mackin Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 I got a recent CEL and when i had a mechanic run the codes it came in as a bad catylitic converter. I was quoted $800 for the fix. That number is out of control, so i got to thinking, why not just go to a custom exhaust shop and get 2.5" exhaust with a test pipe? Will a test pipe screw anything up on the millenia S or will it be pretty sick just with a CEL always? Anyone done a test pipe before? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveSter Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 You could just delete your cats get rid of the resonator put a nice muffler on it and do something called "sparkplug non-fouler mod" which would prevent your cel from coming back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackin Posted June 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 You could just delete your cats get rid of the resonator put a nice muffler on it and do something called "sparkplug non-fouler mod" which would prevent your cel from coming back on. hmm... tell me more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveSter Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f75/how-no...ler-mod-398390/ Here it is but for an srt-4. Its suppose to trick your O2 sensor into thinking everything is okay and your cats are working fine. And then the rest well you could always get a cheaper high flow catalytic with 2.5 inch to 2.5inch piping and get a custom exhaust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackin Posted June 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 http://www.srtforums.com/forums/f75/how-no...ler-mod-398390/ Here it is but for an srt-4. Its suppose to trick your O2 sensor into thinking everything is okay and your cats are working fine. And then the rest well you could always get a cheaper high flow catalytic with 2.5 inch to 2.5inch piping and get a custom exhaust. nice thanks. i'll keep that in mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 well for starters, its a bad idea, you can't run the car with a CEL as it will cause other issues, especially on the millenia, a number of people have reported the car being in a "safety mode" when any CEL is on for any reason if nothing eles you'll fail inspection. You have several options, the first would be an aftermarket replacement which might cost 200 installed another would be a custom 2.5" exhaust and a hiflow cat, I think my magnaflow was like 60 dollars or something, no test pipes though, go with a high quality muffler like remus and keep the resonator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackin Posted June 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 well for starters, its a bad idea, you can't run the car with a CEL as it will cause other issues, especially on the millenia, a number of people have reported the car being in a "safety mode" when any CEL is on for any reason if nothing eles you'll fail inspection. You have several options, the first would be an aftermarket replacement which might cost 200 installed another would be a custom 2.5" exhaust and a hiflow cat, I think my magnaflow was like 60 dollars or something, no test pipes though, go with a high quality muffler like remus and keep the resonator where can i get a hiflow cat on the cheap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveSter Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 The "spark plug non fouler mod" will work though, and having the cel on doesnt put the car in any "safe mode". If your state does not have emission laws screw the cat and just have an exhaust shop weld the flange onto the existing piping and have the mandrel bend 2.5 inch tubing into a good muffler like a magnaflow such as MTS's muffler which sounds just as nice and cost half the price as a remus. I think it sounds much better without the resonator, or you could get a good sounding resonator like a cherry bomb which gets rid of the high pitch frequencies and gives it a nice deep powerful sound when combined with a performance muffler. Look up videos of what it sounds like without the resonator on youtube. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt64341 Posted June 16, 2009 Report Share Posted June 16, 2009 I don't think there is any code for the main cat, it is probably for one of the precats (exhaust manifolds) which are very expensive to replace. If you have the code number it will help. The non-fouler trick will work fine and is by far the cheapest. Another option is headers, which would improve performance, but may cost almost as much as a new precat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackin Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 The "spark plug non fouler mod" will work though, and having the cel on doesnt put the car in any "safe mode". If your state does not have emission laws screw the cat and just have an exhaust shop weld the flange onto the existing piping and have the mandrel bend 2.5 inch tubing into a good muffler like a magnaflow such as MTS's muffler which sounds just as nice and cost half the price as a remus. I think it sounds much better without the resonator, or you could get a good sounding resonator like a cherry bomb which gets rid of the high pitch frequencies and gives it a nice deep powerful sound when combined with a performance muffler. Look up videos of what it sounds like without the resonator on youtube. well if having the check engine light on doesn't mess up the computer i guess i dont care if its on, right? I don't think there is any code for the main cat, it is probably for one of the precats (exhaust manifolds) which are very expensive to replace. If you have the code number it will help. The non-fouler trick will work fine and is by far the cheapest. Another option is headers, which would improve performance, but may cost almost as much as a new precat. this sounds just lovely. that might screw over my plans for a new exhaust. I was going to work with my dad to get it, i said that we should just use the money it would have cost to replace the cat and get a new exhaust, and i would pay for whatever extra it cost. doesn't look so good if it really is a precat. i'll have to go back and see what cat it was. thanks for the heads up. it would have been sweet to get the exhaust and everything and still have it effed up lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt64341 Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 If he quoted you $800, that would be about right for a precat and labor. The main cat would be about $200-$300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latinopikachu Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 oh yes, yes it does go into a safemode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveSter Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 Umm no, no it doesnt, CEL being on does not affect performance in any way besides what the cel is on there for. A cat efficiency code does not affect anything, if the cat itself is clogged then yes it will restict exhaust flow but most likely its not clogged. