Ok so to make this quick and simple I started hearing some noise from underneath the car so I investigated and found it was coming from the cat. So instead of spending money on a new one I decided to just hollow out mines and reconnect it. Well everythin went well as planned but about a day later my check engine comes on. So me already knowing its from that I run a diagnostic to c what code is being thrown and like i suspected its just reading that the 2nd 02 sensor shows the cat is not working properly. So basically what I want to know is, whats the best solution to this WITHOUT me buying another cat?? I was thinking of putting a str8 pipe and buying a air/fuel gauge to monitor and make sure im not running to lean or rich. Someone else told me to buy the whole kit that comes with a sensor which needs to be installed on the pipe. Any other suggestions would be great, thanks. Im lookin for the best but also somewhat simple solution if that makes sense.
It's pretty simple. You need two spark plug de-fouler plugs. Drill one out and fit them together. That pulls the o2 sensor out of the exhaust stream and should eliminate your problem. (EDIT: I said something here about cutting the tip of my o2 sensor, but I was losing my mind. That never happened. Please move on)
Search "de-fouler" or "cat delete" and you will see some other discussions on it.
Last edited by leftbrain99; 03-30-2010 at 11:41 AM.
2 HP if that. Maybe 2 HP with Header and full mandrel bent exhaust but I doubt it. Gutting a cat really screws up your exhaust velocity. It screams out of the header expands and slows down in the hollow cat then slams into a wall while the pressure tries to relieve itself through the exit end. Unless of corse you have a cat that is evenly tapered on both ends. I actually saw a pretty slick hollowed out cat. Guy knocked the guts out of it, cut the pipe going into and coming out of it, made the Holes Slightly larger and Welded a straight pipe through it. So it looked like a Cat but performed like a straight pipe.
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It's VTEC not Vtech! I do not drive a telephone!
I think you missed the point about it rattling/making noise. If its the noise I had, its extreeeeemely annoying. Yes, just do the fouler method. Works well until you can find cheap cat someone has for sale.
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I design the world you live in.... Cheers for Industrial Designers!!
95 Integra LS <<<>>> 99 CBM Prelude SH
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1988 Prelude S - victim of an 80mph backflip
1991 Prelude Si - sold
1989 Accord DX - impounded
1998 Prelude SH - totaled on 3/29/12
2006 CRF150F - sold
2006 YZ250F - sold
Ok so to make this quick and simple I started hearing some noise from underneath the car so I investigated and found it was coming from the cat. So instead of spending money on a new one I decided to just hollow out mines and reconnect it. Well everythin went well as planned but about a day later my check engine comes on. So me already knowing its from that I run a diagnostic to c what code is being thrown and like i suspected its just reading that the 2nd 02 sensor shows the cat is not working properly. So basically what I want to know is, whats the best solution to this WITHOUT me buying another cat?? I was thinking of putting a str8 pipe and buying a air/fuel gauge to monitor and make sure im not running to lean or rich. Someone else told me to buy the whole kit that comes with a sensor which needs to be installed on the pipe. Any other suggestions would be great, thanks. Im lookin for the best but also somewhat simple solution if that makes sense.
Not to nit-pick, but our Ludes usually run rich as is, once you go messing with I/H/E then you are going to add to this for sure, if you are going to get a gauge to monitor and make sure you aren't running to lean or rich, how are you going to adjust it without getting a vafc - and that my friend is going to cost you way more than the $70-90 bucks to get a good magnaflow cat. save your self the worry and hassle, get an Ebay cat, get some non-foulers and have a shop weld that sucker in, hell most muffler shops have non-foulers that they wont charge ya for if they are welding a cat in for ya.
Magnaflow/Carsound cats can be purchased online (including ebay) for ~$50. Of course this depends on which cat you purchase. Also, a used VAFC can be purchased for about the same price of $50. The dyno-tuning, however, will significantly add to the cost. The gauge/meter to measure it is absolutely not needed because the dyno will have one when tuning.
