how much do you gain (if you do) and how harmfull to the engine if i redu the exhuast with out the cat and only a muffler?since my last outting my exhuast has changed in tone and have lost some power all most sounds like the cat is clogged up when i rev up.

From my experience with motors in general... not Zuks in general...  and I have a lot... trust me.


You don't need the cat.. but there are stiff fines in most states if you plan to street it... not sure about the laws for trail rigs..


but to answer your question.. you won't hurt a thing. Engines don't like to have to breath through cats.. performance gains will be minimal, and don't go too big with your exhaust, these little engines DO like some back pressure, but a full length exhaust with a decent muffler will be fine. 

It is very possible that your catalyst has collasped, I have had that happen several times on several cars, and seen it on many many more.  if you can remove it, you can sometimes ram a pry bar down in there, break up the honey comb and get it out and just run the shell... but it's a pain...


I had that dilemma this week too, my down pipe on my tracky was toast... and all the muffler thief shops wanted $400 plus for the part.. so I was going headers to custom exhaust with universal converter.. but I found a Magnaflow downpipe/converter on Ebay for $150... so I ordered it.. AutoZone has them for $137.. I trust the Magnflow name... but to be honest, they are probably equal...    I decided against the header...  I hate header leaks... but now, am second guessing my decision... lol... but it's done. I won't change it at this point....

My Tracker has no cat and a stock(ish) muffler.  Prior owner had it clog and just cut it out and welded in a section of pipe in it's place.  It's a bit louder than my last Tracker with a cat and muffler and ran fine until the head gasket went.

If I had to do it I'd get a modern cat (not the old brick style ones from the 80's that these things probably came new with) put on and a high flow muffler like a cherry bomb.  That'd flow nicely.  If I needed all new pipe I'd do the same but with 2" pipe all the way.

thnx just went out side and ran the sami for a minute and i think there is crack on the top side of the cat. there is more air comeing out of it than my tailpipe

my track is cat less and 2 inch straight to a higher flowing muffler....it stinks.....

the sound is nice and the power was more in my head I think......the header would probably make the big difference but the sound is nice.

You can only exhale as much as you breathe in Mine has had the head ported/polished/milled, high flow intake, Calmini cam & header. I'm running that into a 2.5" cat-less exhaust with a dynomax muffler.

I wouldn't fool with the fines for running cat-less on the street.  My buddy got RAPED by NJ for not having a CAT.  Plus the pigs towed his Truck.  A nice high flow CAT cotst next to nothing on e-bay and could be clamped in if you don't have a welder.

example:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Eastern-2-25-Catalytic-Converter-High-Flow_W0QQitemZ8028259518QQcategoryZ33629QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem 

Trust me, it beats paying four figures for the fines and BS.  Besides, if you increase the CAT side and upgrade the exhaust behind it to 2" along w/ a header, you'll get just about the same "seat of the pants" power increase as you would w/o a CAT.

I wouldn't fool with the fines for running cat-less on the street.  My buddy got RAPED by NJ for not having a CAT.  Plus the pigs towed his Truck.  A nice high flow CAT cotst next to nothing on e-bay and could be clamped in if you don't have a welder.

example:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Eastern-2-25-Catalytic-Converter-High-Flow_W0QQitemZ8028259518QQcategoryZ33629QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem 

Trust me, it beats paying four figures for the fines and BS.  Besides, if you increase the CAT side and upgrade the exhaust behind it to 2" along w/ a header, you'll get just about the same "seat of the pants" power increase as you would w/o a CAT.

Heh, that fine is exactly why I keep a cat on my vehicles.  Buddy of mine from HS had a '85 Chevy half ton that he restorified about 8 years ago.  All shiney and nice paint, big lift, rebuilt 350, LOUD true dual exhaust with no cats, and he was just waiting on the money to get some 38" Swampers.  He was driving it around on the 31's it had before and one day decides to do a smoke show for some friends at a light.  Unfortunately for him the cop around the corner saw this and pulled him over.  Mr Officer Man decided to pull out the rule book and went over his truck with a fine toothed comb and found the cat-less dual exhaust.  Yep, got a nice Federal Fine, a couple local tickets, and had to go get it out of the impound.
He didn't get those 38's for another year and a half.

Exactly....  I don't mess with the fines myself..


The Magnaflow downpipe and Cat... with a high flow muffler, and 2 inch back to the bumper.. Love mine now...  quietish cruising, but mat it, up a hill and it picks up a tuner note that sounds just fine...   and good to the enviornment, and cool with ALL 49 states (cali don't count!)

cat.. we don't need no stinkin cats!!!!!   oh yah i live in the redneck part of canada where the motto is  LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES  ....lol

cat.. we don't need no stinkin cats!!!!!   oh yah i live in the redneck part of canada where the motto is  LOUD PIPES SAVE LIVES  ....lol

Heheheh...we're practically neighbors...and I used to live/work in Lacombe

Quote from: truckasaurus44 on January 13, 2006, 10:31:26 AM

I wouldn't fool with the fines for running cat-less on the street.  My buddy got RAPED by NJ for not having a CAT.  Plus the pigs towed his Truck.  A nice high flow CAT cotst next to nothing on e-bay and could be clamped in if you don't have a welder.

example:http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Eastern-2-25-Catalytic-Converter-High-Flow_W0QQitemZ8028259518QQcategoryZ33629QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem 

Trust me, it beats paying four figures for the fines and BS.  Besides, if you increase the CAT side and upgrade the exhaust behind it to 2" along w/ a header, you'll get just about the same "seat of the pants" power increase as you would w/o a CAT.

Heh, that fine is exactly why I keep a cat on my vehicles.  Buddy of mine from HS had a '85 Chevy half ton that he restorified about 8 years ago.  All shiney and nice paint, big lift, rebuilt 350, LOUD true dual exhaust with no cats, and he was just waiting on the money to get some 38" Swampers. He was driving it around on the 31's it had before and one day decides to do a smoke show for some friends at a light.  Unfortunately for him the cop around the corner saw this and pulled him over.  Mr Officer Man decided to pull out the rule book and went over his truck with a fine toothed comb and found the cat-less dual exhaust.  Yep, got a nice Federal Fine, a couple local tickets, and had to go get it out of the impound.
He didn't get those 38's for another year and a half.

  To be honest ... If the guy was stupid enough do do a "smoke show" on public streets he deserves to be ticked... There is a time and a place for such foolishness and on public roads is NOT IT

Hey, I said he was a buddy, not a genius.   ;)  He also runs 40's on half ton axles now and thinks 4.56's are DEEP gears far to deep for daily driver use.