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04-18-2003, 12:15 AM | #1 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 31938
Join Date: Jan 2003
Chapter/Region:
MAIC
Location: detroit area, MI
Vehicle:2003 WRX Blue |
gutting cats
i want to run open exhaust but dont want to spend a grand on all new pipes and stuff ( im a poor highschool kid, ok? ) is it possible to gut all 3 of my cats out and keep the stock pipes for now? eventually i'll get all the trick stuff, but i want power as soon as possible. a fellow nasioc member is going to gut my uppipe for me, but is there a way to take out the other 2 as well? it would be nice to maintain a stock appearance for warranty issues (hehe) but thats not my main concern. i just want the most bang for the buck, and gutting seems to be the way to go.
Ryan 03 WRX
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04-18-2003, 12:26 AM | #2 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 12647
Join Date: Nov 2001
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Syracuse NY
Vehicle:2011 STi Obsidian Black Swirl |
I'd like to line all the parents up who are buying their kids WRXs and kick them in the groin... hard.
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04-18-2003, 12:30 AM | #3 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 33979
Join Date: Mar 2003
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2006 STi WRB |
On the downpipe at least I don't think you could without cutting the pipes or the case you couldn't get to all the cat material otherwise.
Another thing there is nothing poor about a HS kid with a REX! Sorry I had to say it. |
04-18-2003, 12:31 AM | #4 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 33979
Join Date: Mar 2003
Chapter/Region:
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Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2006 STi WRB |
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04-18-2003, 01:11 AM | #5 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 26654
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Vehicle:2003 Impreza WRX Silver |
Quote:
I think someones jealous Nah nah nah nah nah nah, sorry i couldnt resist, ya I know sometimes it doesnt seem to safe but would you rather them have a brand new GT more HP but RWD??? I mean there are safer cars than a WRX for a "kid" but I dont think your there was ANY reason for you to post in this thread. |
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04-18-2003, 01:25 AM | #6 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 30670
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Denver, CO and Walla Walla, WA
Vehicle:1992 MR2 Turbo Sure miss my old WRX |
Those are some pretty rude comments guys. I bought my WRX myself (well, obviously still making payments) but I everyone still looks down on me because I'm a 19 year old in a 25k car. Well that's crap. Had my parents offered to buy my WRX I would've jumed at the opportunity. And be honest, any of you would have too at my age
Seriously though, I went to a private high school with a lot kids rollin' in the dough, and they didn't have WRX's (more like bimmers, mercedes, a plethora of luxery SUV's, and this one guy with 2 Audi S4's so he wouldn't have to switch between snow and summer tires ). Face it, the WRX is a great practical car for a kid my age who wants some performance. But just because I was only driving a WRX while one guy had an M3 (or 2 S4's), I still didn't hold it against them - that's bull***** usually rooted in jealousy. Now back to the question... Yes, you can gut the stock pipes, but I'd only recommend gutting the uppipe cat. Reason being you need to think ahead about emissions and resale. The upippe is pretty stealth - the rest are easier to detect. You may need to return to stock for any reason and you'll be glad you've got totally unaltered OEM pipes sitting in your garage when the time comes - trust me. Have fun with your WRX, just treat her nice and PLEASE don't put stickers on her |
04-18-2003, 03:58 AM | #7 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 32366
Join Date: Jan 2003
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Hey Ryan
I don't know about gutting all 3 cats, I have gutted the uppipe and downpipe but not the third ( I have herd it is pretty free flowing?? ) I can tell you gutting the downpipe had probally twice the effect as doing the uppipe, faster boost, along with more power over the entire rpm range. The downpipe is actually pretty easy to gut. I used a 1/2" spade bit on an extension, drilled it full of holes then used a piece of bent rebar and hammered it out. The material in the downpipe is much more brittle than the uppipe and is held in place by what looks like 2 rings of stainless mesh. As for the 3rd cat... It's probally best to take it in to a muffler shop and tell them you want one just like it only without a cat. I don't think it will cost much. I have seen shops in my area advertize compleate v-8 exhausts for $250. Just rember you will get a CEL and may not pass emmisions, I live in Oregon and its pretty easy to get around. All they do is hook up a scan tool to see if you have any CEL's in your computer and do a visual inspections. anyway good luck with the REX Jordon |
04-18-2003, 04:43 AM | #8 |
Top Scoob 002
Member#: 32771
Join Date: Feb 2003
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Danville, CA
Vehicle:03 Black WRX 04 White M3 |
gutting the uppipe isn't bad just make sure you get everything out before putting it back on. Now for downpipe i would just save up and buy one. There is alot of heat there and you want a nice peice that isn't going to keep heat in so much. Also when going for smog you will have something to put back on your car so you can pass.
