Exhaust lifespan

[Snowfox]

Does anyone know much about the lifespan of exhaust components ie catalytic converters and mufflers ? (aftermarket stuff eg Walker, Genie etc) Obviously even the good stuff cant last indefinately (?) Thanx !!

[Bax]

Tough one, I've never really thought of it, I had the car at least a year and a half after the guy before me had it, and the cat and muffler are only just going now.

Running rich etc makes the cat heat up and melt out, so in other words if your cars running how it is meant to be, you should get a half decent life out of it. Nothing less then a year thats for sure.

[Redfox]

What are the symptoms of a worn out cat? Just bad smelling fumes? I was told that if you put a broomstick through the cat you get better exhaust flow and a bit more power... altho u get stinky fumes that make u dizzy. What do you guys reckon?

[AirStrike]

I would not reccomend gutting the cat as if caught you will be lobbed with a hyge epa fine....

[jetspin_vn]

Heh my car doesn't even have a cat, just one chambered resonator

[Bax]

If you chucked a pipe through the cat it would be better then just destroying it, mines screwed now and the car is loud and slow.. Not recommended.

It's there for a reason though, just leave it how it is, if your gonna destroy it I'll give ya 20 bucks to send it up to me, cause I want a working one back.

As for symptoms, as I said above, noise and probably a lack of backpressure, low down power, a dodgy rattling, marble in a can type noise.

[Redfox]

Hrmmm ok i'll leave it alone then! It's just that th eguy who recommeded is swore that it would be beneficial and give better flow.

[Alloytec]

can you justfiy a $10,000 fine for a gutted cat ?

i know i cant