Everybody has their own opinion on this matter. To stay legal you would have to have them on there. You can try rockauto.com for some replacement bolt in cats.

Bigtt8600- those code don't neccessarily mean that your cats are bad. It could be several things that triggered the code.

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1996 Ford Ranger STX 4x4 4.0L
1983 Honda Shadow VT750C

okay cool. in utah it's legal with just one but can't figure out if i'll burn up or not with just on. thanks for the suggestion to find some cats. I also know my front one is bad because of the noise it makes and the horrible fuel milage

Beginning to wonder myself. My problem is, how do I know if its definetly the cats or not. If my cats were bad, wouldnt I be experiencing some kind of problems like a rough idle or sputtering or bad performance?

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~-SOLD-~
04' Edge 6 Cyl 3.0 5 Speed Manual 107K Miles
3" Body Lift - 33" All Terrain Tires
Drop In K&N Filter - Flowmaster - XM Commander Satellite Radio

Basicly it depends on the year and engine of your ranger. removing the cats for better ones is great but getting rid of them entirely is very very bad. Basicly it will shoot codes and the engine does need the cats to function. I would go with the high flowing Magnaflow cats for better engine performance and you'll keep it legal. Alot of states are going to start emissions testing real soon (My state already does, VA). Also places like CA,VA and NY that require an annually inspection won't pass it if you remove the cats. Basicly you need to check your local and state laws before attempting this mod.

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2004 Ford Ranger Edge
Any engine info or other mods is need to know and you don't.


http://davidsonmotorsports.blogspot.com/

Not necessarily. I had a Honda that ran great, then i took it in for emissions and they told me my cat was bad. i would never have known if it wasnt for that stupid emissions test

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1993 Ford Ranger XLT, 4.0, auto, 4x4
No mods yet...

All vehicles react differently to this issue. Less back pressure is good but almost no back pressure is bad in the long run. Our engines were designed to have back pressure. Course all manufacturers design the tightest restrictions to meet EPA standards. A full flow exhaust in the long run would cause faster wear on the engine. The best option for: MPG, valve longevity, meeting EPA standards and well happy neighbors (loud exhaust) would be to put cats back on. The O.E. units aren't as restrictive as you might think. Ford does a respectable job due to Ford's reputation for torque vs horsepower engines. If you want more power and less back pressure I'd recommend going with the Magnaflows. They will meet any exhaust standards, you will pass emissions testing if you have it and less restrictions of the Maganaflows will mean a better running truck.

Hope this helps!

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94 Splash 2WD, 5sp, 4.0L, Custom paint, Black-n-Red interior, Lots of go fast goodies!

93 XLT Ext Cab, 4x4, A4LD, Cayman Green / Tan, More or less stock for now.

how would my truck sound if i took the muffler off and and y pipes ran dual pipes out if the back? with two tips the what my bro has on his 4.6 f-150 and it sounds mean? would mine sound like shit?

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1999 2 wd4 cyl2.5l5 spd135k
MODS:5% tint all around Night Shades (Extra Dark)Corners Thrid BrakeTails Air silence removed 2006 Mirrors Flowmaster Super 44 (Weld on & Turn down)
35W 5000K Hids

I have 2 cats that are right next to the engine and then pipes all the way out from there with no muffler. it is quite loud and some what obnoxious but i like it. it sounds very deep for a V6...

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2007 Black FX4
Nitto Terra Grapplers - 285/75
Mickey Thompson Classic II's - 17"

yeah i only have a little 4cyl my best bet is to keet it quiet... or look and sound like a *******

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1999 2 wd4 cyl2.5l5 spd135k
MODS:5% tint all around Night Shades (Extra Dark)Corners Thrid BrakeTails Air silence removed 2006 Mirrors Flowmaster Super 44 (Weld on & Turn down)
35W 5000K Hids

take them off, an wen ever you see a cop let off and coast. lol.
i had my old 6.2 straight piped, though it didnt have cats. but every time i saw a cop id coast by never got stoped. =]

Well, it all depends on what you think sounds good. The smaller the displacement, the tinier or buzzier you'll sound. 4 cylinders can sound good as long as it's done right. In your case my opinion is it wouldn't sound that good unless you have the power to back it up. There are a lot of 4 cyl vehicles out there that sound so silly and are made fun of. If you say drop a Turbo Coupe motor in it and have the power to back up the sound then you would be justified. You best bet is to work on the engine power then the exhaust. I have seen (and jumped on) too many beer can sounding 4 cylinders thinking the must have some power when all they've done is make a loud obnoxious car.

Again, it's your Ranger. Do what you think will be a good sounding truck.

P.S. The true duals will do nothing for performance by themselves.

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94 Splash 2WD, 5sp, 4.0L, Custom paint, Black-n-Red interior, Lots of go fast goodies!

93 XLT Ext Cab, 4x4, A4LD, Cayman Green / Tan, More or less stock for now.

Here is a solid answer

Back pressure is the enemy, but it is required to keep the gases flowing fast (which is good)

Ideal system has low backpressure, but fast laminar flow. This can't happen at all RPM with a real life situations.

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Looking for a professional retrofitter to add HIDs or LEDs to your Ranger? PM me if your looking to have work done, and have cash to spend.

your engine was tuned with backpressure, not designed to have backpressure. Big difference.

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Looking for a professional retrofitter to add HIDs or LEDs to your Ranger? PM me if your looking to have work done, and have cash to spend.

My 94 4.0 has around 200,000 miles and I figured that the cats had to be getting clogged so I removed them and looked in with a flashlight, they were extremely clean, looked like brand new. I already had it off so I couldn’t help myself but to beat all the crap out of them to create 2 empty shells than I put them back on. So in effect now I have a straight pipe to the factory muffler. If someone looks under the truck they will see the 2 stock cats and stock exhaust system.
There is no noticeable difference in power or mileage, she got a consistent 21mpg before and after and that’s with me stepping on her pretty often and driving aggressively.
The only difference is now she has a deep throaty sound but still pretty quiet. The only time I notice it is when I step on it.

Basicly it depends on what size motor you have as well as the type of Camshaft, and Valvetrain components.


I agree with most of what you said. the trual duals is a different matter. It depends on the senario. Yes they've been known to help on certain vehicles and models but not always. Strait pipes on a 4 banger will NOT sound good on a "stock version". it'll have that poed hornet/fart can sound to it. Basicly he'd have to have the heads rebuilt from the ground up and switch camshafts to get the sound he's looking for. Then you'd do the exhaust. Flowmaster Deltaflow 60 series muffler would be great. They're designed specifically for 4 and 6 cylinder engines.


it depends on the situation, where you live and your states emissions requirements.

You're partially right but you also forgot about one small ugly detail. THE EGR VALVE. when they installed that shit from the factory they pretty much permanently choked it. If you remove it your vehicle won't even turn over. If it takes a dump, that's where you sit. It took them several years to figure out that is was indeed a bad move but they finally got rid of the shit.

That's what type of exhaust you want. I've been in trouble with my exhaust too many times and know pretty much what I like, what works legally and what's illegal. Strait pipes are not illegal to have but are illegal to run (a local judge told me that in open court).

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2004 Ford Ranger Edge
Any engine info or other mods is need to know and you don't.


http://davidsonmotorsports.blogspot.com/