The BEST way to get power??

[311Mazda]

Now I've been all over this forum and the Protege5 forums and it seems that most everyone is in agreement that the biggest power robbing source in the MP3/MP5 is the exaust setup, headers cat1 cat2 and muffler. So if you opened this up then the Cam and piston upgrades would be able to really show some big numbers. And knowing this I would be more than happy to get the bosal or mazdaspeed header and take that b**** of a first cat off, but is this legal in California? I know not all cars have two cats, and if we take off one, be it the first or the second, will that make it illegal for smog tests in CA? Apexistud, your input would be apprecaited.

 

[Coolhand]

The actuallity of taking any one of the cats off is that it is illegal in any state to remove/replace a cat off a car that is less than 5 years old. That's a federal emmission law. But if you live in a state that does not require annual emmissions testing/inspection, you can probably get away with it.