Okay I have a 2005 rx8 I just gutted the cats & now the check engine light is on. Is this normal or anyway to make it stop or what need help.

 

What code do you have?

If it is P0420, it's normal and expected because the ECU sees that the cat is missing, and you will need MazdaEdit or an AccessPORT to block the CEL from showing.

If it is a different code, it may or may not be related.

https://www.rx8club.com/new-member-f...4/#post4533723
What does the Check Engine Light (CEL) Mean?: (Updated October 14th 2013)
<snip>
When the CEL lights up, there will be ONE OR MORE of these codes stored in the ECU. Some hardware failures will 'throw' more than 1 code:
<snip>
(See the link for the full text)

 

Most likely replacing the cat with a good one would get rid of the CEL.

Ken

 

Removing a critical piece of the cars emission system, yes the car will notice.

 

Dont replace the cat. Get the CEL blocked with tuning software. You can leavr the CEL on if yur want it isn't affecting the cars performance (if anything, it's improved)

 

I wish people would just stop with making this seem so simple for people who obviously don't know what they're doing.

This is going to involve shelling out at least a few hundred dollars for an AP, then either learning AccessTuner or paying someone else to do it. You can tell when people make posts like these that they're most likely not going to find something like this easy and/or financially acceptable.

This forum is littered with threads like these with people spouting to "Just get an AP and mask it" with little to no actually explanation on how that's done. It's definitely not as easy as just plugging it in and the CEL goes away. I know, I have one.

 

Just leaving the CEL on has the advantage that if something else goes wrong - like a misfire or one of the odd things that can go blooey in the induction system - the light is already on and you won't get a warning. That will keep you from having to worry about it until something actually blows.

Ken

 

Just go with a 200 cell cat. No check engine light, no foul smell, no dead kittens, and similar performance...

 

So with the cat gutted that shouldn't mess the engine up should it? This is my first rx8

 

No, the engine is actually safer without a cat, since it no longer stacks up heat close to the engine in front of the cat elements, and if you develop misfires, the cat can no longer clog up and damage the engine from the excess heat and pressure. I lost my first engine to a cat that clogged up.

 

Well thanks to Everyone for your information

 

Just don't think you will get much of a performance gain from gutting a cat. When you remove the honeycomb from the inside, you have a large cavity which the exhaust has to flow into and back out of. This creates turbulence that will still be a restriction. A midpipe is the way to go to get the most horsepower out of the exhaust.