Driving Without Cats

[JRA2000TL]

Got a question. There's a certain very cheap SHO I found today for sale about 350 miles away; the only problem is the cats were bad, so the guy removed them and scrapped them.

What kind of risk would I impose if I bought this vehicle and drove it all the way home? I found a catted Y on Ebay for $270. He says it's loud as **** (obviously) and he wouldn't risk driving it back that far.

The other problem--about 10 people have called about the car and he's sure it will be gone by this weekend anyhow; so it may be nothing to mess with. The car is a **** of a steal; owned by an old lady, exc. cond.

 

[Bob Gervais]

Just IMHO, but if it were me I'd only want one SHO that needed work at a time.

That being said, cats are horrible drivers. They can't reach the pedals and steering wheel at the same time, so it's either throttle or steer. I wouldn't want a cat deciding that for me, and honestly I think you could find a much better driving partner.

Or, if it's that good of a steal, buy it and have it transported. Chances are you could have it transported for a couple hundred bucks or so.

You're not gonna want to drive that thing 350 miles with an open exhaust.

 

[93rev2sev]

Cars didn't have cats for over 50 years. It'll be fine as long as there is some sort of pipe connected to the manifolds. Loud does not matter.

Bring earplugs.

 

[JRA2000TL]

Bring earplugs.

:laugh_ti:

Actually I don't think there are any pipes connected to the manifolds; that's the problem. The guy said he wouldn't risk driving it, I might "burn a valve". He said a cat for it was over $700, but I found one online for less than $300 on ebay. I asked him who he bought his parts from b/c $700 for a catted Y is outrageous for that car. He doesn't buy parts online, only from local places (that's his problem).

I think he owns a repair shop because he said he bought it from a customer, a little old lady. He said she burnt up the starter and dumped too much fuel into the cats, so they were clogged.

Car is in exc. shape otherwise. If 10 people have already called about the car, I highly doubt it would be there this weekend anyway. I would also attract unwanted attention on that drive home.

 

[93rev2sev]

Take your y-pipe off and bring it with you. Even if you drive in to an exhaust shop, it'll be cheap and fast to install.

 

[JRA2000TL]

Take your y-pipe off and bring it with you. Even if you drive in to an exhaust shop, it'll be cheap and fast to install.

I'd consider that if I call him back Sat or Sun and the car is still available. It's an ATX though....my car is a MTX and I don't have a factory Y. Mine was fabbed up by an exhaust shop....so I'm not sure it would work. He only wants $800 for the car.

 

[yamahaSHO]

I wouldn't run it without anything connected to the manifold. If cool air comes up the manifold quick enough after shut down, you are at a very high risk to warp a valve.

If you do bring a y-pipe, have a turn-down put on the end of it. There is a guy here that was running a y-pipe without anything on the end of it and the heat made its way up over the fuel tank and melted the fuel pump connector... I just happen to be driving it at the time.

Catalytic converters would not be of any worry.... Just put some straight pipes on it. I'm betting my cats have hollowed themselves out by now.

 

[AREA 91]

You will not hurt the engine driving with an open Y pipe.

I WOULD NOT drive it with just the exhaust manifolds!

 

[JRA2000TL]

Thanks for the quick responses everyone. I'm not getting my hopes up as I'm sure the car will be gone before I could even get up there. I am guessing the way he told me that he cut it straight off the manifold since our Ys include the cats....I'm betting he yanked the whole thing out and scrapped it.

My "homemade" 3rd grade ****** looking fabbed up Y from the 90 wouldn't work and I don't have another Y laying around at home, nor do I want to buy a $300 one "just in case". I might just be SOL with this car. Oh well it's in Atlanta so someone off here from ATL go grab it for a steal and throw a Y on it.

 

[93rev2sev]

ATX?!

Had I known that, I would not have wasted a post.

 

[elarm1]

I wouldn't drive anything without some kind of exhaust. ****, even lawnmowers have an exhaust pipe. Internal combustion without any muffler is loud on anything

 

[notbange]

I own an ATX SHO with a 3rd-grade looking catless ypipe on it (was like it when I bought it) and a completely hollow tuner muffler with turned up tips like you can buy at autozone, it's pretty raspy and loud, but it's no louder then a car that had a rusted through muffler or something, so there's little chance of being bothered by the police, just don't go flooring it all the time.

-Sam

 

[frosho]

I own an ATX SHO with a 3rd-grade looking catless ypipe on it (was like it when I bought it) and a completely hollow tuner muffler with turned up tips like you can buy at autozone, it's pretty raspy and loud, but it's no louder then a car that had a rusted through muffler or something, so there's little chance of being bothered by the police, just don't go flooring it all the time.

-Sam

Have you actually heard the Yamaha with no cat-back? It'll wake the comatose.

 

[SHOhopefull]

PSH, if you could make it across the state line, you'd be ok...AL=no emission inspection + all the no muffler Z71's in the state???

 

[bubba]

That would be 1 **** of a loud car! I remember when Eric's y-pipe went! He made Babies cry! 700 hundred, You can buy a performance y-pipe from fps, 500 bucks.... That doesn't make since... It's like wiping before for you ****!

 

[JRA2000TL]

Well I have a feeling the car will be gone asap, ATX or not, it's a good deal at that price if it's a clean car in/out and just needs a cat. After tearing into mine, 60ks aren't bad parts expense wise. You just need some time and a place to work.

Again, I highly doubt there area any pipes connected to the manifold, so if he cut them out....which he did...I'd be at risk of burning up a valve. Not a risk I want to take.

 

[elarm1]

Don't do it..... Think about your momma man!

 

[frosho]

Personally, I'd be more worried about setting the engine bay ablaze than messing up a valve. Hot exhaust gas + leaky oil seals = fire.

 

[Ashley_MTX]

Sigh, Babs beat me to the cat joke. Still, I say driving with cats is probably far more dangerous than driving without them...especially if they are the ones doing the driving.

Otherwise, I agree...find a MTX. Then worry.

 

[SHOtime2511]

when i built my exhaust system i ran my car with just the manifold and the first section of an = length Y on each bank.Its going to run like poo and you will be pulled over by the first cop that passes by,ask me how i know.