Buying exhaust for sp20, questions on 2nd cat.

[TDK]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]I'm just about to have a Remus exhaust and new 2.25inch pipe work installed on my [b:post_uid0]2002 SP20[/b:post_uid0]. I had a look underneath the car today and wanted to ask a question about what i saw.

I know that the car has 2 cats and 2 sensors. When you open the bonnet you can see that one of the sensors is connected to the 1st cat. Now, i always thought that the 2nd sensor was just the same, connected to the 2nd cat. But when i had it up on a hoist today and had a look, I saw that it wasn't. The 2nd cat. does not have anything connected to it. The 2nd sensor is actually about 20cm up the pipe (towards the engine/1st cat.). Between the 2nd sensor and the 2nd cat. is the bolted pipe connector.

The question i have is this: if the 2nd sensor isn't connected to the 2nd cat., then can i just take the 2nd cat. out of the system. I would then have the 1st and 2nd sensors + the 1st cat left in the system. Is this o.k. Does anyone know otherwise. If anyone can help me it would be much appreciated.

Thanks
TDK[/color:post_uid0]

[Critter]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Technically, I'm not sure, but it HAS to be illegal....comes with 2 cats, stays with 2 cats for legality.[/color:post_uid0]

[adelaidesp20]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Hiya

You're right. The second sensor is not connected to the second cat.

As far as I know from others who have only upgraded with a cat back exhaust the 2nd cat was removed and the 2nd sensor stayed in the same place. The 2nd cat is a smaller cat to help clean emissions. Most new cars on the market are built the same for the world market so they can pass strict emissions test i.e. California, hence the need for two cats. Though you can remove the 2nd cat and still pass emission tests in 99% of countries who dont have as stricter laws as they do in California. (I think Victoria govt is trying to pass a strict law in the near future for new cars).

Though removing the 2nd cat will limit your choice to upgrading the headers at a later stage as you would need major reworking to fit the complete system in as to install headers the 1st cat needs to be removed. The sensors are relocated to make way for the long length tubing which is more efficient than the stock headers.

The 2nd cat can then be replaced with a hi flow cat to clean the emissions better than the smaller stock 2nd cat and then you can add on the exhaust system from here.

Dont know if this of help, but with my sp20 "still" on test mode for Pace Headers I've been kept informed on this subject from day one of my test headers.

On the latest news of this.... Hopefully I will be booked in early April for headers to be taken off, a jig made, and market headers put on, and then orders filled for those of you who have put your interest in already.

In the meantime I am 500km short of 10,000km covered in test mode, so earlier problems encountered by Hi-Tech headers hasn't come about. Fuel consumption still the same as stock, increase in performance is still there, nice exhaust note too.

Will call back on the post soon to see any replies.

Meanwhile I'm in for my 40,000 km service next week and have to pay up $340. Does this sound right to you all?

Adelaidesp20. :;):[/color:post_uid0]

[TDK]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Hi adelaidsp20, I am also VERY interested in your headers. As you know i too did alot of research. I've been waiting a very long time for someone to release a header for our car. If you can keep me informed with whats happening i would really appreciate it. Also if you could let me know the details about ordering, price, etc.

As for my exhaust i just thought that i would remove the 2nd cat for the time being. Once the headers are released the 1st cat would also be removed. I would then have a hi-flow cat installed into the new pipe work. So then i would have the new headers, with the sensors connected to it(i'm guessing), from the header connection there will be a short piece of pipe running to the hi-flow cat then onto my new remus muffler. This would work, wouldn't it?

Thanks again, and keep me posted.
Bora (a.k.a TDK)
bdincel@bigpond.net.au[/color:post_uid0]

[Critter]

[color=#000000:post_uid0]Well if it turns out, as it seems, that the pace headers deal with things properly, then I am also on the list for headers, so keep us informed!![/color:post_uid0]

[sam_seventyseven]

AdelaideSP20 - Yeah, $340 sounds about right. I just did my 40K service in april and I paid $344 or something similar.

Let us know how you go with your headers and exhaust.