Notices
Series I Aftermarket Performance Modifications Discussion of power adding modifications

I gutted the cat from my OEM midpipe yesterday.

Old Apr 16, 2009 | 10:23 AM
  #1  
turborx8's Avatar
Thread Starter
Boost 4 Life
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,484
Likes: 0
I gutted the cat from my OEM midpipe yesterday.

There was barely any increase in sound, I was shocked!

The increase in power was very noticeable and its not all in my head so it must be significant. Gotta love free horsepower!

The only problem I am having is when I let off the gas my exhaust system pops. If I am accelerating and I let off fast it sounds like a gun shot!

I thought if I recirculate my BOV it would solve the problem but it only helped a little.

What can I do to solve this issue?
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 10:59 AM
  #2  
WAR CRUNK's Avatar
U.S ARMY 11B
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: I AM THE INFANTRY FOLLOW ME!
beware of the flair my dude..its normal...no cat..=flmaes
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 11:12 AM
  #3  
dozer's Avatar
on his 3rd rx8
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,036
Likes: 12
From: santa ana, ca
crunk sed it
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 01:05 PM
  #4  
turborx8's Avatar
Thread Starter
Boost 4 Life
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,484
Likes: 0
So this is normal?

Damn, I had no idea. lol
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 01:13 PM
  #5  
bose's Avatar
Reginald P. Billingsly
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,915
Likes: 1
From: Taylorsville, UT
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but gutting your cat actually loses power it's been dyno proven by lots of people. But the popping is normal without a cat.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 01:34 PM
  #6  
kersh4w's Avatar
Hit & Run Magnet
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,690
Likes: 3
From: DC Area
Originally Posted by bose
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but gutting your cat actually loses power it's been dyno proven by lots of people. But the popping is normal without a cat.
no.

and especially not when turbo.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 01:38 PM
  #7  
bose's Avatar
Reginald P. Billingsly
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,915
Likes: 1
From: Taylorsville, UT
Where is the proof?

Import tuner and Car and Driver have dyno graphs to prove otherwise.

It causes turbulence in the exhaust stream, blocking more flow than it frees up.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 01:38 PM
  #8  
nvrfalter's Avatar
tonybob failpants
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 2,270
Likes: 0
From: jersey, BITCH
Originally Posted by bose
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but gutting your cat actually loses power it's been dyno proven by lots of people. But the popping is normal without a cat.
loses power? im callin shenanigans until i see some info's
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 01:42 PM
  #9  
kersh4w's Avatar
Hit & Run Magnet
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 6,690
Likes: 3
From: DC Area
Originally Posted by bose
Where is the proof?

Import tuner and Car and Driver have dyno graphs to prove otherwise.

It causes turbulence in the exhaust stream, blocking more flow than it frees up.
so you are saying that if you take an obstruction out of an otherwise SMOOTH pipe there will be MORE turbulence?

ok bill nye.

btw, which one of us has seen the inside of our catalytic converter?
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 02:01 PM
  #10  
bose's Avatar
Reginald P. Billingsly
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,915
Likes: 1
From: Taylorsville, UT
http://www.importtuner.com/tech/impp...ion/index.html

Here's a link.

The pipe isn't smooth, You hollow out the cat which is a larger diameter than the rest of it, the exhaust gas is allowed to expand in that area then when it's forced back into the smaller diameter pipe causing lots of turbulence.

I've seen the inside of a lot of cats, what's your point?

Last edited by bose; Apr 16, 2009 at 02:03 PM.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 08:53 PM
  #11  
turborx8's Avatar
Thread Starter
Boost 4 Life
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,484
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by bose
http://www.importtuner.com/tech/impp...ion/index.html

Here's a link.

The pipe isn't smooth, You hollow out the cat which is a larger diameter than the rest of it, the exhaust gas is allowed to expand in that area then when it's forced back into the smaller diameter pipe causing lots of turbulence.

I've seen the inside of a lot of cats, what's your point?
You can't really compare a miata to a turbo rotary.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 09:11 PM
  #12  
dondo's Avatar
100% baller (finally!)
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 5,385
Likes: 2
From: Seattle, WA
Originally Posted by bose
http://www.importtuner.com/tech/impp...ion/index.html

Here's a link.

The pipe isn't smooth, You hollow out the cat which is a larger diameter than the rest of it, the exhaust gas is allowed to expand in that area then when it's forced back into the smaller diameter pipe causing lots of turbulence.

I've seen the inside of a lot of cats, what's your point?
i've heard this as well.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 09:17 PM
  #13  
alnielsen's Avatar
Registered
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 12,255
Likes: 8
From: Buddhist Monastery, High Himalaya Mtns. of Tibet
Originally Posted by turborx8
The only problem I am having is when I let off the gas my exhaust system pops. If I am accelerating and I let off fast it sounds like a gun shot!

