Stock cats with SC motor question

[irokwrx]

Ok, I went catless (High flow cats) due to a local tuner stating that the stock cats will fail quickly with my ESS kit. I went back to stock due to the car being too dang LOUD. I draw attention every time I get in it and wake the hood when starting. My question is there any truth to the cats failing quickly and causing engine damage or is the guy just talking. Any input would be appreciated.

Side note. I will be putting the AA High flow cats up for sale for local pick up only in the DMV area.

[SYT_Shadow]

Do you track the car or just street driving? Is it a kit where ESS says you have to be catless?

I've melted the ESS HFC primary cats without supercharging. It cost me an engine, which is a massive amount of related cost and inconvenience.
I believe user SonnyJack is supercharged and melted his aftermarket primary cats in just one or two track days.

If anything I'd consider your stock cats to be higher quality than aftermarket ones.

Have you considered resonated test pipes on your stock xpipe? It removes the primary cats but keeps the oem resonators and oem secondary cats so it's not that loud and removes all cat-melting considerations.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Do you track the car or just street driving? Is it a kit where ESS says you have to be catless?

I've melted the ESS HFC primary cats without supercharging. It cost me an engine, which is a massive amount of related cost and inconvenience.
I believe user SonnyJack is supercharged and melted his aftermarket primary cats in just one or two track days.

If anything I'd consider your stock cats to be higher quality than aftermarket ones.

Have you considered resonated test pipes on your stock xpipe? It removes the primary cats but keeps the oem resonators and oem secondary cats so it's not that loud and removes all cat-melting considerations.

i did have an issue with a blocked cat last August. I've got an AA SC and had an ESS mid section w/HFC. Somehow the cat on one side either melted or got knocked loose and completely blocked one side of the exhaust. A near disaster. I'm catless now so no longer an issue for me. Engine seems fine.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by irokwrx

Ok, I went catless (High flow cats) due to a local tuner stating that the stock cats will fail quickly with my ESS kit. I went back to stock due to the car being too dang LOUD. I draw attention every time I get in it and wake the hood when starting. My question is there any truth to the cats failing quickly and causing engine damage or is the guy just talking. Any input would be appreciated.

Side note. I will be putting the AA High flow cats up for sale for local pick up only in the DMV area.

Hey DJ,

Catless is best. It is a bit loud but safer. Let me know if you have any interest in those BC wheels I have. I didnt need to use them at VIR last month and I need to clean out my basement. Too much stuff I'll never use again.

Gary

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by irokwrx

Ok, I went catless (High flow cats) due to a local tuner stating that the stock cats will fail quickly with my ESS kit. I went back to stock due to the car being too dang LOUD. I draw attention every time I get in it and wake the hood when starting. My question is there any truth to the cats failing quickly and causing engine damage or is the guy just talking. Any input would be appreciated.

Side note. I will be putting the AA High flow cats up for sale for local pick up only in the DMV area.

Hey DJ,

Catless is best. It is a bit loud but safer. Let me know if you have any interest in those BC wheels I have. I didnt need to use them at VIR last month and I need to clean out my basement. Too much stuff I'll never use again.

Gary

[irokwrx]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

Do you track the car or just street driving? Is it a kit where ESS says you have to be catless?

I've melted the ESS HFC primary cats without supercharging. It cost me an engine, which is a massive amount of related cost and inconvenience.
I believe user SonnyJack is supercharged and melted his aftermarket primary cats in just one or two track days.

If anything I'd consider your stock cats to be higher quality than aftermarket ones.

Have you considered resonated test pipes on your stock xpipe? It removes the primary cats but keeps the oem resonators and oem secondary cats so it's not that loud and removes all cat-melting considerations.

I don't think I will track the car. When I do drive it I like to get in it just like every other M owner but I most likely will not track the car. That sounds like a good idea with the stock section with test pipes. I just hate the idea of taking the car to local shops in my area cuz I am sure that welding it is going to be the best way to do it. I have only seen just test pipes never resonated ones, but I never looked. I will now. Just the idea of the stock cats failing get me nervous.

