same dia as the exhaust. thanks for the input