97exd16

my car is a 97 ex with a d16, header, intake, custom rear section exhaust. i bought a high flow cat on ebay for 13 bucks! full stainless steel and will fit perfectly. problem is, my cat is rusted onto the mid-pipe section of the exhaust. i tried wd40 and it didn't work! wtf should i do?? its completely rusted on! oh and i was thinking about buying the magnaflow full stainless cat-back. good choice or just a waste of money??

dohcdelsol

Did you try heating up the bolts? If you do plan on getting a new cat-back system, then dont bother with it. Just get a new system and disconnect it from the header collecter. THen just get new bolts. Problem solved.

19civiclx95

get a torch and a hammer. or find a shop that does.

bob95egdx

Dude, I got one of those SS racing cats off Ebay last week and installed it in a few hours. My 95 HB sits kinda low and my plastic ramps aren't very tall so it was a real ************. I have every tool I needed but a cutting torch. The three bolts on the rear of the cat were stuck and my impact wrench wouldn't budge them. I tried grinding off the back of the studs, the big flat part , thinking I could knock the bolts out with my air chisel but they were still stuck. I tried cutting the bolts with the air chisel but that didn't work. I had a small propane torch that I used to heat the nuts for a while and eventually got them all off after almost giving up. The nut on top was the hardest to remove as you can imagine. I would definitely recommend using a cutting torch to cut the nuts off and be done with it quickly. When you go to reinstall the new racing cat (test pipe) you will find it difficult to get the front spring bolts and nuts started. I used a small c-clamp to pull the 2 flanges together enough to get the nuts on. I had the back flage already bolted up and I had to loosen those nuts and bolts till they were about to come off to get more slack. My exhaust was totally stock so I think they just make those racing cats a little too short. With my stock exhaust I couldn't tell any difference in my exhaust noise with the straight thru racing cat but there was a noticable increase in power. I can do 90 in 3rd now as opposed to 80 before and it also has a lot less traction in first gear.

Sir_Wallace

I had the same problem with 94, just spray it with PB blaster and let it sit for 15 mins. after that clamp the treads with dikes and use a breaker bar to snap the bolts off. Then go to an auto parts store and find similar parts. It only cost me like 5 bucks to get new hardware, but remember to keep your cat for emissions.
P.S. your car is going to smell for a few days.

97exd16

i live in mn we dont have emission checks lucky me!

Caveman74

I put one in mine and I'm thinking of going back to stock cat. I have lost big time gas mileage. And plus its really loud now.

IHateJDM

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bob95egdx &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> With my stock exhaust I couldn't tell any difference in my exhaust noise with the straight thru racing cat but there was a noticable increase in power. I can do 90 in 3rd now as opposed to 80 before and it also has a lot less traction in first gear. </TD></TR></TABLE>

wow, i never knew a cat could change your gear ratio's like that.
And for $13 on ebay, are you sure its a cat and not just a resonator?

Braco11

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by IHateJDM &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

wow, i never knew a cat could change your gear ratio's like that.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
maybe he got some decals he's not telling us about.