Hey guys,

Just ordered an A-spec kit and I'm looking into what to get next. I decided a J-pipe would be a good mod to go for next.

Have a few questions though.

Theres are two versions available one with the 3rd cat and one without. I'm wondering if this will prevent me from passing emissions (live near pittsburgh, PA). Will I lose much power with the cat vs the one without?

Also is the j-pipe a simple bolt on install or will it require any sort of modification I'm assuming its a simple bolt on.

 

There is no modifications needed for the install, to my understanding you will pass smog even without your third cat.

 

Thanks for the reply. I was looking into it and I saw I may have to cut a plastic heat shield but thats minor.

 

search? (i had to give you some grief since there are a ton of threads on j-pipes).

anyway...delete 3rd cat gives you more gains than retaining it (you're opening the exhaust flow up).

will you pass emissions? that depends on whether you have a visual inspection or not. as far as the OBDII plug in method....you will pass, visual with deleted 3rd cat...not likely (depends on state and inspector). the car will NOT throw a CEL since there is no sensor in the 3rd cat. the car will not know it is missing.

it is plug an play as far as install in concerned. the only thing that you will fight will be rusty bolts (PBblaster anyone?).

you're welcome!

 

Every state is different. I live in Ohio and put on j pipe, removed third cat and passed no problem.

 

What brand are you going to get?

 

sounds like OP is talking about the RV6 one

 

Don't knwo about RV6 but ATLP has tabs on the 3rd cat so you can retain the OEM heat shields to fool visual inspections.

 

I'm looking at ATLP most likely.

 

That's some good info there thanks.

 

Thats what I got and I love it!

 

RV6 long tube J-Pipe with a non-resonated ATLP quad catback

Maybe Ca. would need the 3rd cat ? Strict emissions there.

 

To my knowledge it is not legal in any state to replace the factory J-pipe especially when deleting the 3rd cat. That being said the 3rd cat is only to achieve the ULEV rating and as mentioned above it doesn't have an O2 sensor so no worries about throwing CEL's. You could fail a visual inspection if you have one in your state depending on the inspector and would be more likely if cutting up the factory plastic shield. Most inspectors where i live in Cali are pretty smart about looking for modded cars, probably 50/50 unless you know someone.

 

I'm going to be ordering one or the other in the next 3 weeks, has anyone had both in their car at one time or the other and made a thread that compares the 2? Solely based upon the materials used, the RV6 uses 304 SS which is a far superior alloy to the 439 that the ATLP uses which is why I have my reservations...

 

Yes but T304 SS from overseas isn't really T304. 439 is a lower grade stainless steel but if it's domestic grade SS it will have similar resistance to oxidation as the overseas steel.

 

right on. if i were you stick to oem

 

Yes I know

Where I go they dont look underneath.

I am sure some states do, and Esp CA.

 

304 is 304 regardless of what country it comes from, test reports certify the chemistry that is melted to the minimum amounts of chrome and nickel and the maximum amounts of carbon, magnesium and silicone. I run a stainless steel mill and process 304 from every country that melts. 439 is only used because it doesn't have nickel which makes it around 1/2 as much as 304. 439 is not a terrible alloy and is leaps and bounds better than 409 but it is still a ferritic grade my preference is 304. my just saying

 

I just installed the j-pipe from atlp-i already had the 3 cat delte.just bolts right up.You can check out my pictures at v6 performance,ATLP j- pipe install.

 

We've had a lot of experience with overseas T304 stainless steel and it definitely oxidizes much quicker than the domestic grade T304. It also is typically a thinner steel. I've also heard that when using overseas factories they will say they are using T304 but they actually are not. I'm not a chemist. But that is what we have seen firsthand and what we have heard from a number of industry sources.