exhaust questions 2000 elantra

[drewmitch44]

I have a small exhaust leak that is not loud but sounds more like high air pressure when i accelerate. Also the car is sluggish when i accelerate as well. I was told on here on another post that it might be that my catalytic converter might be pluged up. So yesterday I took the car into the muffler place I normally use and there is 2 cat converters on this car. 1 is connected to the manifold and is angled up and down and one is about mid way on the exhaust system. the second one is plugged they did a pressure test and it was at 12 psi and it cannot be above 2 I was told. So my question is, Can I just cut the second cat out and put in just pipe there? Any other car I've had just had 1 cat anyways. Just curious, im not really loaded and that is a expencive part for the car. THANKS for any help you guys can give me!!!!!!!

I uploaded a pic of what each cat looks like. Thanks again!!!

 

[Bondo]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

Ayuh,... Depending on it's sensors, 'n where they are,...
You might be able to pull the 2nd cat, 'n bash out the guts, then reinstall it....

I wouldn't just put a straight pipe in it's spot, as it can bring up Inspection issues later on...

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

well I know the O2 censor is before the one I want to cut out. So unless there is 2 of those too Hopefully I should be ok. It could have 2 of them, I did not even know it had 2 cats! Any other censors you were thinking about? Good idea about banging out the guts! I forgot all about the mirror on the floor in the inspection lanes!

 

[drewmitch44]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

anyone else have any input? I went to all the part stores here and they all have to order the part cause its a CA emissions part! BUT,..... there is two O2 sencors on the car and I dont konw where the second one is!!! if i bang the guts out of this one will it throw up check engine lights? P:EASE HELP!!!! im going to unbolt it and clean it out for now anyway since i have to replace it so im not taxing my motor so much. I have to floor it to get up to 55!

 

[NYBo]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

It would be a federal offense to eliminate the cat, for one thing.

 

[Treager]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

Like most fuel injection systems, those sensors will continually adjust to operate within parameters. Removing the second cat for straight pipe may cause more problems.

With my Accent, I had a problem with the flex pipe deteriorating between the first and second cat. Not wanting to pay 150$ for a replacement pipe from the dealership, I stumbled on http://www.allhyundaiisuzuparts.com/
In the 10 years that I owned the car, I replaced the pipe twice, the website above only charged 50$ + shipping for the pipe. (also got really good deals on other parts from them, they're excellent to work with).
(and the second pipe I received was almost brand new with the second O2 sensor... once the light coating of clay that was on the pipe fell off, it was as shiny as a pipe from a car off the dealership lot).

 

[Bustedknuckle84]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

Im almost 99% positive it has 2 O2 sensors. Knocking the honey comb will throw a check engine light. I worked my bro's nissan sentra who had a 2nd cat on it the first cats honey comb fell apart which clogged up the 2nd cat. sounds very similar to your prob. He waited to long and fried his piston rings, so get it fixed before continuing to drive it.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

Could very well throw a MIL for Catalyst inefficiency (P0420) if removed. Even if it doesn't have a secondary O2 sensor behind it, can still throw the MIL. Those two converters work as a pair, and depend on each other to work correctly. Manufacturers don't put spare any thing on cars if they don't have to. + As an above poster stated, its a federal offense to remove emissions equipment from a vehicle.

Rockauto.com has a replacement for relatively short money;
BOSAL Part # 0899300 Direct Fit
Rear; Legal for Sale in California
$270.89

 

[stackz]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

yeah, you'll throw a o2 code. the first one is what's known as a pre-cat and the second is the true converter (even though they are both the same thing lol).

I've seen o2's before/after the pre-cat as well as the 2nd cat. I've seen them where there's just one past the pre-cat and then 2nd cat, etc, etc. it just depends on how the manufacturer designed the system to comply with obd2 emissions standards at the time. they play with exhausts all the time to bring engines up to standards.

if you can weld...or at least use a cutoff saw and a pipe expander, you can replace the bad cat yourself with a universal one. cheapest place I've gotten universal cats from is summitracing.com surprisingly enough. second choice is ebay.

you can get a programmer if you want to just gut the cat which you can have setup to eliminate the second o2 sensor but the programmers usually cost a couple hundred bucks and I dont know if any of the popular ones support your ecu....but if you have the 2.4L 4-banger engine, it shares the same engine family as the mitsubishi evolutions. all kinds of things from the evo engines will swap over including the turbo setup with a little fab work and they do have tuners available for them.

but thats just me rambling on

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: exhaust questions 2000 elantra

you can get a programmer if you want to just gut the cat which you can have setup to eliminate the second o2 sensor but the programmers usually cost a couple hundred bucks and I dont know if any of the popular ones support your ecu....but if you have the 2.4L 4-banger engine, it shares the same engine family as the mitsubishi evolutions. all kinds of things from the evo engines will swap over including the turbo setup with a little fab work and they do have tuners available for them.

but thats just me rambling on

Not great advice if you live in a state that performs emissions tests based on OBD I/M monitor readiness. Subtracting the B1S2 PID from the PCM will lead to O2 Heater, O2 sensor, and Catalyst monitors that never get ready. Plus if his state keeps track of the PCM PID count and supported monitors during his previous inspections, he may be in trouble for emissions tampering when he goes for his next inspection.