I spent my last rotation off work under my car installing a new stock downpipe. I removed my catalytic converter to make this easier and took a look inside. I should have guessed that a car with 308,000 km would have a plugged cat but holy cow, it was full! Needless to say I cut the flange off the old DP and wlelded a straight pipe to it. So now with no cat it is running a lot better, revs faster and higher, turbo spool up is faster, and highway cruising is much improved! I don't know if fuel consumption is lower, I will know in a couple weeks when I finnish this tank, I assume it will be better. Currently I am getting 7650-775 on a tank (94 jetta td).
Any down sides to removal of cat? Besides e-test and T.C.
Thanks
how is the noise from the straight pipe? vibrations?
Its actually quieter, there was a hole in my downpipe and now I have a new used one in there. There is no vibration or excess noise, just perforance improvments in all aspects.