Y pipe Issues

[billthecat01]

I am just curious to find out what people are doing if the catalytics are bad on the Y pipe on thier 318. I have a 1983 fifth avenue and the catalytics are bad in the Y pipe. I would like to remove them and put a Y pipe with no catalytics in it but I cannot seem to find those anywhere.

 

[BudW]

Walker made a "Canadian" Y-pipe up until a few years ago - but supply is sense long gone. A couple of choices. One is to find a currently made Y-pipe (pickups/vans/Dakota is a good choice) or one from another older ABCER-body car and adapt it to fit. It will require cutting the Y into pieces and welding it back. A person might be able to remove the existing Y-pipe and drive car (or trailer it) into a muffler shop and get them to make a Y-pipe for you.

In the USA, it is illegal for a shop to remove a catalytic converter from a vehicle - without replacing it. Federal law doesn't say anything about replacing the converter if car came into shop with it already missing (or stolen). Now your state or local laws might say something to that effect, but the last time I looked, the federal law is what I said, above. You might have to find a shady person, slip him a twenty, and see if your cat's might get stolen one night. It might even be a coincidence that your car was up on jackstands in the parking lot overnight with a Sawzall close by.

I got lucky and found a '80 F-body wagon with a single (rear cat) and swiped the Y-pipe off of it (no, it is not for sale). It will end up on my '86 Fifth Ave one day, but I will be leaving the rear cat in place.

In my garage, I happen to have a brand new Walker 40491 Y-pipe - for a '89-93 Dodge pickup small block. The manifold ends will work but the Y-pipe as a whole will not - or at least not without serious modification. If you want to pay for freight, I will let you have it.
BudW

 

[Camtron]

Michigan is a renegade state that’s been against federal emission laws and has no emission testing requirements. Just go to a local exhaust shop and have them remove the cats and weld in some pipe. Done.

 

[Kramer79]

Yeah, my rear cat was plugged, had a pipe welded in to replace it… most shops will look the other way, I also think the recycle value may help them say yes!

 

[billthecat01]

Walker made a "Canadian" Y-pipe up until a few years ago - but supply is sense long gone. A couple of choices. One is to find a currently made Y-pipe (pickups/vans/Dakota is a good choice) or one from another older ABCER-body car and adapt it to fit. It will require cutting the Y into pieces and welding it back. A person might be able to remove the existing Y-pipe and drive car (or trailer it) into a muffler shop and get them to make a Y-pipe for you.

In the USA, it is illegal for a shop to remove a catalytic converter from a vehicle - without replacing it. Federal law doesn't say anything about replacing the converter if car came into shop with it already missing (or stolen). Now your state or local laws might say something to that effect, but the last time I looked, the federal law is what I said, above. You might have to find a shady person, slip him a twenty, and see if your cat's might get stolen one night. It might even be a coincidence that your car was up on jackstands in the parking lot overnight with a Sawzall close by.

I got lucky and found a '80 F-body wagon with a single (rear cat) and swiped the Y-pipe off of it (no, it is not for sale). It will end up on my '86 Fifth Ave one day, but I will be leaving the rear cat in place.

In my garage, I happen to have a brand new Walker 40491 Y-pipe - for a '89-93 Dodge pickup small block. The manifold ends will work but the Y-pipe as a whole will not - or at least not without serious modification. If you want to pay for freight, I will let you have it.
BudW

Hello Bud. I appreciate the offer. I will have to see if I can track down someone that can do the modifications for me first.

 

[billthecat01]

Yeah, my rear cat was plugged, had a pipe welded in to replace it… most shops will look the other way, I also think the recycle value may help them say yes!

I have heard of a few around here that may do that. I have checked with one but haven't heard back yet.

 

[billthecat01]

Michigan is a renegade state that’s been against federal emission laws and has no emission testing requirements. Just go to a local exhaust shop and have them remove the cats and weld in some pipe. Done.

I have had that done on the lower cat that was plugged. The ones in the Y are such a mess to work on I was hoping to replace the whole Y. Even so I am checking with a couple places. Waiting for one to reply then I will check the other. My usual go to for exhaust will not do this for me.

 

[Camtron]

I have had that done on the lower cat that was plugged. The ones in the Y are such a mess to work on I was hoping to replace the whole Y. Even so I am checking with a couple places. Waiting for one to reply then I will check the other. My usual go to for exhaust will not do this for me.

Road trip to Chicago. The shop I use will take care of you. They do custom exhaust work and can bend and weld up a Y-pipe for you. Anything 1996 or older doesn’t have to meet any emissions regulations or inspections here. Shops here will do a cat delete no problem; for now anyway.

 

[billthecat01]

Road trip to Chicago. The shop I use will take care of you. They do custom exhaust work and can bend and weld up a Y-pipe for you. Anything 1996 or older doesn’t have to meet any emissions regulations or inspections here. Shops here will do a cat delete no problem; for now anyway.

I will definitely keep that in mind also. I don't know when I can again but I am due for a trip to Chicago.

 

[LSM360]

You might consider going dual exhaust now. Jeg's A body 2.5 inch fits nicely with just a bit of mods around driver's side but easily handled by a shop. Just need to do the gas tank shift and that's also easy. MANY have done it including myself and will guide you through it. Extend the filler tube with gas rated hose from any local parts store. I can give you measurements and pics and more info if you are interested. It intimidated before I did it and now I realize it's not a tough mod and well worth it!

 

[DaveHath]

You might consider going dual exhaust now. Jeg's A body 2.5 inch fits nicely with just a bit of mods around driver's side but easily handled by a shop. Just need to do the gas tank shift and that's also easy. MANY have done it including myself and will guide you through it. Extend the filler tube with gas rated hose from any local parts store. I can give you measurements and pics and more info if you are interested. It intimidated before I did it and now I realize it's not a tough mod and well worth it!

View attachment 44672

Are you running headers or manifolds?

 

[dm330]

You might consider going dual exhaust now. Jeg's A body 2.5 inch fits nicely with just a bit of mods around driver's side but easily handled by a shop. Just need to do the gas tank shift and that's also easy. MANY have done it including myself and will guide you through it. Extend the filler tube with gas rated hose from any local parts store. I can give you measurements and pics and more info if you are interested. It intimidated before I did it and now I realize it's not a tough mod and well worth it!

View attachment 44672

Were you able to go this route using the standard exhaust manifolds or did you switch to headers? I've got the Y-pipe issue on my 88 and narrowing our options down to going with this dual exhaust setup or sending my current Y-pipe to a muffler shop to craft a new one based on that.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

An exhaust shop or garage that does exhaust work can do it up with manifolds.

 

[LSM360]

Are you running headers or manifolds?

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