Well I finally found a shop here in Cali that will actually put some highflow's on my truck, but I still want to have 2 cat's in the stock locations to make it look as close to stock as possible when it come's to inspection time.

I need a pre-cat with dual Inlet/single out and a regular SI/SO.

StangeRanger/PKRWUD I hope you see this, your input is alway's apreciated, looking at the exhuast on a pre-96(OBD-I) 4.9L the o2 sensor after the pre-cat look's to be in a slightly different spot, I think catco or carsound have a direct fit pre-cat for pre-96 4.9L's, should it work OK on mine as well?

Also do you know the pipe size's for the inlet's/outlets?

Thanks

 

Catco #9513 is a single 3-way high-flow cat which legally replaces both the pre-cat and the main cat on a 96. It is dual 2" in single 2.5" out and welds right in place.

It's Federally certified, you'll have to check with them as to whether or not it conforms to your CARB BS.

 

Then what would I do with the air pump If there's no second cat? the hose hook's right before the second cat.

 

It has a connector for the air pump tube. It is a big single cat that completely replaces the entire OEM assembly. It is a federally certified legal replacement. I just don't know if it's a 49 state-only legal device or if it has a CARB number.

 

Well I know it's not legal in Cali because anything with the OBD-II can only have stock cats...if the cat's break, fail or are damaged for any reason they must be rebuilt or replaced with stock Ford one's....kind of blows.

But I have yet to see any smog inspectors actually get on all 4's and look to see if the cat's have been tampered with so I'm not worried. Plus I'm in Los Angeles, there's ton's of smog inspection places that an extra $20 will keep the inspectors mouths shut LOL

Thanks for the help and part #

 

I'm not sure even the CARB smog-***** can mandate a factory part. It interferes with interstate commerce and all that other Constitutional stuff. They surely can mandate "factory equivalent" and the 9513 is that, but it doesn't look the same. Check with Catco to see if they make anything that's 100% CARB legal.

 

I ordered it last night from Summitfor only $100, should be here in a few days, I also ordered a Gibson Super Truck exhaust, I can't wait to get rid of this Flowmaster40 orig. I might be able to hear my self think now.

BTW- Magnaflow has the exact same type of cat(replaces both cat's) and it even look's identical and it sell's for over $200 so thanks for helping me save all that money!

 

Sprocket_X
I hope the cats work for you please let us know. Not to be negative but I was not happy with the Gibson Super-Truck system I had. It was used but in very good shape. After about 7 months ( of a constant in cab drone ) the factory Gibson welds failed and the thing basically fell apart from the inside out. It didn't seem to add that much but possibly the 100K+ original cats were the problem. I haven' t been able to find a reputable shop to replace my factory cats since I've went to a small free flow Z-force muffler set up. All trucks and owners are just a bit different however so like I said let us know your results.
Pre-Runner

 

Well the cab drone will definately be better then how it is now, I've got a Flowmaster 40 original 3"SI/25"DO and turn downs before the rear axle and it's loud as hell, set off so many car alarms and I can't have a conversation if i have a passenger, but my exhaust has got to exit before the rear axle so I know no matter what exhaust setup I get it's going to have some cab drone.

I'll be heading to Vegas next Monday to have the whole exhaust put on since no shop's here in Cali will mess with the cats.

 

SPROCKET_X:

I know when I had my '87 with the 300 I-6 and the cats plugged up. The dealership said that the replacement for the dual cat set-up was a "y" pipe going into the SI/SO cat. The air pump attached to the cat itself. There was only one cat for the replacement. You may want to call the Emission ****'s and talk to them, tell them your problem and what you have heard. They will tell you "ya" or "na" for your situation. Keep us updated on how things go.

Have Fun & Keep on Truckin'
Dean

 

Well no matter what on any vehicle in Cali 96-up with the OBD-II computer they have to have stock cats or OEM cats, no after market one's, no highflows. No exhuast shop's in Cali will not even get near the cats because it's a federal offense if they get caught. So that's why I have to drive out of state to have things done and hope when my truck get's inspected when smog time comes around that the inspecters don't get on all fours and take a look at my exhaust and see that I have removed one cat and injstalled a highflow, but the highflow looks almost identical to the stock pre-cat so I'm not to worried, just if they notice one cat is missing, but I have yet to see any inspectors look at the cats nor have I heard of anyone getting in trouble yet for it, just no exhaust shop's in cali will do it.

I figure if by some odd chance I do get caught with the highflow on I could just say it's because I bought the truck used from out of state and it came that way (it really did come outa state used)

In the case that if I do get caught I would be court ordered to have a Ford dealership put on a new stock exhaust which would run $1300 just for the parts!

But I'll be joing the LAPD here shortly so I'll be able to get away with a few thing here and there with my truck hehe

 

I thought Maine's laws were copied after California's(-except Maine doesn't have the sniffer). As an inspector for Maine/obdII it is required for me to 1) check for MIL,CEL, SES lights. 2)Check to see if the MIL,CEL,SES light is being commanded on by the computer. 3)Check to see if the OBDII/IM240 monitors have run. These are just the car's self checks. 4)Vehicle safety inspection. 5)issue or deny state safety inspection sticker
Basically all I'm doing is seeing if the OBDII works and seeing if its been tampered with. ...

..meaning that as long as you have a cat, and the OBDII says that its working correctly, everything is fine. The key here is making sure nothing happens to that rear O2 sensor. Make sure the exhaust guys remove it before any exhaust work, then put it back. That one has to be doing its thing(making sure there is a difference in voltage between it and the front one, and that its not reading too lean or rich Alot) or it will set a Cat Inefficiency code.

If you go where ever and have the 3 way welded in you'll have no problems. I bet it will be more efficient than the stock set-up!

If you do have a CEL, which you wont, there are CEL eliminator wires for the rear O2 sensor. They cost about $20 and gives your computer the signal it wants to see.

 

AFAIK Federal law allows replacement of a cat with less than 50K miles only if it is "damaged." A hammer solves that problem nicely. There is NO Federal requirement for OEM-only cats on OBD-II vehicles, that is more of CARB's BS. since your truck came from out of state was it CA equipped or not? If not, does it have to pass CA smog rules or Federal? This crap could get '$pen$ive.

 

ya it's CARB BS....When smog/inspection time come's they don't test my truck any differently then any other vehicles.

Like said below as long as my CEL isn't on I'll be fine so I'm not worrioed.