After searching through a lot of the exhaust threads, I didn't quite see what I was looking for.. so if this was discussed before I apologize and feel free to kick my *** and all that good stuff.

Since our lancers require (in some states) the 2 cats in order to pass emissions, do you think it is possilble or even worth it to try a setup like this instead of the normal setups?

Header to DP, DP to 1st highflow cat (not testpipe), 1cat to 2nd highflow cat(not testpipe), 2nd cat to rest of exhaust

that way when you want to free everything up you need 2x testpipes rather than swapping out a header and testpipe

It sounds logical in my head, but im no exhaust expert, so I dont know if it would be worth doing it this way. All replies are welcome on this one guys/gals.

 

the answer is no.I asked my local shop that very question and here is what they told me .the first cat has to be at where the air is the hottest comeing from the motor so the o2 censor can get the first reading.hence why the second cat is further down the pipes so it can get a diffrent reading from it's o2 censor.he said unless someone comes out with a CARB legal heated cat(wich is highly doubtfull)
I too have been on a quest to find Carb legal ways to mod my car so good luck...from the scuttlebutt i have heard from a lil bird...RRM is working on a CARB legal header...I hope this is true

 

carb legal header for our car wouldnt probably do much more than it doesnow, it will still hvae a restrictive cat in there

 

Actually it would make a difference, the header tubes are larger for more flow, the actual honeycomb part wouldn't be as thick, thus just like a high flow cat. I'm sure they could make the honeycomb part more open (porous) as well to allow the exhaust to flow through easier. Seems like it would work alot better than the stock manifold.

 

Yes, I bet if a header could incorporate a 1st cat into it, it will be more high flow than the oem cat, and definitely higher flow than the oem cat with the manifold.