Installing Cats - Emission Test
03-06-2015, 01:00 AM
#1
New Member
Thread Starter
Installing Cats - Emission Test
I've always been looking around and reading here in the forum - glad to be finally writing something.
I am planning a purchase on a used 2004 Mazda RX-8 GT 6 Speed Manual, new motors at 59k, newly built transmission, a lot of replaced parts, well taken care of, the whole schbang.
The issue is seller is in a county that does not mandate inspections while I live in a county that requires annual inspections to renew tags. I've never seen inspectors do visual but this RX-8 has a Racing Beat delete pipe with resonator and the check engine light is on due to the O2 sensors being thrown off. (Isn't this illegal for the road?) Seller informed me the previous owner passed emissions just fine but I am thinking.. nope.
I figured I will just take that pipe off and put on catalytic converters so I am not freaking out every year trying to pass emissions and not having the check engine light on will be good for my peace of mind.
I have not yet seen the bottom of this car, so I have no idea if this delete pipe is welded or secured with clamps, and I am presuming I will be needing 2 catalytic converters - please correct me if I am wrong.
What I am trying to be cautious here is that I don't want to be biting off more than I can chew, especially if this project will require welding. I am a 22 year old Asian girl with no prior experience with exhausts or welding. I can electrically wire in things and have taken engine parts apart, drained fluid and what not on my Eclipse but that's about it.
If somebody could kindly give me a step to step process on what I'd need to do or have any opinions on the purchase I am considering - I'd appreciate every bit of experienced advice I can get. Thank you in advance.
I am planning a purchase on a used 2004 Mazda RX-8 GT 6 Speed Manual, new motors at 59k, newly built transmission, a lot of replaced parts, well taken care of, the whole schbang.
The issue is seller is in a county that does not mandate inspections while I live in a county that requires annual inspections to renew tags. I've never seen inspectors do visual but this RX-8 has a Racing Beat delete pipe with resonator and the check engine light is on due to the O2 sensors being thrown off. (Isn't this illegal for the road?) Seller informed me the previous owner passed emissions just fine but I am thinking.. nope.
I figured I will just take that pipe off and put on catalytic converters so I am not freaking out every year trying to pass emissions and not having the check engine light on will be good for my peace of mind.
I have not yet seen the bottom of this car, so I have no idea if this delete pipe is welded or secured with clamps, and I am presuming I will be needing 2 catalytic converters - please correct me if I am wrong.
What I am trying to be cautious here is that I don't want to be biting off more than I can chew, especially if this project will require welding. I am a 22 year old Asian girl with no prior experience with exhausts or welding. I can electrically wire in things and have taken engine parts apart, drained fluid and what not on my Eclipse but that's about it.
If somebody could kindly give me a step to step process on what I'd need to do or have any opinions on the purchase I am considering - I'd appreciate every bit of experienced advice I can get. Thank you in advance.
03-06-2015, 06:24 AM
#2
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
Welcome.
The OEM cat is a bolt on assembly with flanges and gaskets.
Most aftermarket cats won't hold up, the OEMs are around $1400.
A lot of us have midpipes with no cats.
I have a cheap Walker cat that I install just to pass inspection and take it off after, and use the Torque app fir Android to clear the CEL.
The OEM cat is a bolt on assembly with flanges and gaskets.
Most aftermarket cats won't hold up, the OEMs are around $1400.
A lot of us have midpipes with no cats.
I have a cheap Walker cat that I install just to pass inspection and take it off after, and use the Torque app fir Android to clear the CEL.
03-07-2015, 07:22 PM
#3
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
Anything new to report?
03-08-2015, 10:35 AM
#4
Welcome.
In the old days, people would recess the 2nd 02 sensor a bit to limit the gasses it sees. One of the old "anti foul" spark plug adapters would do the trick.
My current learning experience has me running a factory ECU with a factory tune. My cat, what my daughter left of it, is in the attic. I may have received one CEL 0420, but given the fact that I was decarboning the engine at the time, I think that one does not count. The mid-pipe I have is a home made one, but they used these types of threaded adapters for the o2 sensor when it was put together. If you can get one where the threads match, you might want to give it a try.
In the old days, people would recess the 2nd 02 sensor a bit to limit the gasses it sees. One of the old "anti foul" spark plug adapters would do the trick.
My current learning experience has me running a factory ECU with a factory tune. My cat, what my daughter left of it, is in the attic. I may have received one CEL 0420, but given the fact that I was decarboning the engine at the time, I think that one does not count. The mid-pipe I have is a home made one, but they used these types of threaded adapters for the o2 sensor when it was put together. If you can get one where the threads match, you might want to give it a try.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
dbarber
Series I Trouble Shooting
14
07-25-2015 01:34 PM
