protege99

ok, here is my situation and need your advise.
My car is '99 protege 1.6 LX, 140k miles. CEL came on many times and have checked for code P042 (cat converter).
I have checked around for the exhaust shops and it will cost at least $500 to replace it.
I am about buy the cat and replace it myself with $300 for the cat.
I called the dealer for the quote on part and they said there are to different part codes for the cat. Like ZM01 or ZM02, my is ZM01. Don't what's the different.

Anyway, I read on this msg board about cat converter problems and mentioned about the header to replace the cat.
So, if I buy the header from ebay (i.e. for 1.6L), is that means any 1.6L header ('99-03) from ebay will fit right onto my car? Need to say this, I don't need performance or (good if performance) but I just want to replace that son of a bit...ch expensive moth...f..ker cat converter. (excuse me for my language ) But for under $200, I will the header anytime.
However, does the header fit right on without modify to the pipe in the bottom??

Thanks

Don't know if I forgot anything..that's about it.

protege99

Don't know if my post is in the right place, if not please move it for me. Have not posted here for so long I have no idea where or what to look for.

Thanks

bazooka joe

i'm not answeing your question, but can you run catless? do they do emissions testing where they check the cat? if not, you can consider not replacing it at all??

macdaddyslomo

replacing a the stock manifold with a header will get rid of your cel for the cat, and give ou a new one, for a bad 02 sensor !!! the car will also be louder, dont know if you want that or not....