Ok so I'm thinking of getting a midpipe and i know BHR is the way to go. However since I live in California smog check/emissions are strict as hell. I know BHR has an option of adding a cat and won't trigger a cel but does anyone know the sound difference between BHRs catted vs noncatted? Is it gonna be close to stock? I have a greddy catback exhaust right now.

 

Ray is probably going to be one of the only people that can answer this question. Have you sent him an email?

The catless is slightly louder than stock at idle and slightly deeper. At cruise it's about the same as stock. At WOT, it's clearly louder than stock, but same tone. If not for the smell, most people would be hard pressed to tell the difference from stock.

I have no idea how the catted version changes this.

 

I haven't heard of any aftermarket cat on 8 pass CA smog yet...fyi

 

Yeah I have but in the meantime I was wondering if anyone else on here knew. I tried YouTube but those videos don't do any of it justice. Always sounds different in real life. But yeah that's what I'm going for. Not too loud and/or raspy.

What really is the purpose of a cat then besides no cel? sorry, I'm a car noob. if it doesn't pass, I might as well get the catless version then. please enlighten me...

 

The cat element strips hydrocarbons from the exhaust stream. Without a cat, the sniffer test will show excessive emissions and you will fail. Aftermarket cats are generally not good enough to clean up the very dirty exhaust of an RX-8 enough to pass a sniffer test. There is a reason the factory cat costs $1,300.

 

Then are there any advantages of bhr's catted version... besides no cel? But you're right, I think the guys at BHR will certainly know more about this subject. I'm just waiting for his email. Thanks RIWWP

 

Less fumes/odor from the tail pipe mainly. It IS better emissions, just not really good enough for a sniffer test.

 

Wow i have the greddy exaust as well. its a little loud but not bad. When just crusin. it can be annoying but it sure adds to the fun when getting on it. I was tossing around getting a midpipe but don't want it any louder was more thinking i don't want to deal with a failed cat. I am at 40k now so hoppefully it will be awhile. How do you make the cel go away and stay away and would doing so potentialy hide any or cause any other problems