you can gut it (same as not having a cat) replace it, or get a catless midpipe. If you don't have emissions and you like the smell of gas go catless or gut it if you don't have the money for a midpipe. Or try to replace it with a high flow catted midpipe from say BHR.

I'd recommend replacing coils and plugs and also just take the cat off for a while and see if that solves the issue.

 

No way to unclog. Either gut the cat, if your emissions laws permit, or replace (with one that will stand up to rotary exhaust heat) .

 

You can get the OBD scanned for free at most parts stores.
A bad cat will give you a P0420 code.
Be sure your cat is bad before you gut it.
New ones are close to $2k.
If you have an Android phone or tablet, you can get the Torque app and a Bluetooth dongle to monitor your OBD, and scan & clear your CELs, which will pop up if you go catless.

 

It should be noted that it's US federal law that you can't tamper with a catalytic converter. This is why all car manufacturers are required to provide an 8 year/80k mile warranty on cats.

The fact that so many people get away with not having a working cat is because not every state checks.

 

New ones are close to $2K?!?
Where are you getting this number from? I'm assuming used ones are cheaper
How likely am I to be stopped for not having a cat. What I mean is, it it pretty evident from smoke/noise if I take it off?

 

More like US$1k+. That's what Mazmart sells them at.

Used ones could be cheap but make sure they are good.

Fix your problems before installing a new cat, or watch it die just as soon.

Another solution is a Magnaflow unit. You can put it on, do the inspection and take it back off. I wouldn't drive around in it, though.

A normal decatted 8, other than the smell, shouldn't emit any smoke. It will pop flames occasionally under full throttle, though, and that's a dead giveaway that you don't have a cat.

 

Some people don't mind it, but the raw exhaust smell is awful. It permeates everything if you drive with windows down.

 

I honestly don't drive it very far or very much for that matter. It is a daily at the moment but will end up being a weekend car once I update the heck out of it. So if I go with what you said, about driving around w/no cat, and delete any codes about not having one; will deleted codes show up when I have to smog it? (obviously putting the "magnoflow" unit on it before) Anyway to avoid them coming up i the inspection?

 

Without a custom ECU map it is going to throw a code and illuminate your CEL. In most states, the mere presence of an active CEL is a fail. With the codes suppressed via ECU map most states allow one readiness test to fail so as long as nothing else is wrong you should be okay.

If your smog test involves a dyno and sniffer you will fail, period.