The cat is collapsing on my gsl-se and i'm wondering if I should replace it with the bonez cat from rx7.com, the cat replacement pipe from racingbeat, or some other option. Is there anybody out there who has run either of these and knows the pros and cons? Thanks.

https://www.rx7club.com/showthread.p...onez+catalytic

I did read that thread but I'm still not sure which route to take, it's a street driven car and I don't want something obnoxiously loud, i'm also exempt from emissions.

 

The racing beat cat replacement pipe is very good bang for the buck. Noise will be louder but not anywhere annoying. The Hp gain will be felt and you will still have usage of your 6 port actuators. If you are emission exempt I would not run a cat on the car.

If you could afford it the header system is the ultimate for sound and power but I think you will be happy with the replacement pipe.

 

i have run a random technology cat for many years w/ 2.5" pipes.... i have a rb header, thrush glass pack for a silencer and a dyno tech muffler... you can't sneak it home at night, but i sure do like the power and the sound it makes...

 

Get the full Racingbeat streetport exhaust system.

 

I installed the Bonez cat a few weeks ago. It's a little louder than the old stock stopped up one, but then my muffler is rusted out as well

It went on without a problem, and I'm very pleased with it. Car seems to pull a little stronger than with the stock cat.

- David

 

I'm thinking since I don't have to worry about emissions I may as well go for the cheaper yet more powerful option of the racing beat pipe. Eventually i'll be able to bolt up a header and muffler for more gains once I get the trans redone and the lightweight flywheel installed. Thanks for the input.

 

i went to the exhaust shop in my town and had a race pipe made for 20 bucks... that was race pipe bolts gaskets

they are super ez to make try that 1st you can ahve it same day for cheep

RB exhaust system is the GAY

 

i've been doing some more research beyond what i've been told and i may not be emissions exempt for another 3 years. This raises a good question, i've been told only 96 and newer cars need to be smog checked, does anybody know in Illinois what the actual exemptions are?

 

I wouldnt bank on anywhere being emissions exempt in the near future.CA smog standards are sweeping the country as we speak.

I run a Bonez cat on my TII engine.Its the 3" version,and it flows very well.I have no spoolup or power issues running 14psi, and I still pass CA smog no problem.

I also installed a Bonez cat on a bone-stock N/A 2nd gen RX-7. Acceleration and throttle response was marked,compared to the stock cat.

 

steve84GS TII is correct on the smog laws becoming much tougher in the near future. Supposedly there are plans starting in 2008 to start toughening up laws in all States. By 2010
according to what I have been told that there will not be anymore Exempt States when it comes to emissions.

The Bonez cat system is a very good free flowing system. I recently installed one on a fellow members stock 12a motor. The exhaust is quiet as the stock system but the throttle response is better.

 

81gsl12a is spot on about having a shop fab a "Race pipe". Flows as well as the RB cat replacement pipe, for far less money. It won't last as many years as the RB pipe, but at the cost difference, you can have several made as needed.

Doc and Steve are also spot about emmission laws soon to be changing everywhere. I have known this is coming for a long time. As such, any/all emmission parts I have removed, are stored in a safe location, for easy reinstall when needed.
I hope that when the laws come down, I can retain my RB header, reinstall the ACV and air pump, and use a bonez cat. Of course, this state is rather retarded. Last emmission test they implemented, was a "Visual" check only. I got real good at disabling stuff, without removing it...

 

by then the laws for historic cars should cover the 1g rx7

 

I have the RB pipe on mine, and it is a great uprgrade for the price. I would rather have the Bonez cat though, it's a little less power, but I would make that trade for less noise, cleaner exhaust, and being able to pass emmissions without surgery on the car. The downside-obviously, the cat is quite a bit more expensive.

 

Isn't the cutoff 25 years? It would make even the '85's exempt. Sweetness.

 

Ill sell youa gently used RB Cat replacement pipe for cheap if you want.

Make me an offer.

 

I heard that because the exhaust temperature is so high that rotaries kill cats fairly quickly, thats why they have the air pump to cool the exhaust down a bit before it kills the cat

 

The air pump is to help burn off leftovers from the engine. Before cats rotaries had thermal reactors to burn and reburn emissions.

 

The heat of a rotaries exhaust is also beneficial to the cat getting up to proper working temp, faster. The added air aids the cat in burning off excess gasses, and actually makes a cat get hotter. Without the extra air, the cat would clog up faster.
The extra heat factor does need to be considered, when selecting a replacement cat, though. Bonez addresses these needs, quite well.

 

clbsinvaders the 25 year rolling exemtion got done away with in CL. last year or so back T-ED off a lot of hot rod guys. I sure hope this dosn't happen but i have talked to one guy in chicago that replaces his turbo motor out to a stock n/a motor just for emmission cert. . Me personally I don't think i have a single car I could make pass guess I'm screwed

 

There will probably be no more rolling 25 year exemption. What most people are not aware of is even if your car was exempt from the tailpipe emission testing there is no exemption from the required equipment. Which means that if the car came with a particular emission control device from the factory it must still be on the car even if it does not have to go thru emission testing. This also applies to the later muscle cars that had air pumps or PCV systems.

 

The 25 year rolling rule in CA was done away with a few years ago.
Its because they realized that after the year 2000,cars with smog control devices(built after 1973) were starting to become exempted.If that trend continued,then relatively dirty running cars from the late 70's and early 80's would soon be free to pollute without control.
While, as the years pass,those older cars make up a smaller and smaller portion of the cars on the road,their pollution levels are hundreds of times greater than modern cars,which emitt almost no pollutants other than C02.Their pollution impact as a whole,belies their small numbers.

In CA next year,tabbaco smoke will become a federally regulated pollutant!
We are seeing very strict controls of power equipment too.In my buisness,2 cycle equipment is becoming almost non-existant.Chainsaws are about the only tool that havent been switched to a 4 cycle, or 2-4 cycle hybrid. And with most brands,only the cleanest running 2 cycle saws are allowed for sale in CA to rental companies.

 

do your math..... 1985+25= 2010 which would make 85's still needed to pass smog until then.. in cali its 25 years, but in other states its as low as 18years....

here in texas its 21 years so ive been exempt for the last year.... even tho my city does no do any smogging, we will see it in the next few months to a year or so

 

1975 and older are exempt. It does not change from year to year.
If you upgrade to produce less emmissions you fail the visual due to "tampering" regardless of the actual tailpipe readings.

 

I don't think its as simple as making a sweeping comment like that, Pa has a moving 25 year target. I'm under 5000 miles this year so I'll get a free pass, based on mileage exemption. Though as stated before, at least Pa does this, it'll still need to pass gas cap and visual inspection. Though since the FB gas cap was made, what appears to be, pre-world war. It won't fit a 'standard' adapter and therefore only needs visually inspected.

Reguardless you should know a mechanic and bring him/her beer whenever inspection time comes around.

 

i'll just keep the cat in storage, if and when I need to do emissions i'll put its partially cloggedness back on and get it really hot, cross my fingers and go. Emissions laws are different for locations so there is no definitive date when it is no longer required.