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Gut pre cats while in SVT?

Jbalch

CEG'er
Moderator
Joined
Oct 7, 2010
Messages
376
Location
Vancouver, WA
Hello everyone, I have tried searching the forums about this. Is it possible to gut the pre cats on my 98.5 SVT? I made some mil eliminators, will I put them on the O2 sensors AFTER the pre cats? I'm pretty sure that's where they need to go.

What I'm really looking for is a little more sound and maybe a little more power. I plan to do a 3L swap when time and $$ permits but for now I'm looking for a cheap easy way to increase the sound of my SVT.

Thanks for the help and for all of the info in these forums! It's truly amazing!


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I recently gutted my pre cats. I'm very happy with the improved should. You probably could gut the one next to the fire wall. That depends on how much room you have under your car. The front is a little harder and is actually easier to remove.

Your mil eliminators do go on the down stream o2 sensors.

Lots of info on 3l options just search a little and you'll find a lot.
 
Thanks a lot for the response. So it sounds like your saying I can pull the front header without too much issue? I have read that changing headers while the engine is still in the car is a huge PITA. That bust be because of the rear side header.

Thanks for the answers! I think I'll go for it this weekend.


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To make the rear easier to pull, remove the studs. It sits close to the alternator. Not impossible but not easy.
 
In order to remove the front one you will need to drop the radiator and cooling fans. I have been told you can drill into the front manifold to gut it but you will need to weld the hole shut. This way you don't have to drop the radiator. The rear one isn't hard at all to gut. Basically if nothing is wrong with them.....I wouldn't gut them. I would wait until you do your 3l. Only reason you should gut your pre cats on a stock motor is if they are clogged.
 
I'm getting codes telling me O2 and cats are bad... I'm also going to install MIL eliminators. Will gutting the cats make her a little louder? I found a how to that did involve drilling a hole in the front but I can easily weld that up without any issues. Seems like it would be cheaper and more effective than replacing BOTH O2 sensors and still possibly needing new precats...

Thoughts?
 
A little louder, a little more responsive (maybe), better gas mileage, no real cost, no other drawbacks...Do it.
Removing the manifolds is not required
 
I'm getting codes telling me O2 and cats are bad... I'm also going to install MIL eliminators. Will gutting the cats make her a little louder? I found a how to that did involve drilling a hole in the front but I can easily weld that up without any issues. Seems like it would be cheaper and more effective than replacing BOTH O2 sensors and still possibly needing new precats...

Thoughts?

yes .. what are the O2 sensor codes? More often then not getting O2 sensor codes along with a pre-cat code(s) means the pre-cat codes are false. BTW you need working O2 sensors to use with the mil-eliminators, so might as well chagne out the O2 sensors, depending on the codes, and go from there.
 
I can't remember the codes, there were 5 of them. one was P0420 and the other was the same but the other side and I thing both O2 codes. I will scan again once my CEL comes back on (replaced alternator this weekend and no codes have come back yet, I even got it to pass emissions today).
 
The 0420 code is for catalysts below efficiency, but those codes often come up when the catalysts are working fine, and it's just an oxygen sensor issue that causes it.

Would be nice to know that the actual diagnostics were before everyone starts troubleshooting.
 
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