Hi all.
Does anyone know if gutting the catalytic would affect the ecu? could it result in check engine light etc?

Won't give you a check engine light. I assume you are in nz? It's perfectly legal, and will give you a mild performance increase. Removing it entirely might be a better option than sticking a fencing pale through it though.

Won't give you a check engine light. I assume you are in nz? It's perfectly legal, and will give you a mild performance increase. Removing it entirely might be a better option than sticking a fencing pale through it though.

No. Just no. Be very careful about this now. The laws in NZ are changing all the time relating to catalytic converters. The blanket 'no cat needed' rule no longer applies.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/classes-standards/environment.html#exhaust

Really? When did that happen? Just a couple of months ago it was all sweet to go cat free

Thanks Dreggs. Yeah I thought replacing it with regular pipe would be better than smashing the contents.. I think that legal or not, over here (Yes NZ) no-one really bothers to check these things.

over here (Yes NZ) no-one really bothers to check these things.

Nor anywhere else it seems. I took a TJ to Regency Park here in Adelaide (the official govt. car check facility) for the full-on checks and I had a look at their massive workshop. Didn't see anything like an exhaust gas analyser anywhere. Certainly didn't shove any sort of probe up the exhaust pipe. Testing the brakes on their rolling road was fun though!

Anyhow, the oxygen sensor(s) are before the cat, so removing the cat wouldn't be noticed by the car's electronics.

No. Just no. Be very careful about this now. The laws in NZ are changing all the time relating to catalytic converters. The blanket 'no cat needed' rule no longer applies.

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/vehicle/classes-standards/environment.html#exhaust

This rule only applies to cars that are imported after this law, if it entered the country prior to that date its not applicable

Don't think it will do much for performance, possibly would help if you got a tune but otherwise not much.

Gutting cat made big difference overall power on my old TS 4 cylinder manual however mine couldnt even see through cat before. I only ran on LPG so not to bad for environment anyway.

Thanks Dreggs. Yeah I thought replacing it with regular pipe would be better than smashing the contents.. I think that legal or not, over here (Yes NZ) no-one really bothers to check these things.

You just need to bridge the gap with $5 worth of steel piping and weld it in. If the law says you can do it, then why hide what you've already done by leaving the car there. You have nothing to hide.

Don't think it will do much for performance, possibly would help if you got a tune but otherwise not much.

Not much, but something. Maybe 1 or 2kw? Don't know the exact stats on it.