bigman

but today after my cat was replaced the car was more linear and aggresive. The dealer told me that the cat was extremely clogged. I always had a lag between pressing the gas and the car doing anything. The power is more linear and just ridiculous. I now feel the full effect of the headers and intake. Its like i got a new car.

Turboara

now imagine not having a cat at all and just replacing it with a test pipe

environmentalists suck:flamer:

car_lost

even though its not legal... is there a test pipe that will directly fit on our cars and replace the cat? how much would it cost.

BlackShadow

I felt the same way. I also had my cat replaced.

BTW, give me a ring bro.

Darkshear

iTrader: (1)

In tampa and the tri county area, emmissions are not required. So you dont have to have a cat

I talked to the dealership about it a few weeks ago, one of the tech said "dont worry about the check engine light coming on if you yank the cat. The car produces such low emmissions to begin with, the O2 sensor AFTER the cat shouldent go off unless you REALLY pounding the car."

Any truth to this? I know a local guy here with a supercharged CL-S did it, hes having no problems.

And where can i get the test pipe???? :P

Turboara

A test pipe is just a straight through pipe with flanges on either side to bolt in the place of a cat for race cars only. Any exhaust shop can fabricate one for about $50. I think it is totally illegal in most states to not have a cat, I'm not sure if it is federal. The fines for getting busted are a couple of grand in NY & NJ, you also won't pass inspection in many states. sucks

fsttyms1

its illegal to not have one in any state, but as long as you arent required to have your car tested i wouldnt worry about it. just find a exhaust shop that works for cash that will make a flanged pipe to replace it when you dont want to run with it.

car_lost

will a test pipe do anything for perfomance? will it make your exahust sound any different?

@cUr@-TL

how much is a cat??? 99TL



@cUr@-TL

bigman

They covered me under warranty.

ShaguraTL

It's federal law to have a cat if your car came with one. It's a $2,000 fine if you remove the cat or if you move it from original location. Even if you move it forward or back, it's still illegal. As for Florida, you can usually get away with it but the sound will be a little louder and the smell of the exhaust is really bad. That's how cops can catch you, just smell the exhaust. Also, the pollutants from the exhaust can eat away at your bumper. If you've ever noticed a riced out civic with a piece of metal attached over the bumper just above the exhaust, it's because he removed the cat and it's eaten away at his bumper.

-Rz-UA5

How do I know if my cat is clogged? or is time to replace..?

patrick

Some people have mentioned about putting in a high flow cat. Is this legal, and will it pass emissions test?

@cUr@-TL

same question here..

and what is the warranty covering the cat ?? i have a 99TL, my 3year warranty is over, my 5year drivetrain warranty is still good...


@cUr@-TL

hemoglobin23

I went to the dealer regarding my EGR valve malfunctioing. I was quoted $485 for the repairs, and he gave me a description of what would happen if the EGR valve was left "broken." Basically, he said it was like a person having cloved arteries and stuff...Well, he said it would even affect the Cat if left alone, and the cat is about $1400 for the part ALONE!!! I was like, WTF?!?!?!? Anyway, the EGR valve is about $200 so I think I am going to get it replaced at a friend's shop...Hopefully this will give me some more power...

ShaguraTL

AFAIK, high flow cats are legal as long as they're put in the same position as the original cat. They do pretty decent but, of course, not as good as a full fledged cat. It's still better than nothing at all. You should be able to pass emissions with a high flow cat. If you're in California, it's a different story.

Darkshear

iTrader: (1)

so then where can we get a high flow cat? jsut use the AV6 one??? what about hollowing the stock one out? i want my power damnit!!!

Black-n-Tan

not 100% sure, but i believe your car has to have a certain amount of miles on it (30k or 50k i forget) to replace the cat with a non oem one, at least in MA

@cUr@-TL

HOLY CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :wow:



@cUr@-TL

bigman

i just finished driving my car again. It feels like a brand new car. There is no lag in pedal to action, the revs are very smooth and my stock exhaust not with the headers and cai is intoxicating. I heard someone drive it to and away from me and the car sounds way better than before. Its amazing how much a clogged cat robbed me of power and sound.

