That should narrow down your search.

 

Dude, if running catless is making you sick, put your cat back on! I had the same problem as you before. I ran catless for years in my DSMs, and finally got tired of breathing in exhaust fumes. Driving highway is not a problem, but when you're in the city in stop and go traffic, it sucks. You have to ask yourself, is risking your health and the health of your passengers worth the few extra hp? I'm now worried about the long term effects breathing in exhaust for all those years has on me. I get nauseated rather easily now.

 

i sometimes get a headache bu usually only in stop and go traffic. it has really done a number to my bumper though.

 

I've been running cat-less for awhile now and I don't have any smell of it, sometimes a bit if its windy and my windows are down.

 

been catless for about 7-8 months.. don't have any problems at all..... maybe im just lucky...

 

I'm sorry if this has been said already before, but it's highly unlikely that headaches are caused by running catless. If you've got carbon monoxide infiltrating the passenger comparment, then you've got a leak, plain and simple. A catalytic converter will not remove CO.

IMO, if you've got carbon monoxide problems then most likely you've got a leak somewhere between the cylinder head and the tail end of the downpipe. From what I've seen of the underside of my Evo, there's not much opportunity for exhaust gases to get into the cabin from the firewall back.

As others have suggested, a carbon monoxide detector is a pretty good idea. I've seen small ones that stick to the cockpit dashboard of small planes. One of those seems perfect in a case like this.

 

so is anyone experiencing this same problem that is running a fake cat, or is this just a test pipe thing. i am thinking of getting a test pipe with my TB but with a new baby on board (not very often- but still) this would really bother me.

 

been running catless for a year and a half no problems

 

catless with no prob...

 

The all too glorified internal combustion engine

Where is the balance between raw power and, well... for lack of better words, clean power?

 

bro, don't even risk it with a baby on board. please.

 

^ was just curious, i didnt mean to sound like i would put my sons health at risk or anything. thats why i was asking. thanks.

 

For some reason I don't think people get it. Running catless isn't going to increase the amount of deadly carbon monoxide that may or may not be leaking.

If you put an aftermarket exhaust that has leaks, especially between the cylinder head and the tail end of the DP, you're going to get CO infiltration into the cabin, regardless of whether or not you have a cat install. A leaky system will probably leak even worse with a cat due to the back pressure.

Fix the leaks and you won't be risking your life and suffering from long term exposure to CO.

 

im assuming its perfectly normal to have a stronger smell when going "catless", i own a mechanic shop and breathe fumes in everyday, i def. noticed the smell when i took my cat off. its perfectly normal, think about all the extra fumes that are running through your exhaust now since you took the cat off. there is a possibility you may have a leak, but i highly doubt you would not smell it even if you did have a leak, especially during stop and go driving, with your windows down, or just on an idle. i wouldnt worry about it too much unless it is seriously bothering you.

 

What he said ^ . Cracked leaky tube manis, leaky gaskets or a cracked/ leaky o2 housing are the best way of getting fumes in the cabin. CO is odorless, although usually acompanied by other noxious smells if present from exhuast fumes.

Try having a buddy put his foot over the tailpipe for some forced backpressure and hunt around your exhuast.

The cat only removes sulfur and nitrogen compounds I think.