High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

I am thinking about installing the High Flow Cat/Test Pipe on my car this summer. I have full 4 to 1 headers plus Borla exhaust out the back, and I am curious as to what kind of gains I might or might not feel from removing that pesky restrictive stock Catalytic Converter. Also another question I have is what do you all use for removing those f*cking bolts that are rusted and warped on the exhaust system. I don't want to cut them off if I don't have to. I have heard some others say they use something called "Liquid Wrench".

1995 Eagle Talon ESI
88,000 miles 420a motor, NA, 5 Speed, CAI, Headers, Exhaust, JET computer, other various add ons.

The Fish

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

You're not going to see much. Removing exhaust restriction is much more beneficial on turbo cars.

Love the old skool Def Leppard lyric reference btw.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Yeah when I installed the exhaust I didn't really feel that much difference, but when I put those headers on there was definately a difference. I am not going to jump up and down about it, but it was probably a slight gain, I know for sure in the torque, cause that seemed to change when the headers where on there. Not much else though.

The Fish

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

If you are set on tinkering with the exhaust, use some PB Blaster for a few days. Just soak that shit.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Testpipes definitely help N/A cars so go for it. You won't get a massive change like on a turbo car, but you'll get a few ponies at least.

Don't bother with a high-flow cat unless you hug the earth, they are expensive and you won't see all the gains you would with a testpipe.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Yeah i have the test pipe already, I wouldn't spend the money on the High Flow Cat. I am glad that someone feels the gains would be worth the pain in the butt it would be to remove those old rusted, warped bolts...thanks man...

The Fish

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

pb blaster ftw! You wont feel much, but it will sound nicer!

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

One thing you will notice with a test pipe instead of a cat will be an obnoxious raspy exhaust tone. Will sound similar to a Honda :(

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Only a Honda can sound like a Honda! No worse sound in the world.(S2000 doesn't count, as even I like S2000's at 9000RPM)

The neon community (also 420a) was seeing 2-3whp with the removal of the stock cat.

I would look into possible a throttle body off of an automatic neon next. (2-3hp). I am not sure if it is the same throttle body though. Or maybe an Automatic Eclipse one would work. The 5sp Neons had a 48mm throttle body, while the auto's had a 52mm. Eclipses MAY be different.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

I bought a high flow cat and flanges for less than $60. They're not crazy expensive if you look. Personally I like breathing :)

It sounds like the cat is the last real restriction in your setup though, so with either a high flow cat or a test pipe you should feel a bit of difference.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

I popular throttle body mod is to get a jeep 60 mm throttle body and mod it to fit the 420a on an eclipse. Not sure if you are going to want that big for an NA application without porting the manifold to match the opening of the TB.

I doubt it was an actual "high-flow cat" as those are usually over $100. Probably just a test pipe. I bought a test-pipe off eBay about a month ago and they claimed it was a "high-flow cat", but I knew it obviously wasn't.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

:D I like my resonated testpipe.

I think that most of the obnoxious Hondas are running some sort of crappy homemade or eBay exhaust system with generic mufflers and no resonators. Hondas can sound very nice with the proper parts.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Errr, it's got ceramic honey-combs. I think I'd notice if my catalytic converter was a hollow tube. I also bought one at one point for my maxima for about $100. All legit and what-not.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Well I am having second thoughts now then. i just got my exhaust the way I want it to sound inside the car, and well if it were to get any louder, i would loose the audio system sound that I have worked on for a couple of months. I have insulated the back of the car and stopped the noisy exhaust from entering the cabin to the extent of its okay right now. However if I am only going to see a very small gain, like 2hp or less, then the extra loudness isn't worth it to me. I might just sell it then. Its a test pipe too, not a high flow cat. It just a tube with like honeycomb inside of it. Looks nice, but thats about it.

Thanks for the advice though. I will look into the throttle body. That was my next set of mods to my car, being the throttle body, and the intake manifold. I am not sure what to do about the manifold though, should I just port out the stock one, or get a totally new one?

The Fish

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Get a resonated testpipe. Mine actually killed a lot of the interior drone.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

I think it is a resonated test pipe actually. I just don't want it to get much louder, its not that big of a deal if it gets louder, everyone was just making it seem like it was going to make my car growl like a two dollar hooker when the ship in harbor. That would possibly be too much for me to handle. My wife needs to ride in the car also, and well if it gets any louder she might not want to.

So thanks for all the input from all of you, I guess I am going to take the chance and have it installed on the car. Hopefully it will make my car so fast I can outrun the exhaust note. Yeah thats the ticket...LOL

The Fish

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

Soak the bolts in PB blaster, or ifyou have a set of torches heat them up and hit them with an impact (if you have that also haha)

It will sound nicer with the test pipe but another thing to keep in mind is emissions, I don't know about you but I am fat to lazy to switch my test pipe to a cat for a sticker and then switch it back.

Re: High Flow Cat, Test Pipe
 

We don't have emissions testing in MN.