Cats on a Strip Car?

[packman]

I was wondering if you can do this on a strip vehicle that may see the occasional cruise. Other than creating extra restriction in the exhaust, why don't we see cats on strip vehicles? Could you not put a cat on a strip vehicle and consider it a muffler (for tracks that require muffs)?


Packman

[Blaze86Vic]

Cats do not count as mufflers, however, high flow or even properly working cats have completely negligible if any effect on power.

Racecars do not need cats because they are only for emissions. Cats get very hot when your car is running rich (which every drag vehicle does). In very high performance applications they can add restriction.

[mrltd]

As Blaze stated, the rich mixture causes the cats to overheat and destroys them. That's what happened to my car.

[packman]

I sorta figured that it had something to do with the extra fuel that a cammed motor dumps in the exhaust. I was only curious to see if others have done the same thing. If I ever get to working on the 53 I am contemplating a cat install to cut down on the smell, in case a girly or two wants to cruise.


Packman

[DuceAnAHalf]

you could tune the motor so that it does not run so rich

[gadget73]

and/or set up the exhaust so it has a section thats easily swapped from a straight pipe to a cat. Add the cat when you want it on there for emissions.

[interceptor1985]

and/or set up the exhaust so it has a section thats easily swapped from a straight pipe to a cat. Add the cat when you want it on there for emissions.

DITTO...Its called a TEST pipe! Most peaple do it.

[Blaze86Vic]

For the street, you can easily tune any motor to not run rich as DuceAnAHalf stated.

[Wolfeyes88]

Another possibility is cutouts. Rig it up so the cat is in use when the cutout is closed, and the "racey" exhaust in in use when it's open.

Want to keep it quieter and not as smelly? Close the cutout. Want to wake up the people in India? Open the cutout.

[packman]

I had that set up in my Malibu, except that the cutout was right after the cat. That was with the stock 305 sbc. I wish I did that with the 496 BBC because that engine stunk up my clothes pretty good. Though the exhaust set up for that was rigged up temporarily until the engine was broken in. That is also the exhaust set up in the CV as well except that the CV has a dual exhaust instead of the single 3" on the Malibu. I was just thinking about doing this with a built 390FE with a fat cam. I guess I'll just have to mess with it when the time comes.


Packman

[Lincolnmania]

the cats lounge on toms car all the time hehe

[88Vic]

Install a full exhaust and then put cutouts before the cats and mufflers. That's what i'd do if I had money, but I don't. So when I buy a truck i'll just run straight pipes for a while then i'll put on a muffler.

[packman]

the cats lounge on toms car all the time hehe

I got one too that sleeps inside the car(s) while I am working on them. One of these days i'll get a pic of my house/shop/driveway cat.


Packman