Hi JMcG,
When you gonna stop by and show us the new ride?
In order to shed a little more light on the subject:
- 1992 through 1997 Vipers can remove cats (for off road purposes) without getting a check engine light due to cat removal and it will not affect the engine tuning.
- 1998 and newer will set a check engine light when cats are removed (so far, I haven't heard any getting a check engine light with higher flow cats). They will also go into "safe" mode and run the car richer, prompting you to take it in for service.
- 2000 and newer have a more sensitive upstream oxygen sensor heater monitor (how fast the sensor comes up to temp) and can set a code when headers are installed that place the O2 sensor fitting too far downstream of the collector, where it does not heat up as fast.
Honestly, if you're not going to be doing track events with the car very often, just go with higher flow cats. There are a few good ones available. Just make sure there is a good substrate retention system inside that allows room for expansion and movement. The solid ones will crack sooner on a Viper.
If you have headers on a '00 or '01 and are getting the O2 heater code, just move the sensor farther upstream, or have them ceramic coated inside and out, so the sensor heats up faster.
