Exhaust System Help

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 12:51 pm

I found out today that my car doesn't have a catalitic converter, there is just a flange there instead of it...

Questions,
a) First of all, how much power will I loose by putting on a high flow cat?
b) My Oxygen sensor is just hanging there, what are the implications?

My system consists of stock front pipe, which goes into the flange where the cat is meant to be, from there it goes into a straigh resonator, then all the way the the cannon muffler. My system is 2.5".

c) What would adding a cat, and removing the resonator do?
d) Does everyone have a resonator?
e) What would be best for my system, considering what I have now is illegal.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:15 pm

From memory you bought this car from a dealer and had a mechanical inspection done, right?

I'm amazed this car got a roadworthy certificate and that your inspector didn't pick up on it.

RallyMad · Post by **RallyMad** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 1:49 pm

I wouldn't remove the resonater, it will keep the sounds down a bit and help to remove the rasping some exhausted have. Your only going to lose 1 or 2 kw at most I would think, more worth keeping it. And adding a cat will probably lose some more kw's but the car will be legal then and I think there is a huge fine for cars with cats removed, like 1 grand or more because it is a EPA failure, not just a RTA thing.

The cat will help remove the black carbon that is more than likely coming out of your exhaust and sticking all over the tip too. For the record I'm in the same bought you are with my current car (not an FTO) just saving up to change the whole exhaust because it's all stuffed.

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 3:58 pm

ruchi wrote:I'm amazed this car got a roadworthy certificate and that your inspector didn't pick up on it.

Man, tell me about it.

It had an NRMA Inspection, Rego Inspection, 2 Different mechanics have looked at it, Another exhaust shop, and finaly I get told by another exhaust shop... *sight*

Black_FTOGPX · Post by **Black_FTOGPX** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 4:14 pm

I would be calling up the people you had looked at your car and not picked it up , (especially the rego inspection) and trying to get one of them to pay for it to be fixed. As you find it appalling that they missed something so important.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 4:36 pm

In theory the car dealership or the person issuing the RWC is liable for this and should be held to account. First try gentle persuasion then if that fails try a hammer

(i.e. ask them if they'd like to fix the problem before you talk to the road authority in your state about the dodgy RWC. Likewise you can also raise this with the likes of the MTA, both can come down heavily on dodgy stuff like this especially when it is breaking the law and EPA regulations.)

Black_FTOGPX · Post by **Black_FTOGPX** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 4:41 pm

Yep thatâ€™s what I would do.

Think about it, you could come out with a complete new exhaust system for nothing.

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:03 pm

Boris how did you find out that you don't actually had a cat? Is it because the second exhaust guy took down you whole system?

The reason i've ask is, theres two type of fake cat i've seen before, one is a hollow, where it look no different to a standard cat. The other is straight pipe with original cat cover on it. Which both would be very hard to tell unless someone had took down the system or use a "sniffer".

So if the dealer/NRMA just do the "usual" rego check, which is just a quick look, theres no way they can tell its actually fake.

Boris · Post by **Boris** » Tue Jul 27, 2004 5:34 pm

Hmm. Well...

In my situation, i'm not sure, the exhaust dude put in on the hoist to have a look at my system, and he concluded that i don't have a cat.

It looks like, the cat has been removed, and a 2.5" pipe with flanges on both ends has been fitten instead...

I'm going to take it to another exhaust shop for a second opinion, and to get a quote before I start abusing ppl

I feel bad leaving it like this as I always try to be enviroment friendly...

RallyMad · Post by **RallyMad** » Fri Jul 30, 2004 6:49 pm

That sounds like a good idea, I would be very careful if you do decide to abuse people, as people can ring up the RTA about cars they think are a bit dodgy up here, if this happens to you and you don't have the problem fixed yet you may be up for some big fines. And it may be hard to prove the RWC is liable if it looks very standard.