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04-18-2003, 07:21 AM | #9 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 9487
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SW MO
Vehicle:2002 Impreza WRX Silver Surfer |
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04-18-2003, 07:39 AM | #10 |
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Member#: 24463
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Leesburg, VA
Vehicle:2003 Chevy S10 91 Hunduh Civic BASE |
I've gutted all three of mine. I bought a spare exhaust before I did that. Right now, I'm running it with my DP cat in. It's before the o2 sensor so I haven't had a CEL yet. I may put an o2 bung in after the 3rd cat and swap the config and see what happens, or put a MIL fix on it. I'm also running a straight pipe exhaust. The 3rd cat is the easiest to gut. a long extension and a hammer. The downpipe I cut a flap off the side and rewelded it closed when i got all of the material out. It was pretty easy that way.
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04-18-2003, 12:03 PM | #11 | |
Top Scoob 002
Member#: 32771
Join Date: Feb 2003
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Danville, CA
Vehicle:03 Black WRX 04 White M3 |
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04-18-2003, 12:40 PM | #12 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 17886
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston, TX
Vehicle:'71 Land Cruiser Red (w/rust) |
The mid-pipe cat is easy to gut. I did it with an air chisel.
I had to remove the heatshield from the DP, open up the side of the cat with a grinding wheel, gut it, then weld it back shut. It took a bit of welding and swearing to get it not to leak. As for the up-pipe, I got a vishnu - it is a sweet piece of craftmanship. Got a resistor fix from ponyexpress.com ($20) for the o2 sensor, and the vishnu uppipe came with a resistor for the EGT bung in the up-pipe. No Cel's that way. You will be amazed at the change in sound. My wife says the turbo sound sounds like a jet. It pulls like a jet, too (well, almost...). Oh, and kudos for being able to get a $25k car at 19. |
04-18-2003, 12:43 PM | #13 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 30670
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Denver, CO and Walla Walla, WA
Vehicle:1992 MR2 Turbo Sure miss my old WRX |
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04-18-2003, 02:06 PM | #14 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 32371
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: formerly known as mem. # 10615
Vehicle:'02 t-rex wagon platinum |
seems like that's the only way to gut the cat in the midpipe, by cutting it open and rewelding it......how much u guys think a muffler shop would charge to cut it open and reweld it? i'm thinking of buying a spare midpipe to do it
the UP and last cat is not too hard to do as for the comment bout parents buying wrx for their kids.....what makes you think he doesn't deserve it? are you ASSuming he does not deserve it cuz he's been spoiled? i was never fortunate enough to ever get anything growing up, but hey, if you're well off, and deserve the car, then more power to ya |
04-18-2003, 02:26 PM | #15 | |
Top Scoob 002
Member#: 32771
Join Date: Feb 2003
Chapter/Region:
BAIC
Location: Danville, CA
Vehicle:03 Black WRX 04 White M3 |
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04-18-2003, 02:36 PM | #16 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 12647
Join Date: Nov 2001
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Tri-State
Location: Syracuse NY
Vehicle:2011 STi Obsidian Black Swirl |
dan, unbunch your panties
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04-18-2003, 03:36 PM | #17 |
Scooby Guru
Member#: 7089
Join Date: May 2001
Chapter/Region:
NWIC
Location: Western Wa
Vehicle:2016 STi |
I'd like to see Jimmy kick himself in the panties.
