Catalytic converter removal from '81

[rjkoop]

I noticed a minor exhaust leak from just before the catalytic converter. It seems to go away once the car is warmed up which is kind of weird.

I was thinking about removing the car and putting a straight pipe in it's place. A few questions.
- how much noisier would the car be?
- is this a do-it-yourself job?

I'm a little worried about cutting the exhaust (use a cut-off wheel?) and getting a new straight/curved pipe that's the correct length and angle? Or can these exhaust pipes be bent at home using some sort of MacGyver technique???

[ORFORD2004]

If your cat is 4 bolts, you can buy a test pipe but it is expensive. When i removed mine, it was too noisy for me with the stainless steel exhaust from Fun Imports. So i installed a resonator at that place and the sound was perfect for me.

[vandor]

This will make it a lot easier:

http://www.autoricambi.us/product/EX6-4 ... -with-EFI/

If you have the stock resonator (center muffler) and rear muffler it will not be too loud.

As stated above, if you only have a performance type rear muffler then likely it will be too loud.

[narfire]

I took my cat out a number of years ago and put the test pipe in. I still had the resonator and the Ansa muffler. As mentioned not too loud at all. I upgraded to two inch pipe and no resonator and it is louder for sure but not excruciating loud. It does drone on when I do a long distance drive so I actually stick ear plugs in. The weird thing there is the radio is clearer with the plugs in at 100kph and top down...
Chris

[majicwrench]

Why not just fix the exhaust leak?? I like to keep things simple.

[rjkoop]

Why not just fix the exhaust leak?? I like to keep things simple.

Yep. That would be great if possible. It looks like the leak is coming from where the pipe goes into the cat. Maybe I'll take a closer look.