Cat. Converter Removal ?
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Member
Joined: Apr 2006
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From: Fort Laud.
Cat. Converter Removal ?
I know there are 4-5 cat. converters on the 3.0L...way to damn many! Cant they all be removed except the last big one before the muffler? Now that my truck is out of warranty,what can happen...an oxygen sensor light comes on? Or service engine light comes on,pull the fuse! I mean they have to be strangling the engine. Will it run better without 3-4 of them,or will it screw up the computer and its not worth the trouble? There has to be a way to get some power out of this slug and hopefully a few more miles per gallon to! So..what might happen,has anyone done it?
RF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,623
Likes: 6
From: Kennett Square, PA
Not if you have emissions testing. Ford makes the catalyst more effiecient and less restrictive by stringing them out. The small early ones are called "preheaters" and they help heat up the exhaust (catalytic reaction makes heat) for the big main cat.
Besides being illegal to remove them, you are dumping more pollution in the air irresponsibly, and obtaining VERY little benefit for the result.
Emission laws are getting tougher, so what passes today might not next month.
Best if you leave them alone and concentrate on a good muffler and intake system. There's PLENTY of flow through the exhaust for our very small 6 cylinder with just a muffler change. You can't get much out of a 3.0 without forced induction, nitrous, and/or a programmer or chip.
You have a small engine -- live with it. I have a 3.0 also, so I'm not making fun of you!
You can do the MAF mod, which is documented on my Cardomain site in my signature. That does hslp a surprising amount. The 3.0 intake system is pretty restrictive.
Besides being illegal to remove them, you are dumping more pollution in the air irresponsibly, and obtaining VERY little benefit for the result.
Emission laws are getting tougher, so what passes today might not next month.
Best if you leave them alone and concentrate on a good muffler and intake system. There's PLENTY of flow through the exhaust for our very small 6 cylinder with just a muffler change. You can't get much out of a 3.0 without forced induction, nitrous, and/or a programmer or chip.
You have a small engine -- live with it. I have a 3.0 also, so I'm not making fun of you!
You can do the MAF mod, which is documented on my Cardomain site in my signature. That does hslp a surprising amount. The 3.0 intake system is pretty restrictive.
It is illegal. A lot of engineering time goes into making everything work together for the best combination of emission compliance, fuel economy and power. Bolting on a random collection of parts isn't likely to improve power or economy but it will surely increase emissions.
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,400
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From: Wyoming MN
Originally Posted by rolla_guy72
But what if you removed the entire exhaust system, and took a pipe from each header then added a cat to each side and a glasspack or muffler towards the end? Would that still be legal??
Now why you would do this to a new truck, I have no idea? I didn't have any benefit to doing the after market Cat in my Caddy other then it was resoring the exhaust to legal status. I have seen High flow cats on line but I have read that they add little to nothing to your performance, as well as costing an arm and a leg.
~HJ
RF Veteran
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 10,623
Likes: 6
From: Kennett Square, PA
Really, there are a couple of issues to be brought into perspective. Let me "checklist" it.
1. An adequate exhaust IS essential to getting maximum performance.
2. The pipe size on our Rangers is not unduly small for their displacement.
3. Ford's cats are designed not to be restrictive.
4. The 3.0 is a very small engine, with a correspondlingly low requirement for exhaust flow. This is probably the most important point -- it's just a waste of time to try to get any real performance gain from removing the cats.
5. The catalyst efficiency monitor will throw a code if you change the system out of specifications. Late model PCM's are more difficult to "fool" about this test also.
6. It's illegal to tamper with the emissions. Some of you "rebels" don't care about that, but it's still something to consider.
7. Anything you do to make your truck pollute more makes you part of a bigger problem with fossil fuels in general. Now, a truck that is only used periodically for racing or offroading can be an exception to that to some extent -- but it's still irresponsible to pollute.
Add it all up, and it makes no sense to remove them. Even if you have a vehicle which isn't hitting "peak performance" due to exhaust restriction, one questions why the social responsibility piece doesn't apply.
People have used NOS and superchargers on vehicles with cats and gotten incredible results -- indicating that cat removal is not necessary to make big HP.
1. An adequate exhaust IS essential to getting maximum performance.
2. The pipe size on our Rangers is not unduly small for their displacement.
3. Ford's cats are designed not to be restrictive.
4. The 3.0 is a very small engine, with a correspondlingly low requirement for exhaust flow. This is probably the most important point -- it's just a waste of time to try to get any real performance gain from removing the cats.
