I was beginning to get symptoms of plugged pre-cats (sluggish acceleration, reluctance to redline, etc.), so I did the mod. The car performs about like it did when I first bought it.
Love it.
If your choice is gutting VS spend money for new - it's worth it.
If you want gains - get the MSDS headers. WAAAY cheaper than new pre-cats.
My suggestion to you (assuming you have plugged pre-cats): Gut the precats - see if you pass inspection - check out the docile sound.
If you want to go for added performance later - get the MSDS, mod your stock Y & sell the MSDS Y to gain back some of your investment.
With the gutted pre-cats I do not notice any gains vs my car when I bought it, just a slight extra drone from the exhaust. I also do not have headers, and the car is quiet as stock with the Dynomax Super Turbo muffler at the rear & a straight through resonator in the mid section. I'm gonna have the setup reversed - with an Ultraflow at the front. The shop screwed up my order & got me a turbo muffler instead of straight through.
I had wanted to get a straight through Magnaflow setup from Stazi, but my resonator got crushed & ripped open by some debris on the interstate one afternoon, so I couldn't wait for shipping. Sorry Stazi.
(I have also found out that my drivers side tranny/axel seal is leaking from that impact
)
