I just got a couple concerns and questions going on with my 2001 GT.

1. About 1-1.5k miles ago I got rid of my Cats and got an H-pipe/Stingers. Never had a CEL come on. Do I need to tune this car to make it run healthy or should I be fine. The reason I ask is about 2 months ago my car had a huge misfire issue. Was running it hard, and when I let off the gas at about 4k rpm, the car shut off and I had to keep trying to turn it on while coasting. Finally got it running, and had a really bad misfire. Pulled the plugs, they were nasty, see picture. Anyways after all this, I am worried about the car still running bad. It has 55k on the ODO so I know this car should not be having issues, it seems to run fine now but just worried. I know its cold outside right now but man does this thing put out a lot of exhaust out the pipes. I can see it in my rear view mirror pretty bad. If I need a tune can any auto shop do it, do I have to take it to Ford? Do I have to buy my own handheld? How much do these tunes usually cost?

2. Do any of you still hear a lot of noise by the exhaust gasket on the passenger side? I replaced the gasket when I did the exhaust and tightened it up again, it sounds a little quieter but I still feel like I hear a tiny leak.

3. Does anyone's e-brake rattle or vibrate? As small of an issue this is, I think a spring in the levers button is vibrating, and it annoys me way more than I should.

Thanks!

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That's odd. Are you sure that the lamp works? It should light up briefly when you first turn the key on.

Sorry for the late reply, for some reason I thought in my head I responded... Anyways the lamp works perfectly fine. I have heard rumors that if a car is running extremely healthy then the light might not come on when you take out the cats. IDK though.

When you say excessive exhaust, is it more than the usual condensation that leaves the pipes? As in, do you see black smoke?
It sounds like the engine is flooding itself with fuel when you coast. Hook up a scanner that get read short and long term fuel trims so you can verify this. The handheld tuners you can buy come with this scanning capability so you can knock out two birds with one stone. You can find a used, unlocked SCT X4 for around $250-300. New ones cost $400. You can have someone like Manuel Pazo (Lito) or VMP remote tune the car if this is a tuning issue and that will be around $150. But a new tune won't fix the issue if there is a mechanical problem like one or more fuel injectors stuck open. I would start by getting the injectors tested. Even with only 55k miles, debris can work its way into the injector body and cause problems.

IMHO, I think you need to go back a revisit some things here...


1. I got rid of my Cats




Removing the cats will really not gain much power.
2. Even though you are exempt from inspections, you are not exempt from therequirement to have them- even US Fish & Game Wardens carry a manual thatidentifies each vehicle and the required smog equipment, illegal engineschanges, etc with pics of how to ID.
3. Any law enforcement officer (including fish & game), EPA inspector, etc.can impound the vehicle and cite it as a gross polluter
4. Once cited, a judge will decide if the vehicle is to be scrapped or returnedto the owner- and you do not have any opportunity to speak in court- justrequired to sit & listen.
5. If the vehicle is returned- guess what, now you have to repair and take thevehicle to a federal referee station for the rest of "its life" for asmog inspection & test.

IMHO, it's not worth the risk versus the little gain.

Here's a link to a "Real Test" that verifies....on a 700+ hpengine......no gain or loss of with or without the cats!

http://www.kennebell.net/KBWebsite/Common/pdfs/header_cat_xpipe_exhaust_tests.pdf




2. H-pipe


The H-Pipe really plays very little in terms of performance- nordoes it reduce backpressure in any way- it was originally introduced toequalize the pressure between the two pipes, inducing a scavenging effect, butin reality, while it did improve some things a little, all it really, the onlything it really was effective at was to reduce noise- nothing more.


3. I am worried about the car still running bad


Rightfully so. Since I am not sure if you have an OBD I or II, this is non specific, but you have a very, very advanced engine management system and what you have basically done is "cut off it's right arm". Let me explain. Defeating the downstream O2 sensors- not good- despite what some aftermarket geniuses state, production calibrations have an “inferredcatalyst temperature protection model” which constantly calculatesthe temperature in the hottest part of the hottest catalyst. This calculatedtemperature is based on many PCM parameters, such asengine speed, load, ingested air mass, time, inlet air temperature, EGR flowrate and many others.When the catalyst model calculates that the catalysttemperature is about to exceed a level that is safe for the catalyst (generallyaround 1650 deg F), the PCM will richen the A/F mixture as necessary to lowerthe exhaust gas temperature and cool the catalyst. This richened A/F ratio willdecrease power output, but is absolutely necessary to keep the catalyst frombeing permanently damaged and without the downstream sensors, the PCM caneasily, consistently and once too many times over or under richen the A/Fmix...making what a software engineer would call, "An erroneousconclusion"... Dropping the cats & downstream O2 sensors and thinking they are they are"fine" is not correct because without this "safeguard" in place, the remaining oxygen sensor and exhaust valves protection (from excessive heat) is gone.....and will (not if) over time cause internal damage to the exhaust valves (aka"Tuliping over time- resulting in catestrophic engine damage any machinistcan explain this to you)..None of this happensimmediately.......


In short...IMHO, put everything back the way it was, check for and then clear the ecm of any codes, perform the Ford Specific drive cycle procedure........


Ford Motor Company Driving Cycle