Decatting header
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 722
From: Ontario, Canada
Ran a drill bit through it to get most everything cleaned out. Used an old screwdriver to knock out the remaining "big" pieces. After that, I ran an old cylinder hone through it to really clean it up and make it look like it came without a cat stock.
All in, it took me less than an hour. Swapped out the head pipe and I'm happy...as is my wife with the reduction in heat. Bonus...I have my stock head pipe with cat intact...just in case.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 2,227
Likes: 2,143
From: West Coast
Just a public service message, and somebody with more knowledge please chime in as I could be wrong, but I read somewhere that the heavy metals in the CAT are extreemly carsonogenic and the dust should never be inhaled. Be sure to wear a good mask when reaming your CAT.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,418
Likes: 2,483
From: Lititz Pa
If you want a nice job, just cut the pipe in half at the cat, pull it out and weld it back up. Don't forget to mark the pipe before you cut. I did that took to a weld shop and they welded it back up for 20 bucks. Open up the A/C also big sucker are nice, then tune the bike, if you don't tune it will still run lean. My bike ran cooler as far as power not much more.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 5,448
Likes: 6,275
From: pacific northwest
If you want a nice job, just cut the pipe in half at the cat, pull it out and weld it back up. Don't forget to mark the pipe before you cut. I did that took to a weld shop and they welded it back up for 20 bucks. Open up the A/C also big sucker are nice, then tune the bike, if you don't tune it will still run lean. My bike ran cooler as far as power not much more.
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 1,033
Likes: 543
From: SC
Just a public service message, and somebody with more knowledge please chime in as I could be wrong, but I read somewhere that the heavy metals in the CAT are extreemly carsonogenic and the dust should never be inhaled. Be sure to wear a good mask when reaming your CAT.
Can't be. Otherwise Marifornians would have posters of dying children and dead cows warning us about those converters.
Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 203
Likes: 114
From: Nevada
There are platinum group heavy metals (Palladium, Platinum and Rhodium) that are toxic but probably worse there are Refractory Ceramic Fibers. Think "asbestosis" only with ceramics when drilling out a converter without protection. What's fun is now studies are finding those metals in the environment from converters... I predict that greenies' heads will explode when their noses are rubbed in it.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 2,227
Likes: 2,143
From: West Coast
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,348
Likes: 247
From: Florida
It is easy to remove the cat WITHOUT removing the head pipe and also no need to cut n weld to get everything out. Just use a big drill bit and drill around the edge as many times as needed then use a big screwdriver or similar to knock off any remaining pieces... I did mine in about 20-30 min after getting the slip-on off
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 625
Likes: 509
From: Mo
Ok, I hesitated to bring this up because it will probably start a frenzy of posts on the subject but I would remove the head pipe to take out the cat... Think about this a minute.. When you drill or bust out the cat, notice all the cat dust floating around? Ever think about the fact that the exhaust valves are open on at least one cylinder? Also not so much with a stock cam, but there is overlap where both intake and exhaust valves are open at the same time. There is also reversion where exhaust gas reenters the cylinder through the exhaust valves.. So you knock the cat out, make all this dust and small chunks of cat, maybe think you got it all out and then crank the engine.... Does the engine ingest some of the dust and small chunks?? It might or might not but why chance it?
