98 b4000 catless y pipe hunt

[Karcastic]

Catless y pipe hunt & Solution

Hi everyone,
I've searched all over the net and can't find a new y pipe for a 98 b4000. Just catted versions. Anyone know where to get one? Below is rough write up of what I have done to get my truck on the road again. It was a pain but in the end, everything was doable.

I've decided to buy a pacesetter kit for 97 ranger. It's 1/4 price of the jba kit, but also I'm guessing 1/4 the quality too, although I have no JBA kit to compare.. Here's what it's looking like I need to do/modify so far...

The driver/left side manifolds cylinder 4 pipe drops down too low by almost 1/4" and hits the coil over shock frame build out. So I could have taken a lot more time and cut a section out and re-angled it to avoid the mount but I decided for this time around I'd just pound a flat spot where needed. It worked and it mates well now

Passenger side fits perfect but it's really close to the transmission coolant lines but they bend away pretty easily *insert manifold to y pipe bolts before bolting up passenger manifold*

Y pipe fits good *must take time fitting with converter in place. Adjust 97 converter hanger rod first*

As for the converter, I was thinking about modifying the 97 y flange to accept the 98 cat flange by elongating two of the three holes and confirmed with gasket templates it would work great! But, I noticed eastern exhaust made their 97 cat pipes with the same universal converters as the 98 b4000 so I decided to buy one. The 97 converter fits well, just the hanger rod needs slight modification. Both the length and angle needs adjustment. I cut about 2-3 inches off the rod that inserts into the rubber mount.

I also bought a 97 intermediate pipe for the flange to mate to the new 97 converter as mine was welded to the original 98 converter. But I think a regular 2" flared 2 hole flange pipe would work.

The 98 egr tube from exhaust manifold also needed some custom bends but I think a 97 egr tube would have fit perfectly.

And finally, the oil dipstick tube needs custom bends to fit right due to the continuous metal piece joining the exhaust ears. Probably would have been easier to just cut it out instead of bending around it.

 

[RonD]

So you are making your 1998 B-series an OFF-ROAD only vehicle

Look for Y pipes for off-road use, they don't require Cats because of the limited use, low miles, so minimal pollution.

Federal Law, nothing to do with state laws, require the stock number and placement of Cats, $2,500 fine
Also just a heads up, a shop can't work on a vehicle or continue to work on a vehicle once they know Cats are not "stock", $25,000 fine for them if they do, doesn't have to be exhaust related, could just be rotating the tires, lol, but if they "know" and continue any work then they can be fined

Cats are expensive to replace, but do nothing to hurt performance, unless they break apart inside,

 

[Karcastic]

So you are making your 1998 B-series an OFF-ROAD only vehicle

Look for Y pipes for off-road use, they don't require Cats because of the limited use, low miles, so minimal pollution.

Federal Law, nothing to do with state laws, require the stock number and placement of Cats, $2,500 fine
Also just a heads up, a shop can't work on a vehicle or continue to work on a vehicle once they know Cats are not "stock", $25,000 fine for them if they do, doesn't have to be exhaust related, could just be rotating the tires, lol, but if they "know" and continue any work then they can be fined

Cats are expensive to replace, but do nothing to hurt performance, unless they break apart inside,

No, this 98 and another I have both have stock catless y pipes. They have cats after the y stock.

 

[Terry]

No, this 98 and another I have both have stock catless y pipes. They have cats after the y stock.

If you remove the cats on a newer truck like yours "obd2" I will run like crap as that there are two 02 sensors on that system. One before the cats and another one after. The 02 sensor will not get a good reading and I believe default to limp home mode. It is not only against the law and this website as well but stupid. Leave them on and look for power some where else.

 

[RonD]

No, this 98 and another I have both have stock catless y pipes. They have cats after the y stock.

Yes, even with cats on Y pipe there is at least 1 more cat after, usually 2 more, 3 or 4 Cats were common on Rangers, 1998 and up

That is an odd stock setup, but I would still check for off-road Y pipe as that would be best bet.
Most exhaust replacements I looked at had 1995-1997 as fitment, so I doubt 1997 would fit 1998

 

[adsm08]

What style front suspension does this thing have?

I'm wondering if it was built in that twilight zone between model years.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

If you remove the cats on a newer truck like yours "obd2" I will run like crap as that there are two 02 sensors on that system. One before the cats and another one after. The 02 sensor will not get a good reading and I believe default to limp home mode. It is not only against the law and this website as well but stupid. Leave them on and look for power some where else.

You are correct on all points. However I don't believe the OP is trying to circumvent the law. I believe he is trying to find out why his system is different than what shows up in the "book". I would hope that if he finds that his truck originally came with cats in the "y" pipe he will install the same. And if his truck is in that limbo [thanks adsm08 for pointing out that possibility] between obd1 and obd2 because of build month/year then what he is looking for won't be against the law.

 

[Karcastic]

Thanks RonD and AlwaysFloored,
Thanks for the heads up terry..

Called Mazda to confirm Catless y's indeed are stock and it has two cats after y pipe. It's OBDII and it has 2 o2's on the y and 1 downstream I believe. It has coil over shock front suspension.

I was thinking it must be a 97 pipe but I can only find a jba 97 y for the 4.0 ohv ranger. Not sure it would mate to the 98 jba manifolds but I'm guessing it should. Called JBA support and not sure I can buy just the y from 97. I'm not sure if I could install a catted y instead (maybe that's a no no?). I think there's an off road y around but I'd have to add o2's. Hmm, maybe a 98 explorer y would be good as the earlier ones list rangers as ok fit...

 

[fangotango306]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Pip...ash=item5444612474:g:TdQAAOSwwo1XgANz&vxp=mtr

this should work if your truck has the pushrod motor (4.0L ohv) the sohc trucks have catted y pipes. 98 was the transitional year for mazda and you could get either powerplant.

 

[Terry]

If you live in California, they require "california approved" cats. Some others might a well. The stock stuff costs a ton of money. Can't you run aftermarket cats? they have better flow, less cost and you don't need the special flanges.