Will gutting the catalytic converter on my tacoma hurt the engine? Will it help any? I have a 3.4 v6 with the 5 speed also.

 

depends on where the 02 sensor is.
No

Leave the cat alone. Removing it will gain you NOTHING but a tinny sound. IT's the cheapest way to clean up the exhaust and help reduce pollution and likely outflows your muffler anyway.

 

I second that.. leave it alone. on OBDII vehicles if you gut it will throw your cel. Plus you are not going to gain anything from gutting it.

 

I gutted mine, it got louder and combined with the flowmaster one of the first things people compliment is the exhaust sound. I dont really care that much I was lookin to get down the highway smoother and w/ better milage, and I did I cruised better and downshifted less and got another 2-3mpg.

BTW, I passed my chicago emissions test 3 times below the limit, which is cleaner than many new suv's.

I dont regret it but I began by just drilling a hole through the center of the cat and cleaning that out and over the next year or so it kept breaking apart and cloging the exhaust, so if I noticed a massive loss in power a I opened the back of the cat and there were some golf balls and baseballs sitting in the back of the cat. I just cruched them with a srewdriver and dug them out.
So if you do do it hollow the whole thing out

I dont know about the sensors on the 3.4 though, if you have a sensor after the cat, which I think you do them dont do it.

 

If the o2 sensor is after the cat am i good to go? I plan to hollow the whole thing out, no drilling holes.

 

unless you get an o2 simulator for the rear sensor, the check engine light will come on if you gut it

 

Damn check engine lights, just pull the bulb.

 

Spend $30-$50 and get a CatCo CAt. Incresed LEGAL performance. You can see right through em, they are a "free flow" type.

Lamm

 

Yeah, I was gonna suggest a MagnaFlow ($56 shipped), but he seems pretty stuck on coughing fumes.