5. The catalyst efficiency monitor will throw a code if you change the system out of specifications. Late model PCM's are more difficult to "fool" about this test also.
6. It's illegal to tamper with the emissions. Some of you "rebels" don't care about that, but it's still something to consider.
7. Anything you do to make your truck pollute more makes you part of a bigger problem with fossil fuels in general. Now, a truck that is only used periodically for racing or offroading can be an exception to that to some extent -- but it's still irresponsible to pollute.
Add it all up, and it makes no sense to remove them. Even if you have a vehicle which isn't hitting "peak performance" due to exhaust restriction, one questions why the social responsibility piece doesn't apply.
People have used NOS and superchargers on vehicles with cats and gotten incredible results -- indicating that cat removal is not necessary to make big HP.
Unregistered User
Posts: n/a
Plagerism.. Good evening John 
They sniffer checked my truck this past month. I was given some hassle by the dealership doing my NYS ' safety ' inspection as I have aftermarket O2 sensors. I had 2 choices given to me
1.) put the factory sensors or equivlent back on.. or..
2.) Fail the inspection and have to have my vehical flat bedded back to my facilities.
I chose option 3.
3.) Talked to the GM of West Herr Ford whom then had them run their tests with what was on there. It passed ( barely ), but that doesn't mean anyone can get away with knowing the GM of a dealership.
Theoretically speaking, I was given a HUGE break and I need to address what happened before next years inspection. ANY ' green ' station in NYS will have the right to fail a vehical and pull its tags by the fall of 2007. Your given 90 days to resolve any and all issues and then a re-ionspection takes place. Fines and even having the vehicle impounded can be ' punishments ' ( for a lack of better terms ) places on the owner.
Theres talks of a ' crusher ' law as well.
I upgraded as I don't have the factory ' returnless ' fuel system and sometimes don't have the factory ECM in the mix <shrug> dunno what I'm going to do.
[quotye]
7. Anything you do to make your truck pollute more makes you part of a bigger problem with fossil fuels in general. Now, a truck that is only used periodically for racing or offroading can be an exception to that to some extent -- but it's still irresponsible to pollute.[/quote]
Agreed. I wish there was a way for less emissions with more power, I sincerely do.
Even if one put on a whipple for their 3.0 and removed ALL of the exhaust, your not going to break 300hp. 3.0L= less then 200cid. If one makes 250hp out of it, thats nothing to be ashamed of.
Originally Posted by n3elz
Really, there are a couple of issues to be brought into perspective. Let me "checklist" it.
5. The catalyst efficiency monitor will throw a code if you change the system out of specifications. Late model PCM's are more difficult to "fool" about this test also.
5. The catalyst efficiency monitor will throw a code if you change the system out of specifications. Late model PCM's are more difficult to "fool" about this test also.
1.) put the factory sensors or equivlent back on.. or..
2.) Fail the inspection and have to have my vehical flat bedded back to my facilities.
I chose option 3.
3.) Talked to the GM of West Herr Ford whom then had them run their tests with what was on there. It passed ( barely ), but that doesn't mean anyone can get away with knowing the GM of a dealership.
Theoretically speaking, I was given a HUGE break and I need to address what happened before next years inspection. ANY ' green ' station in NYS will have the right to fail a vehical and pull its tags by the fall of 2007. Your given 90 days to resolve any and all issues and then a re-ionspection takes place. Fines and even having the vehicle impounded can be ' punishments ' ( for a lack of better terms ) places on the owner.
Theres talks of a ' crusher ' law as well.
6. It's illegal to tamper with the emissions. Some of you "rebels" don't care about that, but it's still something to consider.
[quotye]
7. Anything you do to make your truck pollute more makes you part of a bigger problem with fossil fuels in general. Now, a truck that is only used periodically for racing or offroading can be an exception to that to some extent -- but it's still irresponsible to pollute.[/quote]
Agreed. I wish there was a way for less emissions with more power, I sincerely do.
People have used NOS and superchargers on vehicles with cats and gotten incredible results -- indicating that cat removal is not necessary to make big HP.
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Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Plantation, FL
I have one high flow cat on my ranger. My exhaust is full 3 inch and it has good back-pressure. I got a 13hp gain on the dyno. As long as it isnt a flex fuel then you shouldnt have a problem.....but if you remove them all you will need a "fake out" for your after catalyst O2 sensor.
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