Anyone do a writeup on the cat install? I was quoted very high everywhere around here to install them (because people here afraid to work on the car), so I'm gonna put them in myself. If there is no writeup, can anyone tell me what tools I will need in advance so I don't get 1/2way through and realize I don't have a tool I need... Thanks.

ps- I would search, but it is down

 

Sure thing. This is a high-level write up because I do not have a lot of time now. PM me if you need more details. You CAN do this yourself.

Time: 3-4 hours
Tools:
3 (yes, 3) 12" ratchet extensions
1 ratchet knuckle
14mm deep socket
14mm box end wrench
10mm socket
assorted screw drivers
3/8" drive ratchet
4 jack stands
floor jack

1. Get the car really high on the jack stands.
2. Get under the car and remove the brace supporting the stock cats
3. Remove the O2 sensors from each cat
4. Remove O2 sensors from mounting bracket and unplug
5. Remove rear cat connections from exhaust using 14mm deep socket
6. Remove the two lower nuts connecting the cats to the exhaust manifolds.
7. Get out from under the car and stand over engine bay
8. Remove upper intake tube
9. Daisy chain the 3 socket extensions together to make a 3 foot extension.
10. Mount the socket knuckle and 14mm socket to the end of the extension
11. Look down the driver's side of the engine and spot the top nut on the manifold/cat connection. Feed the extension down there and gtet the socket on the nut. Loosen and remove.
12. Repeat 11 for the passenger side.
13. Remove cats if they have not fallen out.
14. Reverse the above. Start by mounting the cat to the exhaust manifold. Then connect to exhaust. Also, start with is easier conenctions under the car and then do the top one.

The old connections used a stud and a nut. However, with the new cats, you will have to use a bolt and nut. When you tighten these, you will need a box-end wrench on one end and a socket on the other. When it comes time to do the top nut, you may need a friend to hold one while you turn the other.

PM me if you need more info. Take care.

 

A guy here only charged me $75 to take them out and put the test pipes in, how much were you quoted?

 

Between 90 and 140... not worth it to me (college student w/ no job)...

 

Everywhere I went to wanted 200-300 to install cats.. shesh...

Finally found aplace that will do it for 125. Don't know if I will do it though..

 

If I do end up getting cats, i dont think my dad has all those tools or enough of each to do the install. That install price isn't too bad.

 

I'd install my own, the exhaust was a breeze to install myself, but I do not trust my friends lift and don't want to break anything under the car. SOoo I am forced to have it tinstalled elsewhere


Oh well..

 

No, no. Really, these should be installed by yourself. It is not hard. It just takes a little time. Really, 3-4 hours TOPS. I was taking my merry sweet time. As for the tools, you can pickup the needed items at Sears for cheap. They sell sockets, box-end wrenches and what not individually. So, you don't need to buy an entire kit. If you can do a cat-back exhaust, then you can do the cats. Its not hard, you just have to know how to get the top two nuts. If you know how, then it is all gravy.

 

I installed the cats myself at home on jackstands and after I was done (about 7-8 hours later), I told myself that next time I would pay the $200 or whatever they wanted to have them installed. It's not worth the pain in the a$$ AT ALL!!

 

What is so hard about removing the cats? To me, it seems like 2 lower bolts, a support bolt, and 3 upper bolts + removing the o2 sensor per cat... what is hard about it?

(Not saying it isn't hard, just wondering what makes it so hard)

 

Well, for me, removing the stock cats was not so much the problem. It was installing the new ones that was a beeeeeeetoch! If you have help, it would probably be A LOT easier, but I did it all myself with the car about 2 inches above me so there was little room to move around and trying to get the new bolts installed by yourself is just this side of impossible.

-Chris

 

I didnt have time to do my own, so I had them installed for $115.00. Oh well..

 

My Kinetix cat came yesterday, I will install in tomorrow.

But I have a question about the two shorter bolts. Where do they go?

Thanks

 

The bolts are VERY hard to remove, at least for me.

 

I didn't want to go through the hassle, although I almost installed them myself. But, in the end I ended up at the muffler shop that fabricated up my dual system. Total cost $41.29. The installer only had to go through the hood once, to get at a stubborn nut on the old passenger side cat. He did everything else from the underside the car. BTW, I had the Crawfords installed. No fitment issues whatsoever. Everything fit like a glove. The sound is fantastic, a little deeper and more mellow. No raspy sound at all. A wee bit more power, but nothing to write home about.

Did I make the right choice? - YES

Lou

 

The short bolts are to hold the cats to the support bracket in the middle.

-Chris

 

i had my r/t cats installed for 60 bucks total and then i tipped him 20 bucks. love the sound and power

 

ihatebobbarker and I made our own writeup. With some pictures.

https://my350z.com/forum/showthread....69#post1008269

 

I just had the Kinetix Hi-flow's installed yesterday. Is it true that you are not able to use the old stock support bracket that holds the 2 cats side by side anymore?

 

I was able to use that bracket, however, it caused both my cats to crack because they did not fit very well. (Without the bracket both cats rested right up agaist the heat sheild, even after bending them away )