This is a follow up to my exhaust leak issue. The leak is a pretty major crack at the weld immediately aft of the catalyst. At it's age it's not likely to take a reweld. Looking at the available parts online, I seem to have three options:

1. Replace cat with OEM, cost $$$$.
2. Replace with performance downpipe, cost $$$
3. Replace cat with drop-in aftermarket, cost $$

Looking at the drop-in parts I'm highly suspicious of their quality and the degradation of performance I'd see. Even these shoddy looking parts will cost over $400. For another couple hundred, I could upgrade to a nice mandrel-bent downpipe with high-flow catalyst.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Can I expect much performance gain with an otherwise stock car? Do I need to be concerned with some other issues like heat or turbo reliability or something I'm not thinking of?

- Matt

 

downpipe will help, but it will dump into the stock exhaust?
the stock system is restictive....unless you do the whole thing.

If you can maek one do it. if not get a quote from a local shop.