Header Y-pipe

[cycomiko]

96 Formula Convertible.

I ordered pacesetter headers and I'm trying to chose a y pipe. Either the pacesetter or speed engineering. It will be hooking up to a Borla catback. I'm leaning towards the speed y because it's stainless. My other issue is how much cutting if any is necessary to add two cats onto the front of the y. Will it be too long at the catback end? With 11in bullet cats or hollow cats (no sniffer in NJ?)

[wretched73]

During visual inspection they look for cats, so if you go to state inspection, you need them

I'd get the pace setter Y if you got their headers. There is no guarantee the speed engineering Y will fit a different brand's headers

Without seeing the headers and Y its hard to say how much work is needed to add cats, Every time i've added cats, i've done it right after the header collector. And yes you will have to cut and weld them in

[cycomiko]

It's a daily driver so I guess I should get the bullet cats just in case things change at the inspection station. I should invent a magnetic pipe that looks like catalytic converter. Then we could pop it on for inspection and off after. Lol

[Blackbirdws6]

Recommending buying headers/Y pipe from the same company otherwise you'll likely be wasting money. You'll either be stuck with a Y that doesn't fit and end up spending money to revise it to fit or need to sell and buy what you should have in the first place.

Since this is your daily, I'd save up a bit more for a stainless setup (headers+Y).

As for inspection, I don't see them going back to tail pipe tests for OBD-2 cars but you're taking a risk in that if you roll through inspection with a car that stinks, the inspector may decide to give you a hard time. On the flip side, they may not care as they did their job of a visual inspection and it passes a plug in. The latter assumes you weld up the cat case or put in hollow cats. For a daily, I would just go with a decent cat to avoid the smell but that's just me since you aren't gaining much from keeping it out.

[LTb1ow]

Its doable to have cats right off the headers but its gonna hang low unless you modify the frame on the driver side floor area. Lousy PB image but its from years ago on my car.

[cycomiko]

I'm curious of the sound levels compared with vatted vs non with long tubes and a Borla catback

[JL8Jeff]

I ran the Pacesetter headers with their y-pipe and I added cats to it on my old 96 SS. I think I put some heat wrap around the fuel lines on the driver's side. The high flow cats don't really knock down the noise or flow at higher rpm's so I would add the cats if you are using it as your daily driver.

[cycomiko]

Thanks.

Has anyone used the speed engineering y pipe with pacesetter headers?

[wretched73]

Try it and let us know

[cycomiko]

Just did the header and ypipe install. What a pita! I installed poly motor mounts while under there. The y pipe is one foot short of the cat back. The headers are tight to the floor and I had to remove the rear section of my trans cross member.

[Anti_Rice_Guy]

Did you go with the speed engineering y and pacesetters?

[cycomiko]

Yes. Pacesetter with speed engineering y pipe. I already have a misfire.... I'm guessing number 6 wire that wire boot is directly under the exhaust tube. Ahhhh. Should I get over the valve cover wires? I see Accel has ceramic boot wires.