This is topic Bassani x-pipes w/ cats failed smog in forum General Talk at Northern California Ford Owners  .


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Posted by Hyperider (Member # 5936) on :
 
My 2004 Cobra has stock headers, Bassani x-pipes with 2 cats and Bassani cat back system. Couple years back it passed smog barely few points. But this time it failed about 24 points on HC(PPM) Max 52 my reading is 76. Some people told me its my x-pipes w/ cats, the cats goes bad after a few years to just put back my stock ford x-pipes. But when I called Bassani technical they said that it's 95% the problem are the 02 sensors that goes bad. So he told me to just replaced all four 02 sensors on the x-pipes and I can get away with not putting back my stock x-pipes. So can somebody give light to this on what should I really do? Shall I go ahead and try just replacing my 02 sensors or I really need to install my stock x-pipes back? Its a pain to do it almost no muffler shop here in California would do it now because they said it's illegal. The old shop I use to go closed down. Plus my tune will be all messed up if I go back to the stock x-pipes unless I don't have a choice.

Thank you in advance! I appreciate any feed back I could get.
 
Posted by Blind (Member # 3052) on :
 
It takes less than an hour on jackstands to swap the stock mid pipe back on.

do it and pass smog, or don't do it and drive the car around for an hour in 2nd gear at ~4k rpm's to get the cats super hot right before pulling in to have it smog tested, that may get you through it with only 2 cats.


new o2 sensors aren't going to fix your HC #'s.
 
Posted by blkfoxbody89 (Member # 8361) on :
 
Fuk, don't 4 valves have like 28 cats (6 cats)? And you passed with 2 hi flow last time? Thats alot of missing platinum.
 
Posted by LETHL 03 (Member # 5401) on :
 
I passed with two bassani cats before. Just put your stock h back on and you should pass.
 
Posted by Hyperider (Member # 5936) on :
 
Thanks for the feedback people! the last smog two years ago did passed by me driving it around and making sure its hot enough but back then it was only a few points difference. right now its off by 25 points. so i guess replacing the 02 sensors won't do the trick. ok i'll figure out how to put my stock h-pipe w/ 4 cats back. my cobra is so low i need a lift to do it.
 
Posted by *EPIK* (Member # 7481) on :
 
That's because the cats they have on aftermarket mid pipes are mostly there for looks. They are called "High-Flow" for a reason, because they barely function as real cats. Plus, with aftermarket tunes, more fuel, timing, & horsepower, they burn up quickly. I had a brand new Mac catted H pipe on my Mach a few years ago to get smogged & it BARELY passed, & this was after they were well heated up from a 50 mile drive.
 
Posted by Hyperider (Member # 5936) on :
 
hey epik, yeah that's what shaun at AED told me that those bassani catted x-pipes goes bad after a few years. i did noticed mine got louder too. but when i called bassani tech support, this guy kirk said that 95% of the time the problem is the 02 sensors are burnt out so he suggested to just replaced the two in the front of the cats and it should pass or replace all 4 sensors the 2 before the cats and the 2 after the cats. the thing is i don't want to spend almost a $100 for 2 sensors and get the trouble installing them and still fail the smog. so either i'll have to find someone that will smog it just like that. or put back my stock 4 cats h-pipes.

[ June 26, 2012, 04:52 PM: Message edited by: Hyperider ]
 
Posted by *EPIK* (Member # 7481) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Hyperider:
hey epik, yeah that's what shaun at AED told me that those bassani catted x-pipes goes bad after a few years. i did noticed mine got louder too. but when i called bassani tech support, this guy kirk said that 95% of the time the problem is the 02 sensors are burnt out so he suggested to just replaced the two in the front of the cats and it should pass or replace all 4 sensors the 2 before the cats and the 2 after the cats. the thing is i don't want to spend almost a $100 for 2 sensors and get the trouble installing them and still fail the smog. so either i'll have to find someone that will smog it just like that. or put back my stock 4 cats h-pipes.
Yup... I know several people that had their Bassani cats go bad after a couple years. The cats will start to fall apart internally & will make noise. That is why they get louder over time, because they blow out. Just swap the stock mid pipe back on, it will be cheaper & its really not that hard.
 
Posted by Hyperider (Member # 5936) on :
 
Thanks a lot epik! yeah i'll just go ahead and do that. it does sounds like it is my bassani cats that are bad and there's no way around that.
 
Posted by QuarterHorse (Member # 11882) on :
 
Damn. I have Bassani x pipe but I just passed smog below average numbers. Post up how much you spend on replacing the cats, please. I hope mine last more than a few years.
 
Posted by VADEl2 (Member # 10332) on :
 
When I had my 03 cobra I had the same issue. My bassani had the removable cats. I purchased the magnaflow high flow cats that they put in their x pipes and hade them to bolt into my bassani. I passed with no issues. Then I just took them off and saved them for the next time I was going to need them.
 
Posted by BULLITTMAN (Member # 8468) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by *EPIK*:
quote:
Originally posted by Hyperider:
hey epik, yeah that's what shaun at AED told me that those bassani catted x-pipes goes bad after a few years. i did noticed mine got louder too. but when i called bassani tech support, this guy kirk said that 95% of the time the problem is the 02 sensors are burnt out so he suggested to just replaced the two in the front of the cats and it should pass or replace all 4 sensors the 2 before the cats and the 2 after the cats. the thing is i don't want to spend almost a $100 for 2 sensors and get the trouble installing them and still fail the smog. so either i'll have to find someone that will smog it just like that. or put back my stock 4 cats h-pipes.
Yup... I know several people that had their Bassani cats go bad after a couple years. The cats will start to fall apart internally & will make noise. That is why they get louder over time, because they blow out. Just swap the stock mid pipe back on, it will be cheaper & its really not that hard.
Hey Dustin what type of noise do the cats make when they go bad?
 
