Is it normal for cat-delete cars to stink?

maillemaker · Mar 28, 2023

Well, my car is a 1995 Mustang GT with, as far as I know, a stock engine. At least it looks stock. However, I am the 9th owner.
I pulled codes and got some Thermactor and EGR codes, but no Check Engine Light is on.

It's possible the car is running rich. I notice that the hose running from the solenoid to the charcoal canister is horribly rotted; I hope to get to this this weekend. It's possible there is a vacuum leak. I would think this would make it run lean though.

Tomorrow I'm having the exhaust fixed and cats added back. No choice really as the exhaust has to be fixed and they won't touch it without being emissions compliant.

Slice · Mar 28, 2023

I guess I got lucky. I am up in Ontario Canada and my friendly mechanic didn't even look under the car when I brought it in for safety because he trusts me and he knows I don't buy trash. Up here we have done away with the annual smog certification emissions testing because 98% of the cars were passing all the time and the program up here had a lot of government involvement so the conservative = republican government decided it was a waste of money to administrate. I just removed the console and I'm going to cut out the ashtray and install a new Edge cup holder. That will be a new thread however. Wish me luck, it's a little unnerving taking a saw to your console LOL!

maillemaker · Mar 28, 2023

We don't have emissions here in Alabama. But the professional shops still won't work on your car if you've pulled the emissions equipment. I think they get in trouble with the law.

RAU03MACH · Mar 28, 2023

Had them removed off my 95 ranger and installed new muffler and exhaust pipe by the mufflers shop
No problem in Texas
The manager told me it was 25 years pluss

badass98svt · Mar 28, 2023

No cats for the win.
I personally like the smell. As mentioned, it's not as bad with a proper tune.

Slice · Mar 28, 2023

maillemaker said:
We don't have emissions here in Alabama. But the professional shops still won't work on your car if you've pulled the emissions equipment. I think they get in trouble with the law.

Probably but then I'm not giving anyone the name of my shop.

Notthenow · Mar 28, 2023

Yeah, well congrats. There are guys on here that are way more knowledgeable that might know.

I know my 98 has the press in bulbs.

badass98svt · Mar 29, 2023

Notthenow said:
Yeah, well congrats. There are guys on here that are way more knowledgeable that might know.

I know my 98 has the press in bulbs.

Press in bulbs?

Notthenow · Mar 29, 2023

This is what I remember.

badass98svt · Mar 29, 2023

Notthenow said:
This is what I remember.
View attachment 24769

I guess I'm confused on why you are discussing light bulbs in a thread about deleting catalytic converters.

Notthenow · Mar 29, 2023

Reply to post 20. Looks random out of that context.

lutter94 · Mar 29, 2023

Notthenow said:
Reply to post 20. Looks random out of that context.

Try the quote button. You may like it

lutter94 · Mar 29, 2023

maillemaker said:
We don't have emissions here in Alabama. But the professional shops still won't work on your car if you've pulled the emissions equipment. I think they get in trouble with the law.

Here in SD there was an ol timer at an exhaust shop made a big speech about how he wouldn't cut cats off. Then I asked him to install some headers/etc on a 92 F150 that I'd already cut the exhaust off of. He said he'd happily put a pipe where pipe was, but he wasn't going to be the guy that cut it off.....

Notthenow · Mar 29, 2023

lutter94 said:
Try the quote button. You may like it

I feel like a new man, never even noticed it before. Never mind me, I still type with two fingers...

lutter94 said:
Here in SD there was an ol timer at an exhaust shop made a big speech about how he wouldn't cut cats off. Then I asked him to install some headers/etc on a 92 F150 that I'd already cut the exhaust off of. He said he'd happily put a pipe where pipe was, but he wasn't going to be the guy that cut it off.....

He could not have been too old, we used to take the fill plug out, rev up the engine and blow the catalyst pellets out of them. Any one remember when cats had ceramic pellets?

RAU03MACH · Mar 29, 2023

I remember them
We would knock a hole all the way through and empty them out
Not bad as a resanater

Notthenow · Mar 29, 2023

Yep, and switch to leaded gas. We would take the block off plugs from the carb and adjust idle mixture and timing.

RAU03MACH · Mar 29, 2023

NM has no emissions
Catless for me the smell is not that bad
But then I do keep the engines in good running order
Tune up oil changes filters and some of the right additives

Notthenow · Mar 29, 2023

Nice to have the freedom. I agree that an engine that is taken care of should run fairly clean regardless. I actually have gotten used to the "clean" exhaust and would put cats on either way, especially since they don't affect power like they used to.

cobrajeff96 · Mar 29, 2023

It's the smell of freedom. Five liters of it!

Slice · Mar 29, 2023

badass98svt said:
I guess I'm confused on why you are discussing light bulbs in a thread about deleting catalytic converters.

It was in reference to my Mustang having no catalytic converters and also no check engine light. Cars of Our Generation usually if a check engine light was on you could just yank the bulb from the instrument cluster whereas newer cars you can't do it because it's a hard wired LED.