I thought if I recirculate my BOV it would solve the problem but it only helped a little.

What can I do to solve this issue?
My N.A. pops a couple of times when I let off of the throttle. As far as I can tell the cat is still in good shape.
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 09:54 PM
  #14  
09Factor's Avatar
Original Turbo 'd Auto !!
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,136
Likes: 5
From: Surprise, Arizona
gutted my cat and picked up 20 hp on my turbo setup.
So .....
Reply
Old Apr 16, 2009 | 11:49 PM
  #15  
turborx8's Avatar
Thread Starter
Boost 4 Life
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,484
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by 09Factor
gutted my cat and picked up 20 hp on my turbo setup.
So .....
That's about how much my butt dyno tells me too.
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 08:51 AM
  #16  
bose's Avatar
Reginald P. Billingsly
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,915
Likes: 1
From: Taylorsville, UT
Well I may be wrong about it on turbo cars but there are exceptions to every rule. I want to see proof, your butt dyno doesn't mean anything. Lets see your dyno.

I see a lot of people telling me I'm wrong but no one has any proof to show me the contrary. That's all I'm asking.

And either way gutting your cat is for Honduh drivers.
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 09:25 AM
  #17  
WAR CRUNK's Avatar
U.S ARMY 11B
 
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 455
Likes: 0
From: I AM THE INFANTRY FOLLOW ME!
all race cars have no cat i belive
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 03:16 PM
  #18  
Zeon's Avatar
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 71
Likes: 0
From: Orlando, FL
Originally Posted by WAR CRUNK
all race cars have no cat i belive
First, that would probably depend on the rules of the racing league. Second, if they didn't have to have a catalytic converter, I seriously doubt they would take the stock cat + resonator combo and gut the cat. There are quite a few different RX-8 test pipes out there for a reason...
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 03:45 PM
  #19  
bose's Avatar
Reginald P. Billingsly
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,915
Likes: 1
From: Taylorsville, UT
I never said having no cat causes turbulence. I know that some race cars don't have cat, but they have a proper race pipe. Like Zeon said they wouldn't just ghetto rig it up.
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 07:29 PM
  #20  
RufusVonStorm's Avatar
Registered
 
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 411
Likes: 0
From: Fullerton, CA
Gutting your cat yields more power because it eliminates an airflow/exhaust restriction. Every schoolboy knows this.

I would bet the exceptions are people who have chunks of partially melted honeycomb in their "gutted" cats.
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 08:05 PM
  #21  
swiftnet's Avatar
Registered
 
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 203
Likes: 0
From: Sunny Florida
The turbulence argument makes some sense, but would the expansion of the exhaust cause more restriction than the honeycomb. Going catless is like saying FTW, but getting more power is a beautiful thing > : )
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 08:21 PM
  #22  
09Factor's Avatar
Original Turbo 'd Auto !!
 
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2,136
Likes: 5
From: Surprise, Arizona
Originally Posted by turborx8
That's about how much my butt dyno tells me too.
No butt involved, butt a DynoPak was..
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 08:22 PM
  #23  
StealthTL's Avatar
Metatron
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,286
Likes: 184
From: A Pacific Island.
The stock tune is rich, to prevent the cat seeing peak temperatures.

So it uses more gas, for less power, 'for the environment'......

If you tune the car for max economy OR power, the cat has got to go - burned out, gutted or replaced - keeping it is not an option.

S
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 08:31 PM
  #24  
YeahYeahYouWere's Avatar
Call me ROTO BAGGINS
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 462
Likes: 0
From: The big OH yeah! (Cincinnati, OH)
I'm not a scientist, and I am not going to try to act like I am right either way, but honestly, thinking about the expansion/compression causing more turbulence makes sense to me in a way. I mean, when you think about, if the pipe gets wider, there will be a pressure drop - and then when it gets smaller again, there will be a pressure increase. Thus if you have a big empty chamber in the middle of an otherwise constant diameter pipe, it could increase back pressure. However, if you keep that flow going at a constant velocity, it will not create pressure drops within the pipe. Every race pipe I can remember seeing has been of a constant diameter - that isn't coincidence.

Again, I'm not saying I know all the answers, I'm just trying to think back to some of those horrid fluid mechanics labs I had to do as a junior.
Reply
Old Apr 17, 2009 | 08:50 PM
  #25  
StealthTL's Avatar
Metatron
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 7,286
Likes: 184
From: A Pacific Island.
thinking about the expansion/compression causing more turbulence

The point is not "is there a restriction?"

- obviously the diameter change will affect the flow, but even with the catalyst intact, the gas still has to expand then recompress......

The question is "is the empty chamber more restrictive than the SAME cavity filled with pounds of ceramic" to which the answer must be no.

S
Reply

Thread Tools
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:
You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 08:03 AM.