I have a 99 996 and am about to purchase the Fabspeed muffler bypass pipes. My friends all tell me to eliminate the cats. Does anyone have any info or opinions on this. Please let me know because i want to do this in the next few days. Their reasoning is that eliminating the cats will actually give me more power. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

Buy ear plugs . you'll loose back pressure and low end response I believe. You'll definetly make friends with the local authorities and EPA. Sounds like fun

 

Coming from someone who runs bypass pipes all the time I don't think you really need cat bypass pipes. With muffler bypass pipes you lose torque at the low end but gain some power at the high end. Yes they are super loud but sound amazing once you get used to it. Cops hate them and cat bypass pipes will only make them louder and I'm sure they give more of a torque loss no need in my opinion. Also I'd just get the muffler bypass pipes off eBay for $150 in case you don't like them you just didn't waste $550 on fabspeed ones, though the quality is not as good as fabspeed.......

 

Have you watched the video on www.fabspeed.com and listened to the bypass pipes? Removing the cats would make it even louder and I don't think you would want that.

Also, you live in the Communist state of California (as do I). What on Earth makes you think that you could actually get away without cats??? You'd have to swap the cats back in every two years for smog and you can always get dinged if you get pulled over between smog tests. Ever see those black and white CHP pickup trucks driving around? Those are police vehicles setup specifically just for doing roadside exhaust tests! No offense, but I think your friends are idiots to suggest removing the cats on a street car in Cali. However, if this is a track only car... then do it, yes it would help in that circumstance.

Now as a disclaimer here I do personally run a cat-less car on the streets here in NorCal. It's a fully prepared race car. HOWEVER, it's not a California car. It's registered out of state.... My California registered vehicles are all 100% compliant with the law. I don't need to give the police an excuse to pull me over.

 

I had them for 1 yr and went back to stock-- Loud and loss of low end torque but on highway at speed was awesome-- It was good to try but not to have forever.
Mike

 

I guess you do not want to pass emission test......Cali

fogetaboutit

get mufflers
Fabspeed
Afterhours
GHL
the list is endless and you will pass emission test

 

I would do the bypass pipes only. I have a set on my car I bought off ebay that are actually nice quality. The sound is amazing especially driving on track at full throttle. Removing the cats would be more expensive and make it ridiculously loud. Also at around 3200 rpms my sunroof raddles alot, I'm pretty sure its from the loud pipes.lol.

 

Oh yea your going to need to buy a louder audio system haha!!!

 

I have a set of the ebay bypass pipes. Its a love/hate thing with the bypass pipes around here. WOT in any gear is crazy and throttle blips will always put a smile on your face.

 

I have been considering these as well. Thanks for posting something up about it. I am in FL though so no issues with me running these. I have no tests to deal with and current run my Audi S4 with a complete turbo back exhaust system with no cats.

 

Fl does have noise laws. It use to you could not hear a car stereo more than 150 ft away. So you might want to check it to that. I know I use to live in DAB and Spring break people would get popped all the time.

 

Another benefit or maybe not is that you'll lose about 50-60 lbs off the rear end. The stock mufflers are pretty heavy.

 

++1. You don't need to be any louder than Fabspeeds for the street. My Fabspeeds sound real good. Also, the ECM will detect if the cats aren't there......unless you install simulators.

 

here is what it might sound like (but my car is a 997)

http://www.vimeo.com/2722139

http://www.vimeo.com/2710228

I love it but yes very LOUD. Mind altering loud.

 

So, if you have an OBD-II reader, just take the exhaust off and see if you like it. It will throw a check engine light, because the rear 02 sensors won't be seeing a cat, but you'll at least get to see if you like it.

I took the mufflers off to see if I could live with Bypass pipes and they passed my commute test, but not the waking up the wife and baby test if I got home late. I put in a set of GHL mufflers and I'm thrilled... they are just barely louder than stock at idle, but make a nice wail when I romp on it.