Cat removal - Chicago area - Help...?
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 715
Likes: 2
From: St. Charles, Mo.
I don't have the cat's on my scooter ( 2009 FLHTCU ) but I did have an automotive repair shop ( Midas ) for years. We often removed the insides of the converter ( woops .. don't tell the E.P. A. ) by punching / busting / ramming a long rod down the outlet or inlet, which ever was the straighter shot. It took a little doing and some patience but no big deal. The substrate ( insides ) of the converter is pretty strong at first but once you've starting breaking it up it goes pretty smooth. Of course you'll have to rattle/shake the converter from time to time as the substrate comes apart in order to get at the pieces as they break apart. Good Luck. If money is on the top of your list this may be the way to help yourself out.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 3,437
Likes: 15
The insides of these cats are not like the honeycomb product in a vehicle cat. I is like corrogated tin and rolled up tight like a cigar and glued in. there is no just breaking these out you have to work at it and i wouldn't feel very comfortable busting it anyways it would leave pieces behind and possibly suck back up to the motor in event of backfire.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 7
From: Hoffman Estates, IL
Just about ready to start putting it all back together. Already installed the SE (high-flow / Stage 1 / whatever it's called) air cleaner, had the pipe sliced & diced and welded back together. Took a tip from Jackpot's pipes while thinking about rust prevention -- Went over pretty much the whole thing with a ScotchBrite pad, degreased/de-waxed with spray solvent and hit the whole thing with VHT silver header paint. Will cure "on bike" (as opposed to baking at a powder-coater's place). Should send even more heat out the back. Plus the Stage 1, and I should be considerably cooler in the foot, and a few more foot-pounds of torque to boot (no pun intended on the "boot" part).
Looks freaking fab (photo attached). I'm assuming it won't for long and I really don't care if 90% of the stuff just flakes off (although it's supposed to be solid to over 1200 degrees - and it's hidden by the heat shields) as long as it doesn't allow for oxidization on the new weld...
Will post more about coolness and sound later I'm sure...
Looks freaking fab (photo attached). I'm assuming it won't for long and I really don't care if 90% of the stuff just flakes off (although it's supposed to be solid to over 1200 degrees - and it's hidden by the heat shields) as long as it doesn't allow for oxidization on the new weld...
Will post more about coolness and sound later I'm sure...
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 7
From: Hoffman Estates, IL
Let's say it was a trusted mechanic who wishes to remain nameless and who doesn't want to ever do that again. Evidently it was quite the chore removing that stuff - even with air chisels and other nasty sharp and pointy objects. I can't say that I was depressed about not doing it myself...
Put it all back together today. The sound is -- amazing. A bit loud for my taste, but I haven't decided if I'm going to swap baffles yet. Still, a rather nice side-effect. Deep, wonderful, "I wanna be that guy" tone.
Ran like a top though - A couple backfires (getting the download for the ECM in the morning) but handled like a champ. I'm stoked for some weather...
IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN -- I'd have probably just bought a Jackpot header pipe... But otherwise, so far I'm a pretty happy dude.
Put it all back together today. The sound is -- amazing. A bit loud for my taste, but I haven't decided if I'm going to swap baffles yet. Still, a rather nice side-effect. Deep, wonderful, "I wanna be that guy" tone.
Ran like a top though - A couple backfires (getting the download for the ECM in the morning) but handled like a champ. I'm stoked for some weather...
IF I HAD TO DO IT AGAIN -- I'd have probably just bought a Jackpot header pipe... But otherwise, so far I'm a pretty happy dude.
Last edited by JohnScrip; Mar 10, 2011 at 11:02 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 7
From: Hoffman Estates, IL
Got the S1 download today and for some reason, it took me almost two hours and 90 miles to get home. Nary a backfire, even while "trying" to make it happen. Smooth like a latte, crisp and precise like a jazz drummer. Sounds wonderful (went ahead and put the AC "factory" baffle in) - deep, throaty, not "loud" but doesn't f**k around when you give it a twist either.
Other than a couple low-priority tweaks (I'm thinking about those nicer TourPak hinges because the stock ones look like crap), this bike wants for nothing (well, *I* want nothing else for this bike).
Other than a couple low-priority tweaks (I'm thinking about those nicer TourPak hinges because the stock ones look like crap), this bike wants for nothing (well, *I* want nothing else for this bike).
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