I was researching for an exhuast for my s2k but decided not to as there won't be much gains and that I don't want to ruin the comfort of driving so I searched and alot of people remove the can instead of the resonator and then use a test pipe and they said they had a few gains and liked the growl tone that it gave too. I'm considering this mod as well

 

Do not remove your resonator, it will not give you a growl, it will give you a tin can raspy noise as in here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiQWitHJj-U a test pipe will sound about the same as stock. A single 70mm exhaust combined with a test pipe could get you gains up to 15 or more whp. But its almost impossible to tell the difference of a stock exhaust with the cat and a stock exhaust with a test pipe.

 

I can't wait till mine gets here (Tuesday) ordered a berk tp /w cel fix, i was expecting to get like 4 hp and 3 tq but ill take 8 and 5.

 

+ to no cat

I found the car made a bit more power, it lowers the drone of aftermarket exhaust and in my car made the stock exhaust sound a little meatier!

- to cat

Smells like crap
cops can be dicks
your hurting the ozone with horrible CO, NOx and unburnt hydrocarbon emissions
AND IT STINKS!

 

I actually love the smell, just smells like gasoline thats all.

 

If it just smells like gasoline, i kind of like the smell, why would everyone complain that it stinks real bad?

 

Cause they're pussies...

 

Because you're polluting.

Unlike other mods that will only void the warranty for the part replaced, removing the cat voids the entire factory warranty - and it violates Federal law.
Federal law is pretty strict regarding the removal of the cat in that it can only be replaced if the original cat doesn't work. This can of course be bypassed if you replace the cat with a comparable replacement cat (the old sledge hammer to your original cat, replace it with an aftermarket cat, and a story to go along with it) - but not with a test pipe.

Most folks will tell you that no one will ever inspect your car, but it only takes your local pokey needing to up their ticket intake to smell the absence of your cat to pull you over - and then you can loose your car due to the strictness of Federal and most local/State laws. While Florida does not currently require inspections, it is still illegal to tamper/remove your factory cat. The fines are not cheap either.

Additionally - there are tree-huggers out there that will turn in your information to the local authorities due to the smell associated with removing your cat (I've read a few articles regarding this). That gives the local authorities probable cause to inspect your car.

5-10 HP is not worth all that hate and discontent. The Berk aftermarket cat flows 80% as well as the test pipe and weighs less than the stock cat. You can get away with an aftermarket cat - but not a test pipe.

 

The test pipe smell was particularly strong in my car. I thought I would get cancer from all the nasty fumes. Cars would even pull up to me to tell me that my car was broken because it smelled so bad.

I went with the hi-flow cat and all's good.

 

Tell em' slipstream