Do I really need a catalytic converter?

I'm getting my tax money back. Right now I'm really broke and could use it for other things. Anyway I love my truck but the guy before my cut out the catalytic converters and added a cherry bomb exhaust. Well when I left Florida to come to Nc about 5 hours into the trip the truck started to run horribly getting 5mpgs and about to stall so I had to spend the night at a hotel. The next day I had tire kingdom I think looked at it. They said my 02 sensors were shot and because one was on the frame it would be 250 to fix it. They said because I don't have catalytic converters thats what caused it.

Does that seem right? Since the fix I have put a 3000 thousand miles or more on the truck and no problem. I get 10.2mpg but it is a 360 v8.

I'm not worried about inspection but for the wellness of my truck should I get the TWO catalytic converters I'm going to need that may cost up to 650$ my shop up here said the cat converters don't really matter I may see one or two miles better mpg and that the sensor failing was just a freak thing they said not to do the catalytic converters.

What do you think.

I don't have any check engine codes or anything, runs fine.

Yes. For numerous reasons. This isn't the 1980's anymore where the first "mod" you did was tear off the cats.

Everybody says the 80s styles are coming back!

But seriously, i would say dont fix what aint broke, if you say it runs great and theres no check engine and you dont need to pass tests...

I say fix the sensors they aint that expensive... No cats here and no CEL either runs just fine.

So if we cut our cats off it won't throw a code?

you dont need the cats for the truck to run fine if it throws a code buy some of the spark plug non foulers and that should help it clear the code

smokedya said:

So if we cut our cats off it won't throw a code?

Click to expand...

Most likely you will throw a code but you can either get a custom tune to turn off the rear o2's or you can do the nonfouler trick and that should move them far enough from the exhaust stream that they wont trigger a code.

Like mentioned before you do not need them. But if you were to buy new cats you don't need to buy the ones they want you to buy. I bought 2 MF high flows for $220. And the nonfowler trick works. I ran without cars for about a year and the CEL only came on twice. Reset it and keep going. The biggest reason I put them back on besides inspection was to get rid of the smell.

What are non fouling spark plugs? And what is this "it isn't the 80's crap anymore" crap?

Spark plug nonfowlers are basically spacers. You will need 2 per O2 sensor. Drill one out so the O2 will screw into it. Screw that into the other nf. Then screw those into O2 ****. This pulls the sensor out of the main exhaust stream. Some people stuff a little steel wool in there too. I didn't and it still worked.

The only o2's that effect the motor running is the first ones, the rears just say the cats are working if they were on there. With that many biles I would replace the upstream o2's and call it a day unless you want to clear up the gassy smell and get alill more low end back.