Y pipe Issues

billthecat01

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlevoix
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

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 4, 2012
Messages
5,121
Reaction score
1,485
Location
Oklahoma City
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2020
Messages
177
Reaction score
62
Location
Connecticut
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

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlevoix
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

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlevoix
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

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlevoix
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2019
Messages
1,814
Reaction score
1,376
Location
US
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

Member
Joined
Jul 30, 2021
Messages
5
Reaction score
0
Location
Charlevoix
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2011
Messages
812
Reaction score
314
Location
Melbourne, Florida
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!

The dual exhausts.JPG
 

DaveHath

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 6, 2011
Messages
51
Reaction score
18
Location
Virginia
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

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2021
Messages
137
Reaction score
52
Location
Salem, OH
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.
 
Back
Top