Looking for opinions on cat converters/y-pipe??

[CT77]

I have a '02 Camaro SS with 52k on the clock. The annoying P0420 code keeps coming on. I've replaced both up/down O2 sensors with no luck. Stays off for awhile, pops back on. Obviously the cat is going to hell. (With 52k miles!!) Here is my questions...The car is basically stock with the exception of a SLP lid, GMMG cat back and Frost tune. I don't want to put headers on. Do I get a high flow cats, stock cats, or magnaflow makes a direct replacement?? Maybe a catted Y that would bolt directly to the factory manifolds? Should I put an ORY on while I'm under there? I know it wont make a big difference, but hate the fact that the factory Y is flat. Just looking for idea's. Pretty frustrated with it right now. Between this issue and I'm pretty sure the oil pan is leaking... I know nearly everybody just puts headers on, eliminates the cats and tunes out the rear O2's, but hoping there is somebody out there that thinks like me. Ha! It's my daily. Thanks in advance to any help/opinions.

[landstuhltaylor]

I could never justify spending any money on the stock exhaust. Honestly at that point I would just gut them and either get it tuned or deal with the light. The right way would be whatever universal or vehicle specific replacement you can find cheap.

[CT77]

I could never justify spending any money on the stock exhaust. Honestly at that point I would just gut them and either get it tuned or deal with the light. The right way would be whatever universal or vehicle specific replacement you can find cheap.

It's not 100% stock...GMMG. Haha! Trying to get out of this fairly inexpensive. Not gonna gut them...it will sound and smell like crap. Too picky to "deal" with the light. Tuning them out ignores the issue, plus if it's plugging up, it's gotta hurt performance. Just hoping somebody has come across something I'm missing online. Plus, others opinions on the situation never hurts. Thanks for your input.

[MP81]

Straight pipe, and have the light tuned out.

A high-flow will set the code off half the time anyway.

[CT77]

Straight pipe, and have the light tuned out.

A high-flow will set the code off half the time anyway.

Good to know about the high flows. Thanks.

[PewterPan]

most aftermarket cats are cheaply made and don't hold up too well from what I understand.

OEM cats are expensive and you might as well use the money for an upgrade instead...this is why most people think to go to longtubes, ORY, and tune out the O2s.

As someone who's done it, it doesn't smell nearly as bad as you think and wouldn't be overwhelmingly loud for a DD imo.

[farmington]

There has to be tons of people who have removed their stock exhausts. Try to find original but used cats

[landstuhltaylor]

Most of them probably sold them to scrappers

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[birdie2000]

That must be the case because I've been casually looking for a good driver's cat for the last 6 months to no avail.

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[CT77]

That must be the case because I've been casually looking for a good driver's cat for the last 6 months to no avail.

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Same here.

[CT77]

After talking to one of my friends tonight who is a mechanic, I think I might go with a y pipe with the high flow cats built in. Eliminate the rear O2's (send it back to Frost and have them tuned out) and roll with that. There are a few companies that build them to bolt to the stock manifolds. Just hope the GMMG doesn't get all raspy on me.

[MP81]

After talking to one of my friends tonight who is a mechanic, I think I might go with a y pipe with the high flow cats built in. Eliminate the rear O2's (send it back to Frost and have them tuned out) and roll with that. There are a few companies that build them to bolt to the stock manifolds. Just hope the GMMG doesn't get all raspy on me.

If you're eliminating the rear O2s, it's really not worth the extra cost to then also install cats.

[CT77]

If you're eliminating the rear O2s, it's really not worth the extra cost to then also install cats.

I agree, but doing it to cut down on the smell and to hopefully help the exhaust not sound raspy or drone.

[MP81]

I agree, but doing it to cut down on the smell and to hopefully help the exhaust not sound raspy or drone.

I've never noticed any kind of unpleasant smell from an exhaust without cats. The only time it smells bad is when you have a cat and run far too rich (causing the rotten egg smell - and eventually clogging the cat).

My IROC didn't have one and it smelled fine. A lot of the cars on the site don't have them and smell fine too. You'll get a little extra rasp, but it's a V8, so it's plenty all right. Not like it's a four cylinder where rasp = the devil.

[DanDalessandro]

I have two cats in my house and let me tell you the smell where their litter box is, is very unpleasant.

I dont run cats on my car, no bad or fowl smells.