Looking for some input here...legalities aside, does anyone know what happens with the 5.3 computer function if the cats are removed and straight pipes installed in their place? Not building a drag truck or anything like it...just am not that familiar with the interactions of O2 sensors/cats/computer on the multi-O2 setups used today.
I am an old gearhead, and I know computers pretty well. My assumptions are that in a normally-working engine, the upstream O2 sensors do their thing regardless of what's happening downstream. SO my question then is, what would the downstream O2 sensors report if there were no cats between them and the upstream ones?
My problem is that the truck sat for 3 years and had bad gas, even though it had been Stabil treated. The truck threw misfire and O2 codes for a week, and then just O2 codes. Truck runs great except that it is sluggish under acceleration and passing, and there is sometimes a pronounced cat smell. It's like there's a 5-second timer holding it back, and then after 5, it just takes off like a rocket. Took it to the Chevy store and had them put it on the engine analyzer; they said bad cats and right bank upstream O2 sensor. I see the replacement cats are devilishly expensive, and worse, they are only guaranteed to ACT like cats for 25-50,000 miles.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's and to me a catalytic converter is a nuisance. Back in the day, I ran several vehicles without them and they only got better--but that was pre- 'even-the-windshield-wipers-have-to-ask-the-computer-permission-to-engage' days. The fuel is cleaner now and the computer-controlled engines run tons cleaner, too.
So what would just removing the cats and leaving everything else bone stock (even the O2 sensors)--not that I would EVER do that, Mr. EPA Troll--cause the computer to do?
I am an old gearhead, and I know computers pretty well. My assumptions are that in a normally-working engine, the upstream O2 sensors do their thing regardless of what's happening downstream. SO my question then is, what would the downstream O2 sensors report if there were no cats between them and the upstream ones?
My problem is that the truck sat for 3 years and had bad gas, even though it had been Stabil treated. The truck threw misfire and O2 codes for a week, and then just O2 codes. Truck runs great except that it is sluggish under acceleration and passing, and there is sometimes a pronounced cat smell. It's like there's a 5-second timer holding it back, and then after 5, it just takes off like a rocket. Took it to the Chevy store and had them put it on the engine analyzer; they said bad cats and right bank upstream O2 sensor. I see the replacement cats are devilishly expensive, and worse, they are only guaranteed to ACT like cats for 25-50,000 miles.
I grew up in the 60's and 70's and to me a catalytic converter is a nuisance. Back in the day, I ran several vehicles without them and they only got better--but that was pre- 'even-the-windshield-wipers-have-to-ask-the-computer-permission-to-engage' days. The fuel is cleaner now and the computer-controlled engines run tons cleaner, too.
So what would just removing the cats and leaving everything else bone stock (even the O2 sensors)--not that I would EVER do that, Mr. EPA Troll--cause the computer to do?