87 cat delete
11-16-2017, 06:53 PM
#1
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87 cat delete
Good idea or bad.
My muffler is junk. Tailpipe is new looking. Cat looks like the original. I took it to the muffler shop and they showed me where the flange on the cat that mounts to the muffler was real iffy. Said they would try to save it but couldn't promise. Which means they're going to want to put on a new cat too. They quoted me $330 for just cat and muffler. Or $150 for cat delete and muffler if I did it right then and there. I passed. I told the guy I got the truck for free and wasn't going to spend that kind of money on it. I said I may just scrap it. He kindly offered me $200,,,,lol. I passed on that too. So I MIGHT try to do it myself.
So I've read many thread about deleting the cat. Seems to be an even split on weather to do it or not. Some guys said it helped, some said made it worse and put the cat back on. Well I'm really on a shoe string budget and would like to get buy with out having to buy a cat if I can.
I've read it depends on what year your truck is if it runs right or not. Mine is a 87, carb model. Would you guys recommend on deleting the cat or not. In my state they only test 95 and up so that's not an issue.
My muffler is junk. Tailpipe is new looking. Cat looks like the original. I took it to the muffler shop and they showed me where the flange on the cat that mounts to the muffler was real iffy. Said they would try to save it but couldn't promise. Which means they're going to want to put on a new cat too. They quoted me $330 for just cat and muffler. Or $150 for cat delete and muffler if I did it right then and there. I passed. I told the guy I got the truck for free and wasn't going to spend that kind of money on it. I said I may just scrap it. He kindly offered me $200,,,,lol. I passed on that too. So I MIGHT try to do it myself.
So I've read many thread about deleting the cat. Seems to be an even split on weather to do it or not. Some guys said it helped, some said made it worse and put the cat back on. Well I'm really on a shoe string budget and would like to get buy with out having to buy a cat if I can.
I've read it depends on what year your truck is if it runs right or not. Mine is a 87, carb model. Would you guys recommend on deleting the cat or not. In my state they only test 95 and up so that's not an issue.
11-17-2017, 04:59 AM
#2
Registered User
You know the downsides: if you delete it, your truck stinks real bad and might lose enough back pressure to cause a noticeable power-loss.
Since your budget is tight, I recommend trying to do it yourself. The cost of a cheap muffler, universal cat and some straight pipe will cost around $75 on the low-end. Do you have any type of welder? A stick welder works fine for this as long you've got thin rods and a low amperage setting. A really cheap flux core welder would work also (HF 90 amp). Once you own a welder and can use it, you can fix all sorts of broken stuff.
Since your budget is tight, I recommend trying to do it yourself. The cost of a cheap muffler, universal cat and some straight pipe will cost around $75 on the low-end. Do you have any type of welder? A stick welder works fine for this as long you've got thin rods and a low amperage setting. A really cheap flux core welder would work also (HF 90 amp). Once you own a welder and can use it, you can fix all sorts of broken stuff.
11-17-2017, 06:12 AM
#6
If you truly cannot spend the money because you dont have it then junk the cat.
If you have a hardtop on, and leave it on, I would junk the cat for sure. If you are a safety inspection only state then you do not have much to lose. You can replace the exhaust cheaply, cut the whole damn thing off as soon as it begins to straighten out just past the driver's side wheel. Start there with a little flex pipe, and work your way back with solid straight pipe and 90 degree pipe until you get it just right behind the left rear leaf spring hanger. The more spots you throw a flex pipe into the more room you have to push/pull and adjust. You can exhaust clamp the entire thing if you don't have a welder, life goes on. As long as you have it secured with hangers in three spots (most states?), you are good with the safety inspection.
If you are on a shoe string budget you have to be realistic. Hell, you may be able to grab a lot of usable exhaust from a different vehicle entirely for cheap or free.
Alternatively, I know you can grab a cat-back oem replacement from "BOSEL" for about $100. That would take care of everything past the cat. you would just have to craft the few feet where the cat used to be.
If you have a hardtop on, and leave it on, I would junk the cat for sure. If you are a safety inspection only state then you do not have much to lose. You can replace the exhaust cheaply, cut the whole damn thing off as soon as it begins to straighten out just past the driver's side wheel. Start there with a little flex pipe, and work your way back with solid straight pipe and 90 degree pipe until you get it just right behind the left rear leaf spring hanger. The more spots you throw a flex pipe into the more room you have to push/pull and adjust. You can exhaust clamp the entire thing if you don't have a welder, life goes on. As long as you have it secured with hangers in three spots (most states?), you are good with the safety inspection.
If you are on a shoe string budget you have to be realistic. Hell, you may be able to grab a lot of usable exhaust from a different vehicle entirely for cheap or free.
Alternatively, I know you can grab a cat-back oem replacement from "BOSEL" for about $100. That would take care of everything past the cat. you would just have to craft the few feet where the cat used to be.
Last edited by 89fourrunner; 11-17-2017 at 06:24 AM.
11-17-2017, 06:22 AM
#7
Registered User
I agree that the absolute cheapest way to do this without a welder is to get the cheapo muffler (only $25 or so on eBay and other online sources) and measure up the rest for pipes that you'll clamp together. There's some wiggle room with clamped pipe so you may not need the more expensive flex pipe at all. Mild steel clamps are very cheap and you'll need at least 4 of them to connect 2 new lengths of pipe and the muffler to the rest of the system. Expect to pay $60-$80 for this stuff.
