[spankdog]

Im sure this has been discussed before so forgive me asking. I did search but I couldnt find the answere I was looking for. Im interested in getting Bassani headers and "y" pipe. The only Y pipe Ive found eliminates the cats and has 3 O2 sensor bungs. My question is this. Will ditching the cats effect anything negativly? I dont want to get rid of them and then end up with a check engine light. Im not so worried about smog inspections because I live in Louisiana. My Bronco is a 96 EB with a 5.8. and it looks like it has two cats. I would prefer to replace the cats with some high flow units but I want to keep every thing as bolt on as possible. I already have a KN FIPK and I want to go with shorty headers, y pipe, Flowmaster 40 series with a turn down. Any help or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks!!! Spanky

 

[RLKBOB]

I don't know how the 96's (BD II) are set up but I assume the 3rd O2 sensor is after the cats. If it is then yeah eliminating the cats would screw it up. You can either get a y-pipe with a cat or get the off road pipe and add your own high flow cat.

 

[sota701]

New exhaust system

I just dumped 900 into a new exhaust on my 95 5.8. The Y pipe is a definite advantage for "off road use" and performance, provided it's coupled with appropriate engine mods. etc. I'm doing my system for 'street legality' in Houston, so the cat(s) are necessary. You're correct that it has two mounted on the stock system a short 13 inch one upfront, and a 18 inch one a little further back. I would love to go catless. My 85 Mustang GT went without and it made a serious difference.:rockon

As to causing the Check Engine light, I don't know, nor would I care, It's a nag light in my book. There are diagnostic systems you can purchase and do your own engine checks for that matter. I envy your being in a location where the smog systems aren't as tight.

 

[SigEpBlue]

Could just get the MIL eliminator for the downstream H02S. That way you can run without a cat (like with an off-road Bassani Y-pipe) and not worry about the MIL coming on. They sell 'em at most high-performance stores (Summit, Jegs, etc.), and they just plug into the HO2S socket.

 

[monkeyhouse]

the only o2 sensor simulators i found in summit were for mustangs. for the 4.6l and 3.8l. didnt find anything in jegs.

 

[spankdog]

I just dumped 900 into a new exhaust on my 95 5.8. The Y pipe is a definite advantage for "off road use" and performance, provided it's coupled with appropriate engine mods. etc. I'm doing my system for 'street legality' in Houston, so the cat(s) are necessary. You're correct that it has two mounted on the stock system a short 13 inch one upfront, and a 18 inch one a little further back. I would love to go catless. My 85 Mustang GT went without and it made a serious difference.:rockon

As to causing the Check Engine light, I don't know, nor would I care, It's a nag light in my book. There are diagnostic systems you can purchase and do your own engine checks for that matter. I envy your being in a location where the smog systems aren't as tight.

Yea, funny thing is I only live 3 hours from you in Lafayette LA. and they dont do smog checks here Im not worried about smog but Im just worried that if the check engine light is always on then I wont know if something more serious is going on. I had a check light on a Ranger I owned and it always kind of got on my nerves. It was just a beater work truck so I didnt want to waste any money on it. Last night I found a Bassani Y pipe and cats (# BAS 58156b3) that has 3 O2 bungs so Im guessing that would be my best choice. Im going to go with that, equal length headers and a 40 series Flowmaster Should sound pretty good and give me a little more power. What do you think?
Spanky

 

[chevysuck]

in LA they don't do the test for emissions, or they just don't care? If you go into another state and they have one of those rode side inspection stations where the cops make you pull in and they plug in their little computer and it shows that there is something wrong with emissions they will impound it and charge you to fix it, and if you don't pay you don't get it back. I had this happen to a cousin that lived out of state come up to visit in his 96 with the bdII bullshit and they impounded his truck and told him it was a law that they "had" to do it and all the paperwork was with it to prove it. A cop heard his truck, "thought" it wa too loud and made him pull into the little station. By the way the cop was a major asshole.

 

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

How could they do that, if he was from a different state, and the vehical was registared in a different state, and that state had no restrictions. That doesn't seem right.
And I just put the y-pipe on my 92 and it makes a good differance. I got the offroad one

 

[spankdog]

How could they do that, if he was from a different state, and the vehical was registared in a different state, and that state had no restrictions. That doesn't seem right.
And I just put the y-pipe on my 92 and it makes a good differance. I got the offroad one

Yea, that does sound pretty screwed up! Some states have absolutely no smog laws so how could he be held to another states' laws. I guess its just safer to keep it as legal as possible and hope for the best. What do you think of your offroad y pipe? Sound? Power? Mines a 96 and Ive heard the computer is a little more sensitive to mods so Im going to get the one with cats already attatched. Im sure yours will make more power due to less restriction. I like the power of my 5.8 so Im just going to stick with exhuast and air filter kit. I just hope Im not wasting my money.
Spanky

 

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

I like it, it made it run smoother adn there is definentlly more power. Sound is louder and a bit deeper becuase it has bigger tubes. I would of got it sooner if I would of known it would make that much of a differance. It fit awsome too, no leaks the first time I bolted it up.

