Test Pipe and Exhaust - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

jtex2717 · 09-23-2008, 08:31 AM

I have been hearing about these test pipes that people use instead of a Cat Converter. Does anyone have a picture of it or and explanation. I went to a custom exhaust shop around my area and they said its illegal to do it and I can get fined up to $10,000 if i get pulled over w/ one. So what is this 10K offense that people love so much.....? 2 of my friends w 05 Civic Si Hatchies have them but I cant see there exhaust. Please help.

***BMR*** · 09-23-2008, 09:40 AM

It's simply a pipe that replaces the catalytic converter. Its purpose is to verify if you have a plugged cat or not, by swapping it in for testing only. And it's definitely illegal to leave it in. As far as I know, there is no real gain to be had by removing a properly functioning cat. But I could be wrong.

bigbird · 09-23-2008, 03:14 PM

most stock cats are a big restriction on exhaust flow. so people remove them and roll with a test pipe as a fairly cheap way to free up a few ponies. but it is illegal and i wouldnt do it unless the laws in your area are lax on that one, which most places are, and if you were gonna install a FULL exhaust. only then woudl it be worth it in the least. to do it you would need to install a o2 simulator that tricks the computer into thinkin there is a cat there.

now me personally, ive always gone with high flow cats. they flow MUCH better then stock ones but still work just as well and will allow you to still pass emmisions and keep the computer happy with out the use of an o2 simulator.

DarkMastyr · 09-23-2008, 03:20 PM

Ever driven behind a car with a test pipe/no cat/hollowed-out cat? Makes you want to kick them in the balls hard enough so that they never reproduce.

EEngineer · 09-23-2008, 03:28 PM

proper way to do it is to get a magnaflow high flow cat.

they are considerately bigger than stock cats, freeing the flow.

bit pricey though, can go up to $250 + shipping

i was told that Cats have small traces of platinum in them or something...i dunno...maybe they were bullshitting me

uuuuu · 09-23-2008, 03:42 PM

Cats do have traces of platinum and other rare metals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catalytic_converter

^See the technical details section, #3.

JCamry94 · 09-23-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkMastyr

Ever driven behind a car with a test pipe/no cat/hollowed-out cat? Makes you want to kick them in the balls hard enough so that they never reproduce.

Civics especially.

Makes me want to lock them in their cars and strap a C4 to the engine

bigbird · 09-23-2008, 05:23 PM

meh, i had an old muscle car and used to hang around that bunch for a while. so i got used to the smell of no or deleted cats. bad cats are what i think are stinky

.

felonyr301 · 09-23-2008, 06:54 PM

What smell ya guys talking about?? I've been running my 2.5" apexi n1 exhaust with no cat+aeroturbine resonator for like a year already and never noticed any smells or had anyone say anything to me!!! My car is obd-1 so I don't have to worry about o2 sensor problems and stuff.