!?!?Header Questions?!?!

[Dillon]

First question is if i take my header off do i need to buy a new gasket to put it back on or can i use the old.

Second what is that square box thing conected to the headers and exhaust.
looks like this>>>

Thanks

[kinkyllama]

Second what is that square box thing conected to the headers and exhaust.
looks like this

My guess is they made the headers SMOG legal and the box is the first CAT. Thought I think most cars are much later in the exhaust and that looks like it wouldnt be very power friendly if its really a CAT

[MMamdouh]

First question is if i take my header off do i need to buy a new gasket to put it back on or can i use the old.

it is always recommended to use a new gasket, old gasket might harden and break while uninstallation and some others are compressed and shaped according to the gaps between surfaces so they might leak if they are reused.

MMamdouh

[Dillon]

Second what is that square box thing conected to the headers and exhaust.
looks like this

My guess is they made the headers SMOG legal and the box is the first CAT. Thought I think most cars are much later in the exhaust and that looks like it wouldnt be very power friendly if its really a CAT

Do you think i could remove it and gain some power?

And where would i get a gasket for the header?

[jidasas]

I believe removing it will give you a check engine light. BUT there are ways around it. I'm sure someone on here knows how to make the little oxygen sensor trick that uses a couple spark plug antifoulers and by mounting the o2 sensor in it you pull it out of the exhaust stream and it eliminates the cel.

Jimmy

[MMamdouh]

thats right but you have to do so on the second O2 sensor

MMamdouh

[kinkyllama]

I believe removing it will give you a check engine light. BUT there are ways around it. I'm sure someone on here knows how to make the little oxygen sensor trick that uses a couple spark plug antifoulers and by mounting the o2 sensor in it you pull it out of the exhaust stream and it eliminates the cel.

Jimmy

Removing the first one doesnt always cause a CEL....I dont think just a test pipe in place of the first CAT cuases one.

[Dillon]

There is no O2 sensor in the first cat wich is good so what i plan to do is make a test pipe their untill i replace the headers. Hopefully the check engine light wont come on.


But will it still pass emmisions with only one cat?

[kinkyllama]

There is no O2 sensor in the first cat wich is good so what i plan to do is make a test pipe their untill i replace the headers. Hopefully the check engine light wont come on.


But will it still pass emmisions with only one cat?

Depends really. I know a few people that have... but if they look and see you dont have a first CAT you will fail on the spot. I'm in the process of testing headers for the 2.0l motors and I'm gonna send a member to emissions to see if it'll pass. If you get headers its not a big deal, just put the stock ones back on for emissions...it's really simple.

[Dillon]

Are there gaskets between the header and cat or the cat and downpipe

[jidasas]

There are gaskets anywhere that there are two pipes bolted together, this includes the cat convertor. The O2 sensor in question would be the one down below the cat...if you look under the car you should see the wires going to it. This is the one that you might have to make an adaptor for in order to not get a cel. And emissions is a hard question...if you have a buddy there it would be easier but most likely if they see that it is gone they will catch it and fail you. You could get around that by hollowing out the convertor and welding a piece of pipe straigt through the middle of it you would have to make sure it was completely flush with the flanges though so you wouldn't get an exhaust leak. This way it looks stock on the outside but it's really a straight through pipe.

Jimmy

[Dillon]

Good info thanks alot. Now i have one more question.

Will this make my car whiney sounding or really loud or even louder?

[jidasas]

probably not too much of a difference considering you'll still have the other cat and a resonator and the muffler...unless you removed the resonator and other cat...then I don't know.

Jimmy