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04-18-2003, 03:38 PM | #18 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 12647
Join Date: Nov 2001
Chapter/Region:
Tri-State
Location: Syracuse NY
Vehicle:2011 STi Obsidian Black Swirl |
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04-18-2003, 03:51 PM | #19 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 17886
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston, TX
Vehicle:'71 Land Cruiser Red (w/rust) |
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04-18-2003, 03:51 PM | #20 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 33979
Join Date: Mar 2003
Chapter/Region:
South East
Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2006 STi WRB |
Anyone who works and buys their own car, kudos. I couldn't buy a new one at 19. But I paid for every car I owned since 15 1/2 and would not knock anyone for buying whatever car they are able to and I don't think Jimmy was either.
As for people who have cars bought for them, some feel that there is a lack of appreciation for the value and effort required to obtain the item. They should be allowed to have that feeling. Likewise some feel that inexperienced drivers generally shouldn't have performance cars. If you ever have a family member or friend killed or injured by one you may appreciate that feeling. And some feel doubly so when combined with the lack of appreciation above. This is a matter of responsibility and until the age of majority the responsibility is with the parents, but they are not always present to engage that responsibility. However, also implying every "kid" is irresponsible is stereotyping. Taking it light heartedly, I found Jimmy's statement hilarious in tone and delivery. If I had taken it more seriously I suppose I would have found it more objectionable. I think Jimmy's panty comment was simply to be more light hearted. Though I firmly stand by my statement that a HS kid with a REX is not "poor" whoever paid for it. Can we get back on topic and convince streetspanker to not gut the cats and be patient enough to buy an open exhaust, a piece at a time if neccessary. For instance, an up pipe and axle back to start. Used catless up pipes of all types are very affordable. Why mess with the cancer risks gutting cats unless you have a good professional respirator? |
04-18-2003, 04:00 PM | #21 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 17886
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston, TX
Vehicle:'71 Land Cruiser Red (w/rust) |
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04-18-2003, 04:01 PM | #22 | |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 33979
Join Date: Mar 2003
Chapter/Region:
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Location: Charlotte, NC
Vehicle:2006 STi WRB |
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04-18-2003, 04:03 PM | #23 |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 22851
Join Date: Aug 2002
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Looking for Mid Pipe
I'm looking for a mid pipe that you're going to throw away or sale. PM or email [email protected]
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04-18-2003, 04:09 PM | #24 |
Scooby Specialist
Member#: 14190
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: so. cali
Vehicle:2005 STi white |
lease don't gut your cats. it's kinda silly. i can see the uppipe one, i guess, but not the two in the downpipe (dp+midpipe). why? because it's still a smallish 2.25" exhaust at that point, and if you have emissions testing, you'll be dying to find a stock set of cats.
just save up for a real downpipe. |
04-18-2003, 04:15 PM | #25 | |
Scooby Newbie
Member#: 17886
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Houston, TX
Vehicle:'71 Land Cruiser Red (w/rust) |
Quote:
If you are concerned about the environment, I have a 1971 land cruiser, that is perfectly emissions legal, and I know for a fact that it pollutes many times the amount of a modern vehicle, with or without cats. And lets not get started about the tractor-trailer "big-rigs" belching out reams of black grime that my 'cruiser could only dream of. And if we take it one step further, here in Houston we have the most horrible polluting chemical plants that have lobbyists fighting any type of air emissions legislation tooth and nail. If you even pass through that part of town - you get a little woozy. Oh, and shall we start with the military, which is regulated by, um, well, itself? Lets just keep it all in perspective. |
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