[ron1688]

With all the hassle of getting the car to pass smog in Cali or removing and putting back the OEM every 2 years, I have decided to remove the RS Barn headers and high flow cat in favor of the OEM system. I dont know how much of a difference it will make but oh well... Any one interested in the parts, they are now For Sale.

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[flash]

that is a problem - i got lucky and found a guy who didn't care, but only because i had the factory cat welded in there



i had a couple of guys asking me about mine when i sold it - i'll dig up their emails and send you their info

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[blue968]

HI Ron,



I just sent you a pm



Thanks

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[TWR]

Hi, Message to FLASH, I can't PM you for some reason?



Maybe something to do with newbie member?



looking at all your experience on this subject, it seems RSB header, and system is the best way to go, does this include a sport cat or not?



I've just picked up a 2nd hand OE cat section pipe with the intention of removing the core and effectively having a decat pipe, but looking at all the threads and your R&D it seems this is a waste of time. Also it looks like remnoving the rear box with some pipes has more of an effect ? Like you I'm also looking for lower end grunt and torque, and not an extra 5 bhp at 6000rpm!

My car has done 137,000 miles and runs well, but does feel a little slugish off the line and up to 4000rpm, I've done the airbox mod, and have the RSB Chip, which produced a good difference in the midrange, I'm just going through the motor changing the dizzy, rotor, leads, plugs etc.....and was looking to take off the cat as most cars respond to this. But as you mentioned in several threads the 968 exhaust is a different animal! Have you tried no cat with a stronger resistance rear box to keep the back pressure?

Do you know if the OE rear box is straight through or quite baffled?

Regards, Roger

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[94SilverCab]

Send Flash E-mail, not PM (I think he disabled them), or give Pete at RS Barn a call (see banner for link).



Jay

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[flash]

yes, the header is the easiest way to gain power - i don't know if it works on right hand drive cars or not - contact pete at rs barn on that



i have indeed tried a number of cats - i found that the OEM cat worked best up against the header - i gained low end torque, though it cost me a couple of the upper end horsepower i had gained with the high flow



none of the high flow cats passed emissions testing



switching to the header will also involve a new chip, but pete does an upgrade path on that

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[TWR]

[quote name='flash' timestamp='1298645306' post='105596']

yes, the header is the easiest way to gain power - i don't know if it works on right hand drive cars or not - contact pete at rs barn on that



i have indeed tried a number of cats - i found that the OEM cat worked best up against the header - i gained low end torque, though it cost me a couple of the upper end horsepower i had gained with the high flow



none of the high flow cats passed emissions testing



switching to the header will also involve a new chip, but pete does an upgrade path on that

[/quote]



Ok, thanks,

I'll check out the right hand drive question for sure with RSB, and if it's ok before I consider this route, have you or anyone you know tried a free flow cat or the OE one with a different rear box?



Only I read on here somewhere, someone took off the rear box and it was a little noiser but not that bad, and hence added it didn't really do that much sound reducing. So with the thought that a decat test pipe could be used, and the thought that a more restrictive rear box could be fitted, would this possibly retain the backpressure and torque?



Most cars respond well when the standard rear box is changed to a less restrictive straight through design, What about fitting a Supertrapp with the changable discs so you can tune the backpressure ?



This is all aimed at me gutting out the core on the OE Cat, and then fitting a different rear box or straight pipes or smaller cherry bomb silencers to attempt to retain some backpressure and torque?



It's all hyperthetical of course, and if anybody has messed with this before with good or bad results I'd be keen to find out what happened?



There is a simple "flap" like throttle valve available for exhausts, which could be activated at a set RPM, maybe this could be partially closed until 3800RPM and then fully opened ready for 4000RPM ++





Regards, Roger

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[flash]

i have tried 4 different free flow cats and 8 different mufflers - pete has tried at least as many



i would spend some time reading the threads about exhaust on this site - there is an entire section dedicated to it, and already a lot of information here that will answer most of your questions



back on topic to the original posters subject now, if you can work it out, and add the OEM cat back in, you may be able to find somebody like i did that will ignore the header itself - while it does not have a CARB number, and is not technically legal, it has all of the features of the factory exhaust, and if you have the right chip in there, it would have the tuning to make it pass the emissions test - mine did with flying colors

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[TWR]

[quote name='ron1688' timestamp='1298436565' post='105479']

With all the hassle of getting the car to pass smog in Cali or removing and putting back the OEM every 2 years, I have decided to remove the RS Barn headers and high flow cat in favor of the OEM system. I dont know how much of a difference it will make but oh well... Any one interested in the parts, they are now For Sale.

[/quote]



Sorry Ron, for crashing your thread! was my only solution to ask the Flash a question and whilst relevant on exhausts and cats!



Have you sold the parts now?



Regards,

Roger

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[flwbyu]

I have the whole RS Barn cat back system with the high flow catalytic converter and stage II chip. I have never had a problem with emissions tests here in Phoenix, AZ. Must be lucky. I believe the key to passing the inspection is tuning.

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[ron1688]

To bypass the issue, my car has a Nevada registration and it passes smog in Nevada without any issues. It will not pass a California Smog test with the high flow Cat. It will fail the NOX part of the test and of course, if you have someone that knows these cars, it will not pass the visual inspections because of the lack of a CARB certification. It is just a hassle for me to either register the car back in California and remove and install the system every other year of drive to Reno or Vegas to get a smog test. I am sure I would still be happy with the car without the system, especially since I have the Lotus to satisfy any inkling when it comes to horses and such.



The only real question now is how motivated I am to take care of this myself or having a shop do it...so laaaaaaaaaazy. I guess I better go ahead and order new gaskets..maybe that will get me off my ass and take care of it

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[rl968]

In NJ, we can register our cars as collector vehicles. You are limited in the number of miles you can drive in a year to 3000, which they will check, no emissions or inspection required for this tag so changing the exhaust is not an issue.

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[flash]

i think i would just weld in an OEM cat and locate somebody who won't do a visual on the header - if you had the heat shield in there, they really couldn't see it anyway

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[DaveN]

Excellent subliminal sales pitch <img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/wink.gif" class="smilie" alt="" /><img src="/forum/images/smilies/968/laugh.gif" class="smilie" alt="" />

I'm buying futures in D1R as we speak!

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[flash]

lol - too funny - but seriously, i'm trying to figure out how to close down, or at least peel back, so that probably wouldn't be the best investment

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[ron1688]

Thanks Bob for the suggestion, contacted Parts Heaven today for a Cat and will try that route first.

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[ron1688]

Well took the oem cat and had it welded to the RSbarn headers..I am still up in the air whether I like the new sound it's making... On the positive side, it did pass the Cali smog test. I guess the headers are staying...

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[flash]

and there ya go

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