Help!!

ljn21 · 04-19-2001, 06:15 PM

Can anyone help please? I have a 96 GT and the check engine light is on. I have taken the car to a dealer and was told that the cats are plugged. I do not believe that is true as there is exhaust coming out of both pipes. Any suggestions on how to fix this? The previous owner has installed an aftermarket exhaust (SuperTurbo??) and the dealer says that there should still be four cats but my car only has two. I am concerned about his because the dealer says that the car will lose about 20HP at the rear wheel when the check engine lite is on. Can i get it to go off by buying a MIL Eliminator and if so where can I buy one. Also, how does one go about resetting the computer in my car? Anyone know what to do?

Stefan · 04-19-2001, 06:49 PM

I don't know of any hiflow pipes that have four cats but I guess there could be - they usually have two(like yours has). Your 96GT in stock form has 6 cats total. One of the cats could be partially be blocked which would still allow for some exhaust flow. How long has the check engine light been on? Did they check the O2 sensors? It would make sense that the light would come on if something was wrong with the cat(s) but you wouldn't need MILs unless you were running an offroad pipe with no cats at all. You could try resetting the computer by disconnecting the battery but if it's throwing codes the light will most likely stay on.

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66 Tahoe Turquoise Coupe
Laser Red 96GT Ragtop
30 Years & 30 inches apart in the driveway!

95GTS · 04-19-2001, 07:26 PM

If your car only has two cats then the H-pipe is aftermarket. Like Stefan said the stock H-pipe will have 6 cats, not 4. Take the car to a muffler shop or a couple of them and have the cats checked out. Most places will do it for free. Your dealer is obviously a joke. Exhaust will still come out even if your cats are clogged. What you could do is gut the cats and get the MIL eliminators. You get rid of the emissions code and get an off-road H-pipe. To clear the check engine light you need to disconnect the battery for at least 30 minutes. Then reconnect and let the car idle for about 10 minutes. Then drive it. Have you looked at and checked your O2 sensors? How many miles are on the car? With the high flow cats that are most likely on the aftermarket pipe I wouldn't think that the check engine light would be triggered. If the cats and O2 sensors are ok then go get some MIL eliminators.

Have you had a computer scan done to see if it is for sure the emissions that is throwing the check engine light? Something else maybe throwing a code if it's not the exhaust/emissions.

Have the cats checked at some muffler shops. If it's not the cats, get the computer scanned to see what the problem is. It'll tell you if it's the O2 sensors or whatever it is that's the problem.

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1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019

[This message has been edited by 96GTS (edited 04-19-2001).]

04-19-2001, 06:15 PM	#1
ljn21 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Posts: 3	Help!! Can anyone help please? I have a 96 GT and the check engine light is on. I have taken the car to a dealer and was told that the cats are plugged. I do not believe that is true as there is exhaust coming out of both pipes. Any suggestions on how to fix this? The previous owner has installed an aftermarket exhaust (SuperTurbo??) and the dealer says that there should still be four cats but my car only has two. I am concerned about his because the dealer says that the car will lose about 20HP at the rear wheel when the check engine lite is on. Can i get it to go off by buying a MIL Eliminator and if so where can I buy one. Also, how does one go about resetting the computer in my car? Anyone know what to do?

04-19-2001, 06:49 PM	#2
Stefan Registered Member Join Date: Dec 1998 Location: Manhattan, KS 66502 Posts: 599	I don't know of any hiflow pipes that have four cats but I guess there could be - they usually have two(like yours has). Your 96GT in stock form has 6 cats total. One of the cats could be partially be blocked which would still allow for some exhaust flow. How long has the check engine light been on? Did they check the O2 sensors? It would make sense that the light would come on if something was wrong with the cat(s) but you wouldn't need MILs unless you were running an offroad pipe with no cats at all. You could try resetting the computer by disconnecting the battery but if it's throwing codes the light will most likely stay on. ------------------ 66 Tahoe Turquoise Coupe Laser Red 96GT Ragtop 30 Years & 30 inches apart in the driveway!

04-19-2001, 07:26 PM	#3
95GTS Git jiggy Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: MO USA Posts: 865	If your car only has two cats then the H-pipe is aftermarket. Like Stefan said the stock H-pipe will have 6 cats, not 4. Take the car to a muffler shop or a couple of them and have the cats checked out. Most places will do it for free. Your dealer is obviously a joke. Exhaust will still come out even if your cats are clogged. What you could do is gut the cats and get the MIL eliminators. You get rid of the emissions code and get an off-road H-pipe. To clear the check engine light you need to disconnect the battery for at least 30 minutes. Then reconnect and let the car idle for about 10 minutes. Then drive it. Have you looked at and checked your O2 sensors? How many miles are on the car? With the high flow cats that are most likely on the aftermarket pipe I wouldn't think that the check engine light would be triggered. If the cats and O2 sensors are ok then go get some MIL eliminators. Have you had a computer scan done to see if it is for sure the emissions that is throwing the check engine light? Something else maybe throwing a code if it's not the exhaust/emissions. Have the cats checked at some muffler shops. If it's not the cats, get the computer scanned to see what the problem is. It'll tell you if it's the O2 sensors or whatever it is that's the problem. ------------------ 1994 Red SVT Lightning #2019 [This message has been edited by 96GTS (edited 04-19-2001).]