3" Exhaust question

[krazy86t]

Figured out why the t-type would not pass the sniff test. Previous owner cut out the guts of the catalytic convertor. So I need a new one. I was planning on upgrading the cat-back exhaust to the hooker 2.5 set-up. Now that I need to replace the cat too, I'm wondering do you get reasonable gains for the extra $$$ going to a 3" set-up (downpipe and cat?). Do you also need a 3" cat-back exhaust to make full use of the 3" downpipe and cat? I have not seen 3" cat-back kits.

How do you remove the stock AC catalytic convertor from the stock downpipe? Looks like a crimped slip-fit, but does not want to come out.

 

[TurboDave]

Good luck getting the stock cat off the stock downpipe. Especially if someone has torqued it down overly tight. I had to get an air hammer and good chisel and basically cut mine off.

Then upgraded to a THDP style 3" downpipe. 3" high flow cat. and 2.5" stainless cat back sytem. That was over 15 years ago. The major components of the system are still like new. The only things that wore out were he mufflers because I cheaped out and didn't get stainless.
I recently put stainless mufflers on so the system should be good to go and outlast me now.

 

[krazy86t]

Cut the old cat off the downpipe with a hack saw. Stock downpipe is still in good shape.

the car sounds pretty sweet with just the downpipe fun to listen to the turbo spooling.