My P5 has been lacking power all of a sudden and I think I have it narrowed down to a clogged primary catalytic converter. What Cat should I buy for a replacement and should I replace the stock exhaust manifold and fins headers for it. It seem a lot of the headers on the market bypass the first cat. Is the first Cat necessary to pass inspection in NYS? Please help...don't want to waste $$$$ on parts I don't need or don't improve performance.
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Catalytic converter and headers
- Thread starter k2dave69
- Start date
tweety2300
Member
- :
- 2001 mazda protege mp3
You can pull the cats out and blow them out with an air hose
instead of starting a new tread, i thought i would resurface this one. im in the market for a new cat and was wondering what brands people have been using when replacing them. ive been on summitracing.com ( http://www.summitracing.com/search/year/2002/make/mazda/model/protege5/department/exhaust ) and found a few on there for a relativity good price. any input would be greatly appreciated.
Installshield 2
Gothenburg Superiority
If you're going for direct fit replacements...the brand won't really matter...anything is cheaper than the dealership prices on OE replacements, so just get whatever looks the most reasonable price wise...
if you're talking universal cats...i don't know of many guys that have used those...but i'd apply the same as above...any name brand universal cat will perform just fine, but you'll have to source a place to install/weld it in properly...or do that yourself...the installation of a universal cat will be the bigger variable on how 'good' the system is...
if you're talking universal cats...i don't know of many guys that have used those...but i'd apply the same as above...any name brand universal cat will perform just fine, but you'll have to source a place to install/weld it in properly...or do that yourself...the installation of a universal cat will be the bigger variable on how 'good' the system is...
If you're going for direct fit replacements...the brand won't really matter...anything is cheaper than the dealership prices on OE replacements, so just get whatever looks the most reasonable price wise...
if you're talking universal cats...i don't know of many guys that have used those...but i'd apply the same as above...any name brand universal cat will perform just fine, but you'll have to source a place to install/weld it in properly...or do that yourself...the installation of a universal cat will be the bigger variable on how 'good' the system is...
ive noticed some that bolt up, and some that weld. from what ive been looking into, it seems that the protege is a weld job.
so i would this remove the need for a cat..i dont follow..sorry I just started looking into this.It would be cheaper to go with an aftermarket header.
the header install bypasses the first cat. When you install a header, you remove the exhaust manifold and the primary cat, then put the header in their place. You would then need a non fouler for your O2 sensor so you don't cause the CEL to come on. The Non fouler Tricks the O2 reading so that the ECU thinks the cat is there. You can search for non fouler, lots of info on these boards about it. The emissions law in some areas though don't allow the removal of the primary cat though.
Installshield 2
Gothenburg Superiority
if you have absolutely no emissions testing...its doubtful you'd ever run into trouble with no cats...but just be advised; it is federal law that any registered vehicle has at least one catalyst in its exhaust system...so if any cop decided to look at your whole system, you still could be fined for it...but its pretty unlikely anyone would have any reason to do that.
The non-fouler works...its a simple procedure of basically making a small housing that fits off of the exhaust pipe (at the 2nd o2 bung)...which also houses the sensor head...the 2nd o2 sensor does two things...it measures exhaust content in the stream to monitor catalyst performance, and measures 'warm up' of the exhaust piping with a heat sensor scaling through different voltages...
the non-fouler works because it first blocks enough stream from getting to the sensor head to make it realize there is no catalyst in front of it...but also keeps it on the piping and allows it to register the temp increase of the system...both work properly to 'fool' the ecu into never realized you pulled something out of it...
the non-fouler is ONLY needed on the 2nd o2 sensor, which originally came after the primary cat...the first o2 sensor is completely different, and is used for fuel requirements at certain engine loads and speeds...you actually want that one properly reading exhaust gas...it has nothing to do with any catalysts...
also, fyi...the car originally has 2 catalysts...the header only removes the first one...you can use a header to replace the pre-cat, keep your 2nd cat...and be fine federal law wise...you still need to do the non-fouler thing though, or have a bung welded behind the 2nd cat and put the 2nd sensor there...but that would involve some pretty long ass wire splicing haha...
The non-fouler works...its a simple procedure of basically making a small housing that fits off of the exhaust pipe (at the 2nd o2 bung)...which also houses the sensor head...the 2nd o2 sensor does two things...it measures exhaust content in the stream to monitor catalyst performance, and measures 'warm up' of the exhaust piping with a heat sensor scaling through different voltages...
the non-fouler works because it first blocks enough stream from getting to the sensor head to make it realize there is no catalyst in front of it...but also keeps it on the piping and allows it to register the temp increase of the system...both work properly to 'fool' the ecu into never realized you pulled something out of it...
the non-fouler is ONLY needed on the 2nd o2 sensor, which originally came after the primary cat...the first o2 sensor is completely different, and is used for fuel requirements at certain engine loads and speeds...you actually want that one properly reading exhaust gas...it has nothing to do with any catalysts...
also, fyi...the car originally has 2 catalysts...the header only removes the first one...you can use a header to replace the pre-cat, keep your 2nd cat...and be fine federal law wise...you still need to do the non-fouler thing though, or have a bung welded behind the 2nd cat and put the 2nd sensor there...but that would involve some pretty long ass wire splicing haha...
here in NYS cars under the year 2002 have to take an emissions test other wise they just check to see if you have a check engine light on, if you dont they pass you, i have an obx header with header wrap and a high flow vibrant performance secondary cat and have no problem passing, of course i do have the non fouler trick on the secondary o2 sensor
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As far as splicing the wire, it's not needed since the MSP has an extention wire available at the dealership. It's long enough to put the 2nd o2 behind the second cat.
what are you talking about you dont splice any wire for the non fouler trick and i believe the msp mp5 and mp3 all have 2 O2 sensors
what are you talking about you dont splice any wire for the non fouler trick and i believe the msp mp5 and mp3 all have 2 O2 sensors
Post #10 made reference to putting the 2nd O2 behind the second cat....for that, you can use the MSP extention wire....
sleepwalker
Member
- :
- 2010 Mazda CX-7 i Sport
Is there a particular place where it is most beneficial to have the catalytic converter in the exhaust stream? I've been thinking a lot about a 4-2-1 header for a FS 626, and it looks to me as if it would replace *both* cats. Would it do any good at all to put a high-flow cat in right after the end of the 4-2-1 header?
(I'm not due up for licensing for 2 years, but I'm in the St Louis Metro Area so emissions are a must. It's possible that I could just go and get it licensed in Alabama, since that's where one of the title owners lives, and apparently they don't emissions test a damn thing there.)
(I'm not due up for licensing for 2 years, but I'm in the St Louis Metro Area so emissions are a must. It's possible that I could just go and get it licensed in Alabama, since that's where one of the title owners lives, and apparently they don't emissions test a damn thing there.)
