crispyduck

iTrader: (1)

Hyperthetically speaking if someone wanted to remove the center cat, whilst retaining the original equipment (read: to look standard from external inspection - if you know what I mean). I mean, can you simply destroy the cat by poking say a coat hanger into one end until all the bits fall out!

The only other way I can think of doing this is to get the cat opened up and re-welded.

Anyone done anything so stupid before?
-Steve.

LG John

Someone on SN did it ages ago and raved about it

hades

Was that the same person who raved about barely backing off the throttle during gearchanges (in amongst other things), by any chance?

You'd probably need more than a coat hanger, but yes. Remember on my brother's old cavalier SRi (the K plater with the 150bhp 16v) the cat cracked in half. and was rattling something awful. We removed the pipe, and knocked all the old bits out, using a 1" thick metal bar I had in my shed. Made a fair old difference to that car - noticeably quicker throughout the range, and about 3mpg better (35mpg vs 38mpg).

IIRC it was fairly solid, hence I think you'd struggle with a bent coathanger. However, with something a bit stiffer, it was easier.

mutant_matt

Why bother? Get a reasonated de-cat centre and it looks the same anyway and besides, it's not illegal to remove the cat so I don't see the point!

Matt.

StickyMicky

it will save £180 tho?
or whatever the second hand prices are

StickyMicky

dohh thought it was a downpipe cat

change the prices to suit

zakesm

well they did it with my downpipe. removed heat shield, opened the bottom. hammered out the element with a spike and hammer, then welded the stuff back on. should be similar in principle with the centre section cat

crispyduck

iTrader: (1)

Thanks everyone for the feedback so far. Sounds 'do-able' if I use something a little harder than a coat hanger!

I think I'll tell my _mate_, who was asking about this, what you have all said ;-)
Cheers.

new boy

sorry 2 jump on ....
but can i decat the d/pipe with ease?..(mot due i about 1 month)

i could then get a cheap s/hand orig item to pop back on in a yeras time if reqd for mot?


the rest has been done properly by prev owner.

ads

crispyduck

iTrader: (1)

That's the way I see it. Much cheeper approach to buy a second-hand standard one and 'mod' that one. IMHO better to keep your standard one, well standard, at least you know that your one is fine.

mutant_matt

We were talking about the centre section but there is no point removing the cat in the downpipe as the standard downpipe has a restrictive mouth (the wastegate port is blanked off). If you want a decat DP, you should just buy one as you will get the dual benefit of getting one with a proper mouth and it not having a cat...

Matt

hades

Matt - True unless, of course, you buy one of the HKS decat downpipes with the restrictive mouth.