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackin Posted June 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 If he quoted you $800, that would be about right for a precat and labor. The main cat would be about $200-$300. FML, i wanted exhaust so bad. oh yes, yes it does go into a safemode ... how do you figure it's in safemode? can you really tell a difference? because i really cant. Umm no, no it doesnt, CEL being on does not affect performance in any way besides what the cel is on there for. A cat efficiency code does not affect anything, if the cat itself is clogged then yes it will restict exhaust flow but most likely its not clogged. why are there so many issues that everyone thinks the opposite on this site? lol does everyone just come up with their own opinions and state them as fact? *not directed at anyone in particular Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveSter Posted June 17, 2009 Report Share Posted June 17, 2009 The difference is im currently sudying Automotive Service Technology and work on cars everyday and am soon going to be A.S.E certified, yet BHR thinks he knows so much about a car he keeps in a bubble. Mackin, does your state have emission laws????? If not I would do what I had originally said, dont worry about the cats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackin Posted June 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 The difference is im currently sudying Automotive Service Technology and work on cars everyday and am soon going to be A.S.E certified, yet BHR thinks he knows so much about a car he keeps in a bubble. Mackin, does your state have emission laws????? If not I would do what I had originally said, dont worry about the cats. no there isn't any emissions testing. but does it REALLY matter if the check engine light comes on? like i honestly don't think the car is going to crawl into a corner and die because a cat is missing, but what do i know? also, what's with the argument over octane for the miller cycle? i use 92/93 always. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveSter Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Im 100% positive that not having cats affects performance, if anything it increases it cause of better air flow. YOU DONT NEED CATS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted June 19, 2009 Report Share Posted June 19, 2009 damn I go on vacation and its exploded. a high flow cat can be had at any decent performance store or ebay, don't pay over 100 for it, get it installed with a custom exhaust and remus muffler. I would say 250 installed + cost of cat and muffler. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mackin Posted June 20, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 so i can just use any old hi flow cat or what? /noob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted June 20, 2009 Report Share Posted June 20, 2009 sure, I recommend magnaflow, but there are lots out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mts Posted June 22, 2009 Report Share Posted June 22, 2009 CAT and O2 sensor codes DO NOT CAUSE THE CAR TO GO IN SAFE AND/OR LIMP MODE. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE NON-TECHNICAL MINDS OF THE MW. They have no fucking clue. The anti-fouling plug moves the O2 sensor out of the stream of the exhaust and thereby confuses it by making it see less of the exhaust gases. It does work and it does turn off the CEL. If you have a bad cat, it should be one of the pre-cats, as there is nothing after the main cat to tell it is fouled. There would have to be another damn O2 sensor, and since there are only 4, 2 before pre-cats and 2 after pre-cats. If you are getting code, first of all find out which code, then ask people who know, not some mechanic, as most Mazduh mechanics don't have fucking clue about the Millenia (they are in a BHR league of ineptitude). Gut the pre-cats (or get Mazda MX-6 headers modified as I did) install a high flow cat, a baffled resonator and a Magnaflow. My whole setup had cost me $1700 or so. So weigh your options carefully. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 once again MTS is comparing a millenia to crappy cars of the people. CEL on ALL cars limit certain aspects, go ahead and such about all the people that have problems, no it should be said that often a problem causing the cel is also causing the issue, but it is an issue none the less, and when the computer doesn't have the correct info air/fuel mixes are off, certain things are limited, so yes its an effect. what about the performance chips where the computer locks the car in a safe mode, everything seems normal but it won't let the boost past 7, or did you skip that search? the above not withstanding many people have done custom 2.5 exhausts and had no problems, so long as they keep a cat. I myself would like to remove the pre-cats some day, but still keeping a main one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mts Posted June 26, 2009 Report Share Posted June 26, 2009 YOU ARE A MORON. You have gone nowhere in performance mods as I have.... keep up the kindergarten and you might catch up someday. PS the Millenia monitors more stuff than many out there... BUT the CEL is nothing but an indicator that a sensor is unhappy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
latinopikachu Posted June 28, 2009 Report Share Posted June 28, 2009 when a sensor is unhappy, the millenia ITSELF is unhappy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
///BHRpowered Posted June 29, 2009 Report Share Posted June 29, 2009 really, cause all you've done is headers, not much else, not even software. its how the millenia works, you would know this if you owned one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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