BAWC Forums

So I have a choice to make on it. When I bought it I talked him down a bunch because the catalytic converter was throwing a code.

So my options as I see them are,

fix it for 200 bucks.

Invest in HP tuners and about 400 disable the o2’s

Have local dyno place do it for 180

Or try those spacer things Steve talked about in the other thread for less than 15 bucks. But it may or may not work.

Thoughts?


Coop

Fix it for 200.

[quote=""Duck Vader""]Fix it for 200.[/quote]

Just playing devils advocate.

A gutted cat on a Chevy v8 sounds freaking amazing!


Coop

Yes but highly illegal.

On a truck like the Avalanche it doesn't make sense to run gutted or catless anyway. Doesn't do anything other than make it sound better.

[quote=""Duck Vader""]Yes but highly illegal.

On a truck like the Avalanche it doesn't make sense to run gutted or catless anyway. Doesn't do anything other than make it sound better.[/quote]

I would also accept smell. When you have a wife and kid all the sudden smells become more important. So gutted would sound amazing the actual cats would prob still be there unless they got clogged.

Still. 200 cat and o2’s That can go bad are annoying. So 200 to never have to deal with it again. Or 200 to most certainly deal with it again?


Coop

[quote=""Duck Vader""]Yes but highly illegal.[/quote]

Yet, people do it all the time where there is no emissions testing. I haven't had cats on my Stealth since 2006 or so. At some point if I decided to get a tune for the RS, I may get a catless downpipe for it as well.

I know it is not enforced, but I think it should be. I am actually pro emissions testings and regulations. It is the environmentalist in me. I think for 99% of the population it makes sense.

Then again I am also a car enthusiast and am part of the 1% who has gone catless before since I enjoy loud and fast cars. Plus the Chevelle whenever I finally do that will be catless.

I'd fix the cat and be done with it. If you start digging around in there with HP Tuners, shit's going to start breaking. Leave the poor thing alone.

[quote=""mjannusch""]I'd fix the cat and be done with it. If you start digging around in there with HP Tuners, shit's going to start breaking. Leave the poor thing alone.[/quote]

This is a very...very fair argument. That’s why I would have someone else just turn off o2’s, I guess it’s similar to how we tune a 3/s and just uncheck it for the ecu to see it. Am I wrong?

The main reason I don’t want to just “fix it” is it’s more than likely one of those o2’s Would go back or cat go bad again...so it would be more money in the long run. Or maybe never have to look at it ever again.


Coop

Do you actually know what the problem is, or are you guessing at it?

Could be a bad O2 sensor ($35?)
Could be a bad cat ($200?)

What exact code(s) are you getting?

Fix it

[quote=""mjannusch""]Do you actually know what the problem is, or are you guessing at it?

Could be a bad O2 sensor ($35?)
Could be a bad cat ($200?)

What exact code(s) are you getting?[/quote]

I forget but I used the AAA guy at work reader and the thing was in a GM case and it gave the code and list what it was to confirm what the same thing was said before I bought it so I believe it’s fhs converter.

Steve, why do you say fix it?


Coop

There are so many guides out there for HP tuners it is almost dummy proof. The only thing he'd have to worry about is the possibility of bricking the ECU, but as long as he has his stock ROM then he could always flash it to another ECU if that happened.

There are also people who do canned tunes if all you want is the code disabled.

Fix it right is my first recommendation. If you are set on just disabling the code then only do that if you've removed the cats. Without the monitors you could end up clogging the cats and really choking the engine.

Yeah I would pay a tuner place to do it, so I don’t even try to mess with stuff. But so many saying fix it has me second guessing, just confusing why unless there is something I don’t know.


Coop

[quote=""DCIV""]Yeah I would pay a tuner place to do it, so I don’t even try to mess with stuff. But so many saying fix it has me second guessing, just confusing why unless there is something I don’t know.[/quote]
It costs so little to save the planet. Why do you hate the planet so much? Think of the future unborn children!

But seriously, I'd guess chances are good that when they pull the cat off it'll break one or more studs, then you have to deal with that, etc. Might as well just take it apart, see what's going on in there and if it is all f*cked up then replace it. Could also just be a bad sensor.

Man just thinking about stuff breaking makes me wanna flash it and worry about it clogging up later. Lol.


Coop

Dual cats or just the one? You price stuff out on Rock Auto? It actually pretty cheap to get pipes and cats there plus new o2 sensors.

Well, there's always a small chance of bricking the ECU when you flash it too, so there's that...