cats removed from 6.0

[chacho44]

I been debating on cutting my cats off my esv. Im still not sure about it yet cause I do t want it sounding like crap. Anyone remove there cats on a 6.0 with stock exhaust, maybe some ppl can chime in. Reason is my O2's are acting up throwing codes, my friend can shut them off through his laptop. Either way there gonna be shut off, either with or without cats. Just wondering the sound of it. I cut them off my old 5.3 yukon and it wasn't loud at all, just a different tone and of course it stunk a little.

 

[livingez_123]

I would leave the cats on, you wont gain or loose either way. The big restriction is in the muffler. A good cat back system and a tune and you should be set. I would also replace the O2's and leave them turned on.

 

[NathanJax]

I would leave the cats on, you wont gain or loose either way. The big restriction is in the muffler. A good cat back system and a tune and you should be set. I would also replace the O2's and leave them turned on.

x2

 

[Gzes]

It might sound a little more raspy but depends on your muffler. I run a complete straight pipe on a sol I have and I may do something similar to the hoe after I put my Longtubes in

 

[JennaBear]

Stock cats are high flow cats.

 

[01ssreda4]

I been debating on cutting my cats off my esv. Im still not sure about it yet cause I do t want it sounding like crap. Anyone remove there cats on a 6.0 with stock exhaust, maybe some ppl can chime in. Reason is my O2's are acting up throwing codes, my friend can shut them off through his laptop. Either way there gonna be shut off, either with or without cats. Just wondering the sound of it. I cut them off my old 5.3 yukon and it wasn't loud at all, just a different tone and of course it stunk a little.

Which ones? You're fueling/front 02s are in-front of the cats, and the rears are simply telling the computer the cats are functioning. Meaning, removing the cats wont change anything about the front two, and removing the cats will cause the rears to throw a code if they aren't already. See where I'm going? You have an issue somewhere else that needs to be resolved. However, if you are saying the rears are throwing codes, delete the codes from the tune and leave the cats on.....though the codes could be an indicator the cats are on their way out. Just so hard to speculate.

 

[Wake]

I would leave the cats on, you wont gain or loose either way. The big restriction is in the muffler. A good cat back system and a tune and you should be set. I would also replace the O2's and leave them turned on.

I've found the stock exhaust to be pretty good on these vehicles.

I've changed the exhaust on several of my vehicles over the years and going to a Magnaflow on the Escalade was the only vehicle that gave me absolutely no gains. I was quite surprised considering how heavy the stock muffler is that it wasn't restrictive.

On my STS-V I gained about 3mpg and a louder vehicle using Gibson mufflers only (stock pipes pretty straight), on my old 03 STS I gained 1mpg and a nice sound with a Borla system, my first 96 Vette about 1mpg with Dynomax mufflers, and my second 96 Vette about 1mpg with a full Flowmaster exhaust.

The Escalade though, no gains at all.

Unless his O2s are dirty/lazy I think new sensors are only going to show the same symptoms, it sound like maybe his cats are worn out.

 

[Mudfrog]

Stock cats are high flow cats.

Aren't the stock converters 500cell count?

Either way to the OP, you will not gain anything. Go with a good 400 cell count heavy load cat and keep it all. Replace the O2 sensors at the same time if they are throwing codes, just in case it's a false code. For $200 in parts you can stay legal and still have great flow.