Is it worthwhile to remove a cat convertor in a '92 205 CTi 1.9 "grey import" from Japan?

[Don Howarth 0 1 Cars]

Hi folks from New Zealand. I have recently bought a 1992 1.9 CTi Cabrio with 4 speed ZF auto + power steer which was a Japanese market car with lower compression XU9 motor(8.4:1) producing 76 kW(102 bhp) & fitted with cat convertor to meet Japanese emission regs.

I am considering removing the catalytic convertor, as cars of this year (1992) DID NOT require emission controls in N. Z. and I suspect it is no longer effective after 32 years use?  Will the engine need retiming. The car has a 2 1/2 " diameter exhaust system, so I will have a 2 .5" pipe fitted in place of the cat.

 

I also have a 1.6 CTi which I have restored, without power steer and I find the steering so darned heavy that the power steered car with 1.9 engine is more user friendly at my age, I am 80 years young and this is my 4th CTi Cabrio, I have also owned 2 x 1.9 GTi hatchbacks in my younger days and really enjoy the 205 GTi/CTi for their iconic looks & go kart like handling. Cheers 

Don Howarth, Auckland, N.Z.

[welshpug 1,666]

Honestly, if it aint broken dont fix it.

[welshpug 1,666]

As for the heavy steering is it still on good 14" tyres? 

[SRDT 186]

Simply removing the cat won't do much, this 105hp engine is the "clean" version of a 105hp carb engine.

[Don Howarth 0 1 Cars]

The 1.6 CTi is on  old 185/55R15"  tyres on Speedline 15"  GTi wheels. Tyre pressures 32 psi. The 1.9 injected auto/p.s. car is on 14" original  Speedlines with 185/60R14 tyres with pressures of 30 psi. Should I swap the wheels on the 2 cars? The 14 " tyres on the 1.9 are newer  Continental tyres with about 6mm tread depth.

[welshpug 1,666]

If you have both ita certainly worth a try, they're never especially heavy,  so if its still a bit much I'd be checking the top mounts and lower steering column,  lastly the rack itself.