Longarms

I assumed it was fine, lots of people on this forum talk about having 94106 magnaflow hi-flow cats put on their trucks. One shop wanted $600 to put on 2 94106's, a 2.5",2.5" to 3" y-pipe and a 3" 22" magnaflow on.

So I took the parts to a dedicated exhaust place, and they told me they can't put the cats on. It was really hard to talk to the guy, and I never figured out why he couldn't put them on, maybe I just don't understand the jargon. What I gathered is that they don't have the listing for them, or the don't have the papers, and the other guy said something about a $10,000 fine, which I'm sure is the fine for tampering with emissions.

Is it illegal to put these cats on? On my way home, I thought maybe they though I wanted it done in some shady way, I fully expected to do it by the book.

I dono, the reason I wanted this done was that I have a plugged cat, and I've been thinking about doing exhaust for performance anyway, so I might as well do it now. I'm thinking about just gutting the damn things and sending this stuff back.

jbhill

Find a new shop. He just can't do it and is making excuses now.

Longarms

They came highly recommended from a few people, but that could be the case.

Wondering also if someone could point me to some information about how the stock exhaust looks.

otto457

Exhaust shops hear the word cats and are trained to stop listening. They know there are fines for removing them completely, but don't know about replacing them usually. Go and explain just like you've done for us that 1. The current ones are plugged and 2. These new cats you have are 49 state compliant replacements, and fully replace the stock ones. What you're doing is fully legal so don't let them try to scare you off. I find crayon drawings of exactly what you are doing and want helps the most.
Either go back and explain to them so they understand or find a different place. I had an exhaust shop balk one time because I said the changes would be from the cats back. They heard the word cats and said they couldn't touch it and hung up the phone.

Longarms

Wow... that's crazy to me. I'm gonna pop in there Saturday to talk to them again.. but it seems doubtful that they'll listen. We'll see.

I have access to a welder at work... Should I just do this myself? Can't be that hard right? Grab some stainless pipe, cut out my cat, weld the new one in?

otto457

If you have a bender and can install the O2 bungs, a MIG welder will make quick work of it.

Longarms

I don't have a bender, but I can use the welder at work. I'm just thinking worst case, I can do the cats without a bender. The y-pipe, and therefore the 3" muffler would be tricky without the bender though.. but I could have someone else do that, yeah?

I dono I'm just gettin' frustrated. I'm doing a complicated audio set-up right now, and that's a headache.. Thought paying someone to do exhaust work for me wouldn't be a problem.

i'll just have to call around tomorrow.

nate_g_2003

If you have access to a welder, just go back to the shop and have them bend the pieces you need/can't bend, and pay just for that. Then you have everything to do it yourself. If they won't bend some pipe for you, a shop down the road probably will. $$ talks! haha

s_vares

Above posts are correct, I had an exhaust shop that wouldnt straight pipe a resonator, its brutal.
Just shop around till someone does it. You will never be fined for running aftermarket working cats.

Longarms

Ahh, yes... could get them to bend it for me. Guess I need a couple extra jack stands..