how to tell a clogged cat.

JWMX3 · Post by **JWMX3** » February 13th, 2006, 2:53 pm

I took my stock cat converter off and if I hold it up to light i can just barely see a little haze through the other end... Is that normal,clogged? or would clogged be no light at all...... i just want to know weather I should toss this thing in the scrap and get a new one, or if its still half assed functional

i did pass e-test with it a few months ago but had to replace my 02 sensors

JWMX3 · Post by **JWMX3** » February 13th, 2006, 8:05 pm

I think I'll go with a test pipe instead

nothing higher flow then that

fieromx3 · Post by **fieromx3** » February 13th, 2006, 8:09 pm

ummmm since u live in ontario i dont reccomend that if anything just hollow the kat out cops will look under the car and if u got no kat that will be a hefty fine........dont take the chance its definitly not worth the ticket

JWMX3 · Post by **JWMX3** » February 13th, 2006, 8:20 pm

when are cops going to look underneith my car ? i figure i dont have another E -test for 2 years so i'll get a cat when the time comes

markmclean · Post by **markmclean** » February 15th, 2006, 9:48 am

well, unfortunately now johnny law is using thermal imaging and high spped cams at intersections to tell if youre running cats. the thermo registers high heat and the camera snaps your license plate. if the car registered to the plate is registering heat outside where it should, you get a ticket. in answer to your question, if the monolithic honeycombs are blocked, this is no good. next you would see cracking in the matrix. this is not uncommon if your o2 sensors were bad. Magnaflow makes a high-flow cat that is pretty reasonably priced

mx3autozam · Post by **mx3autozam** » February 15th, 2006, 12:36 pm

Don't risk it. When i had my escort i had a header and a test pipe and I planned on egtting a cat in time for the e test. Unfortunaltly they have the rightto pull you over and take you to a facility taht is operated by teh MTO and they check everything. ie, lowered cars, if any tires are rubbing or wearing because of camber issues. they will get ya on that. Any lights that are illegal. They nailed be for no cat which was $380 ticket. My ebrake was siezed and they gave me $110 for that. And my front bumper never had a plate because someone ahd hit the bumper and it was broken. So I put my plate in the window untill I coul;d fix it. And just because the car had no cat. They took the plates and I had to get the car towed to my home and i could get my plates back after i got a safety and e test. I suggest running a cat. Even if you hollow it out It will look like theres a cat there. But I think they can tell if irts hollow or not. Just go with a Magnaflow. I got one for the esxhaust on my mx3 which i'm doing soon, and its $79.99 at canadian tire.

John

fieromx3 · Post by **fieromx3** » February 15th, 2006, 9:43 pm

did u get stopped by that police blitz at vital motion meet that one day john? is that where it happened?

Devlin · Post by **Devlin** » February 15th, 2006, 10:34 pm

JWMX3 wrote:when are cops going to look underneith my car ? i figure i dont have another E -test for 2 years so i'll get a cat when the time comes

Actually b4 i got my ZE put in, my muffler was rotting away (it was loud) and the cops didn't catch me for speeding, so they asked to see under my hood (stock...i knew i was off) but the other guy was actually on his knees looking under my car

get a hiflow.....

fieromx3 · Post by **fieromx3** » February 15th, 2006, 11:25 pm

yea now that i remember with my stanza my exhaust was loud (rustinf off) the cops pulled me over gave me a ticket (what a kool way to start my very first day with my g2 lol) and the looked under my car for a kat..... get a hi flo its worth it

JWMX3 · Post by **JWMX3** » February 16th, 2006, 12:08 am

Thanks everybody for lending your experiences

if i can find 79.99 worth of change in my couch cushions I'll get a cat.

what kind of world do we live in when you have to spend money to LOSE horsepower ???

is this a communist country ?
damn you canadian government
damn you ontario
damn you all to bloody HELL

time for my pill and its straight to bed !