 

[spankdog]

I like it, it made it run smoother adn there is definentlly more power. Sound is louder and a bit deeper becuase it has bigger tubes. I would of got it sooner if I would of known it would make that much of a differance. It fit awsome too, no leaks the first time I bolted it up.

Im starting to gather that the y pipe is one of the best upgrades you can do. I wish I could get the off road version like you but the 96 computer crap has got me a little parinoid. Are you running headers or stock manifolds? Im just wondering how easily it bolts up to either one. What kind of muffler are you running?
Thanks, Spanky

 

[monkeyhouse]

This is also a simple one, larger diameter flows more. Mandrel bends and free flow mufflers have fewer restrictions. Air velocity can play a role in exhaust. Smaller exhaust does add a nominal amount of low RPM torque. But it’s typically not enough to worry about over exhausting your engine.

Look at you frame rails, firewall, drive shafts, and where you want the exhaust to go. Equal length shorty style headers typically don’t increase power enough to warrant the head ache to change spark plugs. You can buy exhaust with provisions for O2 sensors or weld in O2 sensor “bungs” into the exhaust.

Try your absolute hardest to place the O2 sensors back in the stock position in relation to the cylinder head. But be careful that they don’t hit the firewall or make it too hard to replace them. Don’t underestimate your local exhaust shop, but make sure they’re VERY clear on what you want.

got this from www.fordfuelinjection.com

 

[sota701]

The shorty headers are a must from the economy point. It's the easiest/cheapest. There just isn't much room unless you go full off road use, or have the $$$ for a true dual exhaust with all the cats. I put the 40 series flowmaster and on with a single cat. 0 - 30MPH is a killer jump with an otherwise stock motor, and it sounds great. I'm having the tranny tweaked on shift points next. I understand the concern about the light. But with 180K miles, I don't get too concerned. I know what my maintenance has been like, so I know what's on it's way out.

Yea, funny thing is I only live 3 hours from you in Lafayette LA. and they dont do smog checks here Im not worried about smog but Im just worried that if the check engine light is always on then I wont know if something more serious is going on. I had a check light on a Ranger I owned and it always kind of got on my nerves. It was just a beater work truck so I didnt want to waste any money on it. Last night I found a Bassani Y pipe and cats (# BAS 58156b3) that has 3 O2 bungs so Im guessing that would be my best choice. Im going to go with that, equal length headers and a 40 series Flowmaster Should sound pretty good and give me a little more power. What do you think?
Spanky

 

[CrazyBRONCOguy]

I bought headers, ford stainless ones but didn't put them on becuase I didn't feel like messing with them at the moment. So they are bolted up to the stock manifolds. Like I said sealed up good the first time, just have to do them like a wheel each nut a little at a time.
My muffler is prob not in the direction you want to go but I have to be different. I have a magnaflow muffler and stainless pipe all the way back. The part that makes it different is that it is suppose to go on a Ford Excursion with a diesel (spl). It is four inch pipe and the muffler to match. It sounds really good nice deep and mellow sound. It actully wasn't to bad of a fit eithier just had to redo the hangers.

 

[monkeyhouse]

im not gonna worry about headers unless i pull the motor to do a rebuild. which i want to do, but thats way down the road. im gonna get a y-pipe, hi flow cat(mabey), super 40 flowmaster, single 3" pipe all the way, and dump it over the axle, mabey just before the axle. not sure about that.

 

[spankdog]

I bought headers, ford stainless ones but didn't put them on becuase I didn't feel like messing with them at the moment. So they are bolted up to the stock manifolds. Like I said sealed up good the first time, just have to do them like a wheel each nut a little at a time.
My muffler is prob not in the direction you want to go but I have to be different. I have a magnaflow muffler and stainless pipe all the way back. The part that makes it different is that it is suppose to go on a Ford Excursion with a diseal (spl). It is four inch pipe and the muffler to match. It sounds really good nice deep and mellow sound. It actully wasn't to bad of a fit eithier just had to redo the hangers.

Cool man. That was pretty much the answere I was looking for. I was thinking about Bassani equal length headers but they are pretty expensive and I dont really know how much power I can expect out of them with an otherwise stock motor. Its good that the y pipe will hook up to stock manifolds or headers in case I change my mind later. So, Y pipe and muffler it is. Cant wait to see how it sounds:chili:
Spanky