Going Catless.

[MarkSubi]

Has anybody on here or IS anybody on here going catless?

is it worth it?

[LiCelsior]

cars gonna be more louder, stinky and wont pass emissions most likely. all for about 5-10hp lol.

[MarkSubi]

hahaha I don't care about being load, I was more wondering on the exhaust smell and I have someone I can take it to.

[Huffer]

It won't necessarily be louder, if you use a resonated trackpipe (ie. catless) and if it's the right diameter (ie. consistent with the rest of your exhaust system) it will help to scavenge more power as it is less restrictive. The car will only really be smellier if it's running rich or poorly. I've seen well-tuned, well-maintained vehicle run cleaner and more efficiently than one without. I am planning to have a trackpipe made up at some point and install it myself (most exhaust shops will not install a cat-delete pipe due to legal issues).

[Baddog]

5-10Hp all helps. It all adds up. I am unsure of why people are so against 5-10HP gains? Am I missing something?

[Huffer]

who's against it?

[chuckthefuk]

I am against it. 5-10HP is an unrealistic gain. Not even turbo cars make that much by switching to a catless setup.

The cons out weight the pros.. Why bother? Its not as if you've done a full engine build and running extreme numbers on a N/A subaru.

-Chuck

[lord flashheart]

I am against it. 5-10HP is an unrealistic gain. Not even turbo cars make that much by switching to a catless setup.

The cons out weight the pros.. Why bother? Its not as if you've done a full engine build and running extreme numbers on a N/A subaru.

-Chuck

i agree however.. i always thought the reason for running catless in a turbo car is not for the HP gain but to reduce the turbo lag.

[chuckthefuk]

Less restrictions equals free-er flowing exhaust pulses.

[LiCelsior]

yea 5-10hp was exaggerated lol. more likely <5hp.

[Zac]

ok so I've been both catless and HFC

Even when I just had my magnaflow axle back compared to a full headerback system I still didnt feel any faster then stock

Just alot louder and raspyer. Dont go catless not worth the trouble at all.

[ouch1011]

I am against it. 5-10HP is an unrealistic gain. Not even turbo cars make that much by switching to a catless setup.

The cons out weight the pros.. Why bother? Its not as if you've done a full engine build and running extreme numbers on a N/A subaru.

-Chuck


Agreed totally. 5-10 hp is totally unrealistic on a modern car assuming the cat isn't plugged. Cat convertors aren't that restrictive.

For me, I intentionally put a cat back in my exhaust after my OBX header eliminated the stock cats (the header bolts directly up to what would be the cat-back). I noticed 0 difference in power when I installed the cat. Even on my friends GSX running 25psi, switching between a 3" HFC and a 3" straight pipe made 0 difference in power, and I didn't have to change the tune even slightly when switching between them.

And the car will stink without the cat. End of discussion. No engine burns perfectly clean, and anything that makes it out the tailpipe will make a smell. The stink was one of the main reasons I put a cat back in my exhaust.

[Grafton]

i have the OBX track pipe in right now and the car got a lot louder with no cat i am going to get a huge resonator and a cat installed into the track pipe

[httrdd]

i have the OBX track pipe in right now and the car got a lot louder with no cat i am going to get a huge resonator and a cat installed into the track pipe

Gee is this after the engine swap? I wonder why? :grin:

[Grafton]

i have the OBX track pipe in right now and the car got a lot louder with no cat i am going to get a huge resonator and a cat installed into the track pipe

Gee is this after the engine swap? I wonder why? :grin:

lol i expected a small increase in loudness, and the change in sound from uel to el headers but, it's really loud, it's just a good excuse to get exhaust work done (new midpipe to axleback with resonator)

[Huffer]

When I can be bothered, I'm going catless but will put a resonator in place.

[Lone_legacy]

I was considering going catless, only because I just passed emissions and can't justify paying for a HFC at the moment. Now I am not sure. I'm already resonated and my system is 2 1/4", so I can't see it getting too loud. The gains are all I am after and from what I gather, they are slim.. I have an exhaust shop that'll do it for cheap, so I thought I would see how I like it and if not, I'll throw a cat in. What do you guys think?

[chuckthefuk]

Meh...

[Lone_legacy]

Meh...

Meh what ? ... care to expand on that?

[chuckthefuk]

You understand the gains are minimal
You know drive clean program is every two years.
You want to run catless, stink around, sound raspy, and then deal with drive clean later?
Why waste the few dollars you save when there are so many "better" mods you can do.
-Chuck

[Lone_legacy]

You understand the gains are minimal
You know drive clean program is every two years.
You want to run catless, stink around, sound raspy, and then deal with drive clean later?
Why waste the few dollars you save when there are so many "better" mods you can do.
-Chuck

I see your point, though your opinion of what "better" mods are may not be the same as everyone elses. I am aware of drive clean intervals and at the rate I roll kms onto this car, in two years who knows. Back on topic though, going catless was only an idea, because the shop I go to owes me a favour and I could do it for next to nothing. I will probably go HFC down the road anyway if I find it intolerable. Either way I value your opinion Chuck.

The Whiteline steering rack bushings I'll be putting in soon will probably pay off more when it comes to overall driving fun.

[chuckthefuk]

Pm if you wana talk NVH!
-chuck

[Huffer]

Im still doing it when i get an opportunity. Haters gonna hate! ;)

[httrdd]

You understand the gains are minimal
You know drive clean program is every two years.
You want to run catless, stink around, sound raspy, and then deal with drive clean later?
Why waste the few dollars you save when there are so many "better" mods you can do.
-Chuck

I agree with you to a point. Yes it would be silly to have to swap out a cat for inspection down the road, but if you look at his sig that is the only exhaust mod left. If you need a good cat get a high flow. I would prob go for PNP heads to make the ehaust complete.