Have above bike.   Stock Header pipe where active exhaust valve is weldered has sheared in half. ( I did'nt see this happening).   Am going to get welder to weld approx 3 inches  of pipe so  measurements are the same,  so original  slipon mufflers can be installed as before.  The Active Exhaust Valve will now be deleted. I have  had the AEV already disabled by dealer, so no problem there.  

The Question.    As I have the header pipes off the bike , should I remove the Catalytic Converter. The bike has a Stage one setup, with a Cobra Fi2000r fuel moduel.

From what I've read and been told, removing the Cat will help the heat issuses, be less restrictive,  better sound, etc.   But what I was told by a HD Services Manager, is that , yes the bike should perform better, but in his experience if you don't have a more advanced Tuner , (I have only a basic Cobra fuel moduel),  you could find you may have performance and tunning problems, as the basic fuel moduel may not  be able to cope with the changes, ie, back pressure , O2 sensor readings etc, like a more advanced tuner will.  In a nutshell, I could be up for a $500 tuner , plus dyno time , say $300, =  $700 , just  to say I removed  the Cat !!! 

Anyone been down this road before ???    Regards Mark   

Mark
The dealer is trying to sell you his product that you don't need. He is right with his statment regarding the cobra is not as good as the top 3 tuners but the cobra will be fine with your stg1 kit. I would invest in a set of S&S power tune headers from rollies speed shop with the 500 to 700 bucks he wants you to spend.

Anyone been down this road before ??. Yep most of us have been down this road before that's why some of us are using TTS Mastertune when modifying our engines. 

http://www.sscycle.com/feature/featureview.php?s_id=31

Thanks for your reply Hogbag,

your probably right in going the new catless headers.  But it's its close to Xmas, and I Iive in the bush, so I'm going to weld a new piece on the header . Today I cut the cat out by grinding a square window where the cat is, (plenty on the internet about this), everything went fine.  Actually there is a thread here by a guy who cut the cat out of stock headers , and was very happy with the results, with no tuner installed on his bike.  Anyway I should have everything back together in about 2 or 3 days, I''ll come back with an update on how the bike performs with the cat out and the  Cobra module . Regards Mark   

A few guys in the states have had success putting a piece of flat bar inside the chamber to keep the sensors separated for another 3 or 4 inch inside the chamber.
Good Luck. Keep us posted on the outcome

Hi Hogbag,  It looks like this is out personal thread.

I have read about the spacer in the chamber to help with sensor separation, ie, crosstalk probems.    But I must admit , I don't get it.  The sensors on the 2009, (which I have),  and earlier tourers have the sensors up high near the cylinder , could  the spacing requirement be for the later models with the new  smaller heated sensors in different locations ???

 

Sorry mate I thought you had a later model with the 12mm sensors near the mufflers.

Don't mean to intrude on your personal thread guys.... I had the active exhaust section cut out of my original headers and replaced with a piece of inch and a quarter (if I remember correctly) stainless tubing (cost me about $70 or $80), I kept the active section just in case I needed to put it back in and get the bike passed the pits sometime in the future. My cats are in the mufflers not the header pipes and it was easy to just knock the "welsh plugs" out of the mufflers to bypass the cats. I'm using the DJ Power Vision tuner at present, but had no tuner at all fitted for several months after the mods were done to the original exhaust system, didn't seem to have any detrimental effects over that time frame (about 4500-5000 kms), performed and sounded better than stock too. All redundant now as I have a complete aftermarket exhaust fitted, but hope this helps your query.
Cheers,
Chris.

 Update  ---   Stock Header Pipe project compeletd on 2009 FLHT Electra Glide.  Stage 1, only with Cobra FI2000r fuel moduel. 

Cat removed , and header pipe weldered up.

Active Exhaust Valve removed, (approx 5 inches of pipe weldered on where active exhaust valve was, so header pipe is same length as before.

Removed old header pipe gaskets , and replaced with new.

No other materials.  Used all old nuts and bolts , clamps , etc , as they were in good order.

Installed system  on bike with slipon mufflers.  Plugged back in O2 Sensors,  (I left the O2 sensors on pipes during project ),   Checked all over,  "Ready to Start".

Everyone getting excited !!!!!       Note !!   Bike has 35,000 kms ,  Has been runnig great , no backfiring, no decal,  no surging.  Only reason I contimplated this , was header pipe cracked on weld where active exhaust is. 

Well what a difference !!  A lot better sound, nice deep rumble at idle, Took a 40 minute ride , when I cracked it , what a sound.  I will keep checking the spark plugs to see if its running lean, but the way she ran today I don't see any need to mess with the Cobra dials     For $50 ,and my own labour I personaly can't see a more cost effective way to get this result.

Please be aware,  this is a 2009 tourer, the o2 sensors are up the top of header pipes , near cylinder, ( earlier models I belive are similar ),   2010 and up have the o2 sensors in different locations, (lower near the Cat ) , there is evidence that there could be problems with "cross talk" , etc,  ie, tunning and performance problems if you remove the cat on these models.  You will have to check this out.

Also , my advice if you have a 2009 or earlier model , and you're going to remove the cat is to also,  remove the active exhaust valve, ( before hand get it disabled at a dealer ).  Even when it is disabled in the open postion, the flap and the shit inside takes up to 25% of the pipe space,  can't be good for flow through. 

Now if you installed a catless after market header and mufflers you may get better performance etc,  but for the money this will do me.  Each to his or her own.

I've got some good photos , I'll sort them out and post them shortly.  Regards Mark ,,     Ride Safe.   !!!      

 

 

 

 

I just posted some photos, don't know where they went, they didnt come up on the thread.    But they  did come up under "my pics " under my username.  Good luck      

Hi All,  happy new year,

Just a update on cat and active exhaust removal on the stock header pipes .

I'm happy with bike performance, heat, sound, etc.

Pulled the plugs a few times to check if running lean, rich , etc.   Here are some pics of the plugs, what do tunning experts think ??

As I mentioned earlier, I have a Cobra Fi2000r fuel moduel installed with Stage 1 upgrade.

I'm trying to get the pictures on the thread. If they dont come up there they come up in "my pics" under my user name with my other pics.

thanks , regards Mark 

Hi Filthy Phil,

bike is 96cu .

I knew someone would ask what Slipon's are on the bike.  I bought the bike second hand, and thought they were Fuel Moto 3.5 inch Slash Up Jackpot mufflers.

When I gave the bike it's first clean there is'nt any model numbers or any make decription any where on the mufflers.

Here are some pics , one of the internals, someone out there may know.  A mate of mine thought they may be made by a mob called "American Custom Mufflers". 

Sorry here are the muffler pics