Highest Flow Ceramic Catalytic Converters ?

[discopotato03]

Hi all , before I start I am NOT looking for cylindrical metal cored cats so please don't go there .

I have been searching for ceramic cat converters because I want a 3" one with a coated ceramic matrix . I want it to look like a cat because it IS a cat and it isn't needed for mega power - about 230-250 wheel Kw .

My GTS25T has had one for years and when I bought it there were two sizes of body basically big and small . The big one had a wider "biscuit" and would have been the higher flowing one of the two . I can't remember but it may have been a Catco .

Can anyone in the know point me towards the big style of oval ceramic cat with 3" fittings if they still exist .

I have not and WILL not use the shiny round cats because they are not legal and won't pass a road side inspection , something that attempts to look and smell like a real cat would and thats what I want .

Thanks in advance , cheers Adrian in Sydney .

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

what does a real cat smell like?

I have passed plenty of h/w road side inspections, even RTA testing centre I used to clear a defect didn't raise any concerns

this was with round catco 5" metal cat

[TiTAN]

have you thought about getting a used XR6 turbo cat?

[discopotato03]

They don't look like anything OE and I reckon if you'd done and emissions test it wouldn't pass .

I searched and eventually found what I was looking for which is a Catco 8007 . Big bastard at 7 point something litres and I thing 16 inches long . I think I remember the one on my R33 barely fitting between its direct fit flanges so if its can volume and biscuit frontal area are larger it should have less resistance to exhaust flow .

This is not where I found it , that was Sumit Racing , but if you scrol down to the cutaway pics on the left hand side you can see the differences .

http://www.catco.com.au/products.htm

Cheers A .

[Moodles2]

Catco last I looked were the only company who made cat converters that actually pass emissions and are have been certified by EPA testing. My car had a 2.25" Magnaflow compliance cat on it, compliance shop sure did a bodgy job on the flanges and cat temp sensor though.

[SargeRX8]

Pretty sure xforce make them, high flow in ceramic stock looking shape. But from what I've read, they are dick shit. Catco's are good. there is a company, Australian, metal cat, they make legal metal high flow cats.

[discopotato03]

The story I'm getting from exhaust people is that those metal cats don't look remotely like any OE or aftermarket replacement and that its up to the vehicles owner to prove the emissions are legal . I think 99% of the time that if a cop or RTA inspector goes looking and finds what looks like a conventional cat and the exhaust doesn't smell acrid they'd be happy . I'm sure these larger body and matrix area ceramic cats are no major issue for the 220-230 Kw I'd like from my Evo and I don't think they are real dear to buy .

A .

[SargeRX8]

The story I'm getting from exhaust people is that those metal cats don't look remotely like any OE or aftermarket replacement and that its up to the vehicles owner to prove the emissions are legal . I think 99% of the time that if a cop or RTA inspector goes looking and finds what looks like a conventional cat and the exhaust doesn't smell acrid they'd be happy . I'm sure these larger body and matrix area ceramic cats are no major issue for the 220-230 Kw I'd like from my Evo and I don't think they are real dear to buy .

A .

My old car ran a gutted cat, I had no idea, it really didn't smell any different to my current car when it was with the stock cat or the metal cat. The RTA/Police are not legally able to dismantle your car on the street, they will have no idea if you have a piped, gutted stock cat, unless you're shooting flames.

Edited March 5, 2012 by SargeRX8

[sydking]

I've always thought they could temp test your cat, if its not hot then It's obvioulsly punched out.

[scotty nm35]

Its not like the cat glows red hot at idle, on the dyno sure but there's no way an infra-red temp gun would pick up much difference on the side of the road. I have heard stories of cops sliding fiberglass rods up the exhaust to check the core is still in place but they couldnt fine you as it may have just fallen out.

I made 230kw on a rubbish 2.5 inch dump and small ceramic cat. (although that was on e85) Im sure a large body ceramic cat would flow what the OP wants it to.

I would just fit a $150 100cpsi metal cat.

[Birds]

Get an X-Force cat, they flow fine and <$200.

[sydking]

Its not like the cat glows red hot at idle, on the dyno sure but there's no way an infra-red temp gun would pick up much difference on the side of the road. I have heard stories of cops sliding fiberglass rods up the exhaust to check the core is still in place but they couldnt fine you as it may have just fallen out.

I made 230kw on a rubbish 2.5 inch dump and small ceramic cat. (although that was on e85) Im sure a large body ceramic cat would flow what the OP wants it to.

I would just fit a $150 100cpsi metal cat.

Wouldent be glowing red, But i would think a temp gun on a punched cat would be alot cooler then a Complied Cat. The CAT in theroy should also be hotter then the rest of the piping back to the exit.

I would also think the only way you'd get pinched is a Road side inspection bay......Stand DECCA emmisions test you would just swap to a std cat, Though even then they would only test for what the Notice is for, Though i vaguely remember him checking the temp of my cat

[rob82]

have you thought about getting a used XR6 turbo cat?

That's what I would have suggested. And they will totally pass an emissions test the bf cats are euro4 compliant. Get bf cat it flows more than the ba but you may need to weld some flanges onto it to make it work.