Stocker

2nd cat being gutted should only make it run better (if a little dirtier). Are you sure you don't have a vacuum leak after poking around in there? Did you do anything to the idle air control valve? That's the main culprit I'd suspect after a vac. leak.



For the upstream cat/cracked manifold recall, find my thread with the TSB number and call your local dealer with the TSB number, just ask if your VIN is affected. If they say no, call another dealer or two. I had mine replaced free a few years ago as you will see from the date stamps on the thread. If you can manage to get the manifold replaced by the dealer, go ahead and see if it will pass smog with the 2nd cat gutted and a new 1st cat. Just have the money to replace it on standby for the fix-it they should give you at the inspection station if it fails.

pandaturbo2

Yea definitely sounds like a vacuum leak now. common fault was the intake manifold gaskets.

onecrazyfoo4u

I guess it just took a little while to re-learn and even out. Idle seems back to normal after the drive this morning.



I was hoping to see if anyone on here had passed smog (CA smog at that) with only the manifold cat? I'd hate to drive 40 miles down there and pay $50 for smog, only to fail, then go buy the $200 cat and pay another $50 for a retest. Has anyone passed smog before with only the manifold cat?



Thanks for the help everyone, she feels like a new car again! I'll call the dealer to see if they'll replace the manifold for free.

SR Tech

A recall is a recall, doesn't matter how old the car is, federal government mandates the repair



Does CA put a sniffer on the exhaust? In NY we're fairly strict on emissions inspections aswell, but it's all done through the obd2 port, we plug the computer in and the computer reads everything and checks for set monitors. I passed every year with my catback exhaust which eliminates the downstream cat and puts in a straight pipe.



If that's the case then you will be fine, visually it still looks like there's a cat there and the downstream is unmonitored, meaning it will not set any CEL because there's is no o2 sensor after it to read anything.



If they put a sniffer on it and check the fumes coming out the back I think you'll still pass with just the upstream( especially if you get it replaced)

onecrazyfoo4u

Yeah unfortunately Kalifornia checks the exhaust coming out the tailpipe with some reader. I'm going to check with the dealer to see what they say.



BTW, this car feels like a beast now. Tons of power compared to before! I think its been somewhat blocked ever since I bought it, and just got worse over the last two years. It never had this much power!

Stocker

for the win!

onecrazyfoo4u

I guess I should have checked the cat first since it was 13 years old and 140k miles on it



Thanks again, you guys rock!

wolfsaver23

So i have a 2000 tib and was wondering my exhaust manifold connected to the cat has two brakes in the header. the three bolts in thr middle between the actual header the two have a snap in them i believe. is this common or not.

Stocker

If you mean the exhaust manifold is cracked, yes it happens. There was a TSB about it and you may be able to get a dealership to replace it free. Search for a thread I made on the topic, including my $0 receipt from when I had it done.