ShaguraTL

Lighning Motorsports has high flow cats from Random Technologies. They don't have the TL listed but you can use the one for the AV6 I'm sure. Hollowing out a cat is useless. Might as well bolt/weld up a straight pipe in place of it if you're going to do that.

ShaguraTL

IIRC, it's 50k miles or until warranty is out. Federal thing I think.

ModAddict

Comptech has test pipes for Civics and Tegs,....they charge $140 for a $40 part. I think www.racingpipes.com sells them for about $40 with an O2 bung, shipped! :devil:

2001TL4KCdude

Catalytic converters are covered by a lifetime warranty in our manuals

@cUr@-TL

oh that's cool

now how do i know if my cat needs to be replaced??????


@cUr@-TL

KJ32

I don't like CAT, I like DOG

2001TL4KCdude

They are maintenance free. you will know when you smell gas coming out of your exhaust. if you have been following behind an old pickup truck, it smells like that...

bigman

my check engine light came on.

optiq

anyone selling one of these?? im trying to feel that new car feel baby

jscott7x24

So if I'm experiencing lag when I hit accelerator then I should have the cat checked? And it's covered by a lifetime warranty? So no $ to have it fixed?

Sounds too good to be true.... :wow:

scalbert

Another old post brought back to life.

For those with functioning catalytic converters who have or wish to remove them, how much power do you think you will gain??

At most about 4 - 6 HP!!

I was involved at Calsonic when they did a flow bench test on a new and 30k mile catalytic converter (they also did sound tests on my car, see the below link for the test results). The results were about 1.3 inch drop per 100 CFM. These engines will move at most 400 CFM. At about 1 HP per inch drop reduction, there is little to be gained.

Ear Level

Left Exhaust Tip

Right Exhaust Tip

oontiveros

My check engine light has come on and the ship said it would cost $1100 to replace the cat...plus $400 labor...he called the dealer for the OEM part.

Now are you saying our TLs have a lifetime cat warranty? it would be great but I do not have a manual to check this.

Can someone confirm to me? I have a 98 3.2 TL.

Thanks all.

Street Spirit

You should be able to check acura.com for a list of warranties...I know acura.ca has it.
Anyway, in Canada, this is the warranty for some emissions parts:

Three-way catalytic converter/ECM/on-board diagnostic connector/check engine light = 8 years or 130,000 km warranty.

All other emissions parts are only covered for 3 years/60,000 km

@cUr@-TL

wow that's an old thread!

anyway, in the last few weeks, my check engine light have been coming on when flooring the car.. but not all the time.. sometimes i'll floor the car and the light will flash a few times then turn off..


is that a sign of a bad cat??

if i go to the dealer and tell them the check engine light comes on they will say that my exhaust is what causes this.. but i had my exhaust before and the light didnt come on.. it all started a few weeks ago..

what do u guys think?

shogun

i had this happen a few months back the stealership said something about buildup in the ______ (headers i think? it was on the phone and i forget). i took it in and they fixed whatever it was and said they had seen it happening lately. The very next day i floored it and it blinked a once, then floored, then blinked a second time. it went away after that, so im gonna say voodoo.

figueroa1357

do u have extended warranty. if not how many miles do u have on tl

tl-s4now

they probably meant build-up in the intake. there have been some posts about this recently and most are saying its the intake

patrick

Huh? Removing the cat and replacing it with a straight pipe will only net you 4-6 HP? I've spoken with a few speed shops in my area, and they all say that running a straight pipe will give you good gains. I thought a straight pipe would give you more?

joseph_99tl

my check engine light is on.
75k on a 99tl.

goes into the shop tomorrow.
i have been riding around with the light on, for 2 weeks, now.

i wonder if it is the cat.

blackened

hey how does that magnaflow exhaust sound?