I had the catalytic converter removed on my 1995 3.4 because it was clogged and I can't afford a new one right now. I have heard removing it can cause the computer to malfunction and cause the O2 sensors to get a bad reading.

So just wondering, what exactly are the consequences of removing the cat on this car?

 

Aside from the legal issues with your state and emissions laws your car wont even know it is missing. OBD1 (or 1.5 in your case) did not have any way to read CAT health so it does not know it is missing. Also being a 2 way cat, you dont have an air inlet to block off so more of the car dont care stuff.

Massey

 

also the rasp will be worse.

 

There are some federal laws around this too, like this:
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/cert/factshts/catcvrts.pdf
I haven't found anywhere in writing that it is illegal federally to operate a vehicle that has been decatted, but it is definitely illegal for a shop to assist you with the process of removing a cat.
I have also seen a warning sent with O2 sensor sims that say that installing the sim and operating the vehicle on a road would be a violation of the Clean Air Act, and if you look in the "penalties" section of the document above, it does seem to state that if an individual were to make such a modification that they would be liable for $2500 per violation.
Theoretically, if a cat were gutted or removed, it trips your SES light because the 02 sensor won't sense a change between your 1st & 2nd one.
The only way to fix that is to reinstall a new cat (this is the legal requirement it seems-shop owners are not even supposed to install one that you have even if it came from your vehicle), get a tune to delete the warning code, or install an O2 Simulator, which would not meet the legal requirement.
I've never heard of anybody getting arrested and fined for this as an individual, but then again my state and surrounding states do not have inspection requirements. I'm no lawyer, but it seems that the burden of proof is that you yourself had made the change to the vehicle that caused it to "likely" have higher emissions if I read the document right. I'm not sure how easy that would be to prove if you had a used car, for instance.
Personally, I think it's a fairly ridiculous law, but there it is. Make me think that Ron Paul was right on about the EPA-mostly useless.

 

This guys car is a 1995. Post cat 02 sensors and a tripped SES light is a 1996 (OBD2) and up issue. So all that stuff is a non-issue for him.
Here in IL, only cars 96 and up are plug in and read emissions tested. And there is no policing entity that checks to see that there is a cat present on pre-1996 cars. Whether to have one on or not is left up to ones conscience.

 

Good point, I missed the ODB1.5 aspect.

 

Get a Magnaflow high flow cat or similar, I replaced the cat with a straight pipe on my old '95 3.4L and did not like the rasp at all! Other than that, no negatives. LOL

In a state like IL, older cars including 1995 and older no longer are subject to emissions testing, your state may vary...

 

Thanks guys! I don't mind the rasp at all and we don't have emissions in my area, so since it doesn't affect the computer or anything, I think I'll just leave it off

 

^ Alternately look into a new cat back for better sound and flow since you're skipping the cat, the V6s have very restrictive ones stock. Borla Adjustable is what I have, and love the sound, of course I still have the OEM cat...

 

I have no cat on my 96 with no issues, and no difference in sound. It had been tuned out, but ran fine for 3 years before the tune.