I need new exhaust parts. Car is USELESS right now.

[Maranello993]

Well I've run into another roadblock on inspection day, it happens every year (and renders my car un-drivable until fixed). He looks over all of the parts like brakes etc. that make a car safe, then keeps going. He opens the hood and sees my SS tubular O2 housing behind the cut stock heat shield, and proceeds to follow the rest of the tubes. He walks out of the room and comes back with a lecture about not having a catalytic converter.

So basically I need a 2.5inch to 3inch downpipe that goes to a 3 inch catalytic converter that all fits exactly where an Apexi GT downpipe would fit. Ebay has NO non-cat delete downpipes and I don't want to do all of the custom fixes that have been suggested in the forums I have searched. The cat has to be 3 inch due to my cutting/welding the Greddy Evo 2 to fit with the Apexi GT. I would like this to be as CHEAP as possible, as I would like to save all this money for ECM LINK (especially considering the previous owner gave me the Apexi DP for FREE). I can post pics and I will gladly answer questions.
Thanks in advance

 

[housegsx]

Have you tried taking it somewhere else or does Virginia just suck?

I mean, where I take it all they do is beep the horn and make sure the headlights work. They might take a glance through the wheels to see the pads.

I take mine in with the cat in the truck just in case they would put it on a lift and say something. I say some bs like I just got back from an autox yesterday and didn't have time to put it back on.

Edit: And if you find the right shop exhaust work shouldn't be too expensive. Have them weld up something for you.

 

[Maranello993]

Well, it's funny you ask about different shops because this guy was recommended to me by another DSMer because he lets no cats and spray go. Otherwise I would have brought it to one of the bozos on main street who do what you said. But now that its been branded ghostbuster up front, they will check to see why and immediately see that it has no cats. I don't think there is anywhere near me that can do custom (I looked into it when buying my cat-back). And yes, NORTH Virginia usually sucks, but S/W VA doesn't usually, just if you find the right shop. I liked this guy because he is thorough enough to find legitimately unsafe things that I want fixed, but supposedly didn't care about things like exhaust....don't get my wrong, I still like the guy who recommended him

 

[skatershawn]

This is True... most small local muffler shops around here are very very well priced and will do anything you want for damn cheap.
Not sure how it is up there but i would just look around for some local shops and ask them!

years ago i got a 2.5'' from the flex pipe back (eliminated the cat) and a muffler welded on for like 75 bucks! It was a 96 ford probe!
so just look around!

 

[Maranello993]

I have a stock cat that I want to modify to fit this whole mess, and I did think of your solution (welding it over top of the Apexi). Its worth a try to save all that money, but I'd have to get it inspected elsewhere since he has already seen the Apexi DP and would recognize it. Maybe I should buy an ebay catless pipe for cheap and modify it have a casing on it? I don't really know the laws regarding after 15 days when the rejection sticker expires, but this would not get fixed in 15 days if I did that, as my uncle has my whole stock exhaust in No VA.

 

[donniekak]

I had a 3" magnaflow high flow cat installed on my gvr4 for $150.

 

[lacroixdp]

Anyway I have a stock cat that I want to modify to fit this whole mess, and I did think of your solution (welding it over top of the Apexi). Its worth a try to save all that money, but I'd have to get it inspected elsewhere since he has already seen the Apexi DP and would recognize it. Maybe I should buy an ebay catless pipe for cheap and modify it have a casing on it? I don't really know the laws regarding after 15 days when the rejection sticker expires, but this would not get fixed in 15 days if I did that, as my uncle has my whole stock exhaust in No VA.

It most certainly can't hurt to try. It's a hell of a lot cheaper than hacking apart your nice exhaust and sticking a crappy cat on there. Worst case - if you still fail, stick your stock exhaust on, then when you get your sticker go shove the nice exhaust back on

 

[Colt4G63 also]

Can't you just buy a universal cat for $60, and a pair of those wide strap type clamps that don't crimp the pipe, and just swap it in and back out once a year? That's what I would do if I was going to run my car without a cat ahem.

Carolina parts sells universal converters cheap, but if you have a budget discount parts house in your area, you could pick one up locally. I paid $50 for my 3" cat at World Discount auto parts in here in Buffalo NY last year.

They sell wide strap clamps at Napa, like this:

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[Maranello993]

I have an idea, if anyone has improvements or other ideas give me a post. Step 1: buy a cheap ebay DP, which is inevitably cat-delete. Step 2: get my cat back from No VA. Step 3: cut ebay pipe to fit the stock cat in. Step 4: place in car, inspect. you fill in the rest. This way I don't hack my precious Apexi GT DP, and I get a sticker. Also this is the cheapest option for an actual pipe. Some problems include the diameter of the catalytic converter and flanges, and finding a shop to do all this.

As for the universal cats, like the setup you suggest colt4g63, I would like to know what DP and how exactly it would all fit together. Keep in mind all I need is to fill the space between a tube o2 housing and a 3 inch (with flange) greddy evo 2 catback,

 

[knochgoon24]

Go to your exhaust shop and get a cheap 2.25-2.5" downpipe made out of the cheapest metal they have there. Get them to weld the cat inline and have them angle the flange on the DP so it fits your stock exhaust. Then, just install that.

Do you really need full performance on the way to and from the inspections place?

 

[donniekak]

Just get a good high flow cat welded in. I noticed no drop in performance after i had mine installed, and i was running a holset hx40 on the car at 26psi.

 

[tkelly27]

I would just put the whole stock thing back on. Free, fast, you know you'll pass, then as soon as you do, put whatever you want back on.

 

[Maranello993]

The stock exhaust is 300 or so miles away and rusted to hell. The axleback that goes over the suspension had to be cut to remove it, so it can't be re installed. And I plan on limping the car to the inspector with an exhaust that does nothing but pass, then limping home and putting the parts back on that fit together. My most pressing question is, should I go ahead and get an ebay DP that I will probably end up hacking, whether or not I use it with the stock cat or aftermarket?

 

[Colt4G63 also]

As for the universal cats, like the setup you suggest colt4g63, I would like to know what DP and how exactly it would all fit together. Keep in mind all I need is to fill the space between a tube o2 housing and a 3 inch (with flange) greddy evo 2 catback,

Not sure how it would all fit together, but as for what brand of downpipe, I only run Dayo's Garage pipes in my car.

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Actually quite a few of my parts are Dayo's Garage brand stuff. So far it's been working well for me.
~Dayo
Ps. These are the kind of clamps I spoke of.

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Drill an 1/8 inch hole in your pipes where they overlap, and stick a short roofing nail into the hole, then cover it with the clamp. This will ensure that you can take the pipes apart easily when you want, but they won't pull apart when your tires start hopping at the dragstrip.

 

[Defiant]

Jesus, it's just a bi*** having to follow some simple laws.

Keep the politics out.

If you're running an illegal setup -any modern car, and certainly any DSM without a catcon in this country- then you have nothing to complain about. Just fix it.

As for it having anything to do with communism, no. Go back to school. Jesus.