Posted by triple b (Member # 8763) on :
 
^"MEOW"
 
Posted by CAStang (Member # 9568) on :
 
My Bassani cats on my Cobra went bad after 10K miles as well. They are horrible. I may just cut them out and weld in a new set when it's time to smog again.
 
Posted by KCmustangboy (Member # 1927) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by VADEl2:
When I had my 03 cobra I had the same issue. My bassani had the removable cats. I purchased the magnaflow high flow cats that they put in their x pipes and hade them to bolt into my bassani. I passed with no issues. Then I just took them off and saved them for the next time I was going to need them.
This! There was a great write up somewhere about this, Bassani cats(maybe not current) but in the past would fail very quickly... They were made cheaply and in the same write up Magnaflow high flow cats were said to be way better and made of better material.
 
Posted by Hyperider (Member # 5936) on :
 
final result my bassani cats were the one that went bad. talking to other people with the same set up. i'm glad i followed aed's shaun's advice to keep my stock h-pipes with 4 cats. for visual inspection the bassani passed and the testers don't really notice it. but it's the sniffer that failed it. i really can't tell that it went bad until i had it smog. but it did got louder now, that's the one thing i noticed. so basically this is just my 3nd smog on my 04. i bought this brand new in 04 and didn't need to have it smog until after 4yrs after if i'm not mistaken.

so don't be fooled by bassani that their cats will last forever and not burn out. they gave me all kinds of suggestions just trying to make me believe its not the cats. the tech guy said it's my 02 sensors and to go ahead and replace all four. there's one before the cats on each side and another one after the cats on each side too. but the way i figured that out is my check engine light is not coming on. also even though the bassani x-pipes had a carb number its still ILLEGAL IN CALIFORNIA PERIOD! so always keep you stock h-pipes for last resort.

hope this info helps for people that has the same set up.

[ June 27, 2012, 11:29 AM: Message edited by: Hyperider ]
 
Posted by Wolfie351 (Member # 651) on :
 
Just to get another POV, I've had my Bassani x-pipes w/cats for 12 years and have never had a problem. What would be the cause for premature failure? too rich? too lean?
 
Posted by Hyperider (Member # 5936) on :
 
i don't know what causes the failure. but i guess after market cats just go bad after a few years specially if you have a tune and mods.
 
Posted by 04 S281 (Member # 9229) on :
 
I failed smog my first try with Bassani cats. I ran a bottle of Amsoil P.I. gas additive in a full tank of 91 octane... did a few WOT pulls on the freeway and drove around for a couple days to empty that tank. Filled up a fresh tank, and got the cats nice and warm on the way to smog... passed.
 
Posted by 03SVTPower (Member # 518) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by BULLITTMAN:
quote:
Originally posted by *EPIK*:
quote:
Originally posted by Hyperider:
hey epik, yeah that's what shaun at AED told me that those bassani catted x-pipes goes bad after a few years. i did noticed mine got louder too. but when i called bassani tech support, this guy kirk said that 95% of the time the problem is the 02 sensors are burnt out so he suggested to just replaced the two in the front of the cats and it should pass or replace all 4 sensors the 2 before the cats and the 2 after the cats. the thing is i don't want to spend almost a $100 for 2 sensors and get the trouble installing them and still fail the smog. so either i'll have to find someone that will smog it just like that. or put back my stock 4 cats h-pipes.
Yup... I know several people that had their Bassani cats go bad after a couple years. The cats will start to fall apart internally & will make noise. That is why they get louder over time, because they blow out. Just swap the stock mid pipe back on, it will be cheaper & its really not that hard.
Hey Dustin what type of noise do the cats make when they go bad?
Sounds like someone threw bolts in the motor and has a muffled sound, it will can even blow out smoke/dust from the busted up cat if you get on it.
 
Posted by *EPIK* (Member # 7481) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by BULLITTMAN:
quote:
Originally posted by *EPIK*:
quote:
Originally posted by Hyperider:
hey epik, yeah that's what shaun at AED told me that those bassani catted x-pipes goes bad after a few years. i did noticed mine got louder too. but when i called bassani tech support, this guy kirk said that 95% of the time the problem is the 02 sensors are burnt out so he suggested to just replaced the two in the front of the cats and it should pass or replace all 4 sensors the 2 before the cats and the 2 after the cats. the thing is i don't want to spend almost a $100 for 2 sensors and get the trouble installing them and still fail the smog. so either i'll have to find someone that will smog it just like that. or put back my stock 4 cats h-pipes.
Yup... I know several people that had their Bassani cats go bad after a couple years. The cats will start to fall apart internally & will make noise. That is why they get louder over time, because they blow out. Just swap the stock mid pipe back on, it will be cheaper & its really not that hard.
Hey Dustin what type of noise do the cats make when they go bad?
Rattling noises like loose rocks & stuff in your mid pipe, plus your exhaust tone will get louder once they REALLY blow out due to the exhaust having less restriction.

[ June 27, 2012, 08:33 PM: Message edited by: *EPIK* ]
 
Posted by BULLITTMAN (Member # 8468) on :
 
Thanks 03svtpower and Dustin I'll listen for that in case it happens to me.
 
Posted by Wolfie351 (Member # 651) on :
 
quote:
Originally posted by Wolfie351:
Just to get another POV, I've had my Bassani x-pipes w/cats for 12 years and have never had a problem. What would be the cause for premature failure? too rich? too lean?
After a little research and to answer my own question, it looks like being rich is one cause of premature cat failure. Perhaps that could explain a situation like high boost combined with a safe tune could cause non OEM cats to not last very long. Just a theory
 




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