1989F-150

I got up this morning and decided to gut my cats. I have a 1989 f-150 4.9l. Well anyway they have two cats running one after another. Well it turned out that the front cat isnt a cat at all.....Its empty right out of the factory. SO a note to all dont take the second cat off thinking there well be ceramic in it. I found this out the hard way. Also theres a hose on top of the exhaust system between the two cats that was rotten and gone leaving a half inch hole on top of the pipe pointing right up at me under the cab. THat sound would drive me nuts when I went down the high-way. It was a clicking sound. Now the pipe in between the two cats is getting replaced that well leave no more hole......yes.......I will finally have a kickn', and sealed exhaust on the old ford....It will be hollowed out cats, flo-pro muffler, tail pipe, and some kind of echo chamber. I'm trying to decide if I should get a round ricer tip or a slant tip. They both add a diffrent sound, but I'm not to sure which one I should get. I dont want it to sound ricey.

LoneWolfTrucker

Why not just remove the cats? I am considering it on my 94. Also, why not just get a decorative tip? Then you don't have to worry about it sounding ricey.

1989F-150

the reason I didnt take the cats off completely is because we have safety inspections here and they check for cats and proper exhaust all the time. SO I had to just gut them. I like gutting them because it gives the exhaust a good pop because it collects wasted gas in the cat and ignites. It gives the exhaust usually a echoey pop. I might just get a slant tip exhaust. THere just a chorme pipe cut with a slant. I cant wait to find out how good it well sound.

LoneWolfTrucker

Where do you live? California. I hate that state.

dewman

I live in Maryland and while they don't have "safety" inspections, they do have emissions testing. And I am sure that removing/gutting the cat would certainly cause some poor readings for the emissions system when I have to get it tested.

wde3477

Yeah - here in MO - the cats are part of the visual inspection (unless you 'know' the right shop to take it to, heheheh), unless in the St.Louis area where the sniff test is required.

gearhead0777

here in NC its visual inspection, but there are those "special" shops that would put an inspection sticker on jsut about anything. What benefit does gutting that cats have, would it improve airflow any? like, if i were to get shorty headers and then gut the cats, would it improve the efficiancy?

LoneWolfTrucker

Here in Michigan certain municipalities have the emissions standards. Where I live you don't need it. But even the places you need it, you only need it for cars that are newer than 10 years old.

daewoomofo

i didnt realize michigan had any areas that still did tesing. detroit doesnt.

Ford302V8

yea here in VA dude they just look under to see if u have one so i welded a 3 inch pipe in mine but mines a 96 so i got o2 sensors i have to reprogram the ecu a lil