My son put a scan tool on my 2004 Armada SE 2 wheel drive with 150000 miles and it is throwing a code that we need new cats. Has anyone replaced cats yet? If so what did you buy? Where did you buy them, and what did they cost? The dealer want's almost $700. each, and while thats being done I thought I might as well replace the rest of the exhaust. That's around $2000. before labor. I'd rather put the new cats with a cat-back system on it.
I'd rather not have a car payment right now, but if I'm going to spend a down payment repairing this one, I might be better off trading it in.
The Armada has the other usual problems that they all have had, (bad power window motors, stuck back door and window, etc.) I'd rather not get rid of it, it still drives nice and runs great. Any info you could give me would be great.
Yea that's an entailed project. My exhaust manifolds are cracked again, OEM manifolds are junk and the Cats are one piece with them. My plan is to get some headers and maybe some aftermarket high flow cats. Then from there you can use a Cat back. Doug Thorley is said to be a good brand. Titan guys also like JBA but 2 guys on this forum said the JBA Armada cat back is not as good. One thing you have to research on headers is which ones are less likely to throw codes. Even with NISMO alot of guys grow to ignore the constant lit CEL. I've been reading on TitanTalk and I am still very confused at this point. When I get closer to having money to do this I will post the question over there to gett feedback on other's experiences as well as guys like 9ballrook on here with headers.
shorties?? I'll give you a call today as all I ever remember reading about is to get long tube headers. I'll have to call Jerry also as he has gone through this.
thanks.
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Don - 2005 Armada SE 4x4 - PGM 90mm Throttle Body, UpRev Osiris Tunned, Injen Power-Flow Air Intake System, Borla Duel Stainless Steel Cat-Back™ System, 6" Pro Comp Lift, 35" Nitto Trail Grapplers, Train Horn, lights, sirens
From my limited understanding, shorties with High Flow Cats is a good way to avoid CEL codes. The Long Tubes give more performance but take away room for a Cat so I think this is why alot of guys get used to the CEL being lit. At least that's the way it appears to me from reading through a couple threads.
Whambino, sorry for jacking your thread but my situation is similar to yours so I'll keep you posted.
I'm using Doug Thorleys long tubes and the rest of my exhaust came from SCR (b-pipes & Gibson cat back). Then UpRev tuned on the dyno, I pass Maryland emissions, get NO codes and can whoop most hemis. I'd definatly go the long tubes & not the shorties, if for no other reason than easier install, although low end performance is the better selling point. Either is an expensive proposition, headers $600-700, cat back $300-500, b-pipes $100, UpRev $500-700, install 8-10 hours @$75-100 an hour, you're looking at around $2500 and if you add dyno time about $200 more. If you can get it done on the 80,000 mile emission warranty, you should! Just to save a few bucks!
Have any of the Club Armada members done this themselves?
Have any of the Club Armada members done this work by themselves? What is involved? Do you take inner fender panels off for access to the exhaust manifolds? Etc!
Thanks
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2005 Nissan Armada LE
Fire Rescue
subs w/Kenwood 10' slims, Twin Stinger Batteries, remote start & protection by Python 
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