[irokwrx]

Originally Posted by SonnyJack

Hey DJ,

Catless is best. It is a bit loud but safer. Let me know if you have any interest in those BC wheels I have. I didnt need to use them at VIR last month and I need to clean out my basement. Too much stuff I'll never use again.

Gary

Whats up Gary

What size are the rims? It's going to be hard to hide that from the wifey, most of the money I throw at the car she cant see....LOL

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by irokwrx

I don't think I will track the car. When I do drive it I like to get in it just like every other M owner but I most likely will not track the car. That sounds like a good idea with the stock section with test pipes. I just hate the idea of taking the car to local shops in my area cuz I am sure that welding it is going to be the best way to do it. I have only seen just test pipes never resonated ones, but I never looked. I will now. Just the idea of the stock cats failing get me nervous.

What failed is the aftermarket cats. I don't think OEM ones fail unless you'e running the 650 kit

But it's safer to do catless primaries for sure. Rogue engineering sells the resonated ones.

[irokwrx]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

What failed is the aftermarket cats. I don't think OEM ones fail unless you'e running the 650 kit

But it's safer to do catless primaries for sure. Rogue engineering sells the resonated ones.

Just ordered them. Thanks again.

[SonnyJack]

Originally Posted by irokwrx

Whats up Gary

What size are the rims? It's going to be hard to hide that from the wifey, most of the money I throw at the car she cant see....LOL

I hear you on the wife front! Although I think mine has finally given up. All I hear now is "your little whore got a package today."

The wheels are 9.5x19 w/275-30 in the front and 10.5x19 w/295-30 in the rear. Currently shod with Pilot Sport 4S's. The offsets are +20 front and +25 rear.

They're not going anywhere so if you decide you want them just make me an offer.

I'm at Summit Point all weekend so might be slow to respond until Monday.

Gary

[irokwrx]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

What failed is the aftermarket cats. I don't think OEM ones fail unless you'e running the 650 kit

But it's safer to do catless primaries for sure. Rogue engineering sells the resonated ones.

Hey shadow, get this crap! I ordered the RE test pipe, they emailed me today to say they are on backorder (Date UNKNOWN). So I call Hard motorsport to see if they have them in stock and the guy that picks up the phone says all there inventory was stolen last night (Wow). So I am SOL with that idea. Do you think the Akrapovic from the headers back will be loud? I am trying to stay away from raspy and loud.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by irokwrx

Hey shadow, get this crap! I ordered the RE test pipe, they emailed me today to say they are on backorder (Date UNKNOWN). So I call Hard motorsport to see if they have them in stock and the guy that picks up the phone says all there inventory was stolen last night (Wow). So I am SOL with that idea. Do you think the Akrapovic from the headers back will be loud? I am trying to stay away from raspy and loud.

Wow, that's crazy.

Loud is subjective. In general the Akra system is on the quieter side, but without any cats or resonators it won't be quiet.

On my E90 I have headers, race xpipe with no cats or resonators. It is loud!!!

[BlueM3Wagon]

As I get my ducks in a row for the Gintani SC stage 2 install cats were something I had never considered needed to be removed. I've got Dinan rear with stock cats and mid. I really want to keep the rasp and drone to as little as possible, I fear there's no way running the SC kit I can eliminate it. Would I be best to run just test pipes with the Dinan and keep stock X pipe in the same location? Smell is another concern, hfc will just burn up with the SC kit it sounds like. Sweeter smelling e85 sounds lovely 😊. I do have it a block from my house but as I understand I would need to change fueling on the stage 2 kit to tune for it.

I'll look into that resonated test pipe mentioned in the top of the thread unless someone chimes in and tells me I can keep my stock cats with the Gintanti kit lol