If you don't mind the volume, then the only real downside is the legal aspect. I wouldn't run gutted cats just because an O/R pipe is so damn cheap. A full exhaust is more than enough backpressure without cats. Your car will perform better at every RPM without cats restricting the flow.

 

You must be running LM1's. If that's the case, try the 2's; pretty comparable in terms of loudness to 1's w/ stock midpipe (cats intact, of course). And regarding the "man", just don't drive like a dick and you should be o.k.

 

I love the smell of running no cats!

 

absolutely

 

it smells like a real car, and sounds like one too! just needs some more performance to back it all up!

 

^^this

 

haha +1 My car screams when you get on it with the lts.

 

Now that is not correct at all. I have had a catted x and an o/r x pipe with the same catback and same motor, there is more low end with the cats and the power curve definitely looked better with the cats in place. And with my catted setup on with just the catted x and flowmaster catback and no tune, my car put down 238/281 and my friend's full bolt-on GT with longtubes, o/r x, and LM1's put down 255/278. Now youre telling me that back pressure has nothing to do with the fact that i was putting down more torque and had a better power curve than a full bolt on car with no back pressure??? I highly think that you are mistaken my friend. You need a hell of a lot more power before no cats with LM1's will not hinder performance.

 

exactly...it SOUNDS fast but is not lol. my brother had a 2000 GT with o/r X and magnapacks....thing was LOUD but also promoted speed he didn't really have lol

im running o/r x and regular magnaflow mufflers... not LOUD and "hey look at me" but it turn heads.

congrats tho man must sound like a beast

 

There are plenty of reasons you car made different numbers from when you had a catted x to an O/R x. Backpressure loss has most likely nothing to do with it. How about every dyno run even on the same day same dyno can yield different results. I'm assuming you didn't do a before and after dyno of the part on the same day either. What else had changed on your car from when you had the O/R pipe to when you ran the catted pipe?

You're second comparison is just plain retarded.....You are comparing torque curves from two completely different cars with completely different mods, completely different tunes, and probably done on different days , maybe even different dynos, and attributing the difference in your peak torque numbers to a backpressure issue? What? Get real.

We're not talking about running open shorty headers here....were talking about running full exhaust without cats. Do you really think your car needs catalytic converters to restrict you exhaust flow to make good torque?