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1988 Prelude S - victim of an 80mph backflip
1991 Prelude Si - sold
1989 Accord DX - impounded
1998 Prelude SH - totaled on 3/29/12
2006 CRF150F - sold
2006 YZ250F - sold
I'd love for someone to find me a "Magnaflow/Carsound cats can be purchased online (including ebay) for ~$50"... as I fail to find them this cheap, not to mention none of them are a 2 inch fit...
I have first hand experience with all of this. When installing my hytech tri y header from Kronn I installed a $50 Magnaflow/carsound high flow cat and had my old o2 sensor intalled in the new cat. Within 2 weeks I got the P0420 code, I first installed a brand new o2 sensor hoping it couldnt be the brand new cat but sure enough the CEL came back. Turns out it was the cat, I had my local shop cut off my bad one and I bought a very high quality high flow cat form my exhaust shop that had my necessary 2.5in outlet for cat back exhaust, sure enough problem solved. I HIGH suggest you dont go with one of the $50 magnaflow/carsound cats, spend the extra and only buy one cat. After looking on Ebay I have found that there are both $50 magnaflow/carsound high flow cats AND $150 Magnaflow high flow cats... I find this interesting, I think the carsound is a knockoff brand? I could be totally wrong though, I just had a bad experience with mine.
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1991 Honda Accord LX 5 speed - SOLD
1992 Nissan 240sx Hatch 5 speed - SOLD
1998 Honda Prelude Auto - Rear Ended By Drunk and TOTALED!
2000 Audi A6 2.7t - Traded
2000 Honda Accord EX V6 - SOLD
2001 Honda Prelude BASE 5 speed - Current DD
Carsound is owned by Magnaflow. Why buy an expensive cat when you can purchase a very inexpensive O2sim or spark plug non-fouler?
For $250 dollars, I could fix your cat and have $200 left over.
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1988 Prelude S - victim of an 80mph backflip
1991 Prelude Si - sold
1989 Accord DX - impounded
1998 Prelude SH - totaled on 3/29/12
2006 CRF150F - sold
2006 YZ250F - sold
Every time a customer at work buys an aftermarket cat they come right back with a CEL back on for it, you can't cheap out on them. If modification of the car is desired just get it over with and convert to OBD1 and trade that thing in for it's platinum.
Tricking the spark plug isn't something to do over a period of time either, it's an air/fuel meter, tricking it will just give you the wrong a/f reading causing the car to either run too rich or worse, too lean.
Just noticed too OP that you're in FL, save some money while doing an upgrade, convert to OBD1 and ditch the cat.
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Last edited by minilogoguy18; 04-28-2011 at 07:07 AM.
Yup. Gutted my cat a while ago and got the CEL for the 2ndary O2 reading too high or too low. Its just to check the cats functioning. I had an A/F hooked up and it showed the same pre and post gutting. Ran that way for years before the Prelude was wrecked without any impact
Well as an update i bought an ebay straight pipe, havent done the defouler method yet but i plan on it. This may be a dumb question but whats the easiest way to figure out the size of my exhaust if its and aftermarket? I have a greddy evo cat back and im just wondering if the straight pipe I bought matches that.
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89' Accord LXi - Front end collision - Sold
90' Civic Si Hatch - Block cracked -Sold
99' BB6 Base - Currently building
Greddy Evo Catback
Neuspeed Short Shifter
Custom Short Ram Intake
Tokico Illuminas
well as an update i bought an ebay straight pipe, havent done the defouler method yet but i plan on it. This may be a dumb question but whats the easiest way to figure out the size of my exhaust if its and aftermarket? I have a greddy evo cat back and im just wondering if the straight pipe i bought matches that.
lol
__________________
1988 Prelude S - victim of an 80mph backflip
1991 Prelude Si - sold
1989 Accord DX - impounded
1998 Prelude SH - totaled on 3/29/12
2006 CRF150F - sold
2006 YZ250F - sold
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