Downstream O2 "cat foolers" for '09 F150

[Hydratech®]

Hi Guys - I have a local friend who went and installed a set of long tube exhaust headers on his 2009 Ford F150 with the 4.6 V8 (without thinking further ahead of course).

Now we have the classic scenario of the PCM complaining about not having any downstream / after cat 02 sensors. I remember finding some "cat foolers" from I think it was Percy's electronics years ago for a 2002 Camaro SS and they worked perfectly. Does anybody know where to locate these for this application off the top of your head? I'm thinking the Mustang ones I have looked at *might* work being a '09 4.6, but something about them chills me as being slightly different.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Even better, maybe a link? I suggested we reprogram the PCM, but he's resisting the costs and complications of this method (as I don't have a programmer on hand though could breeze through it if he sourced one).

Thanks much for anything you may come up with!

[68FBODY]

You can always buy some spark plug non foulers and machine out centers to fit o2 sensor. However, I would suggest a proper tune over a band-aid (non-fouler method).

[Hydratech®]

Since the catalytic converters are gone and a custom exhaust is in place, we need to satisfy the PCM... I have found these, but they look a little troublesome to install:

http://www.magnumtuning.com/en/detai...ator/ford/f150

The ones I used on the 2002 Camaro SS years ago looked just like little black square relays with the right connections for the OE wiring. Plugged them in, made small brackets to hold them in place under the vehicle - bang - done...

That's what I was hoping to find for this '09 4.6 F150 - I have to believe they exist somewhere. If I can't find them, then I suppose we'll have to cut up the factory wiring to install the Magnum Tuning versions (which I really don't want to do for this guy), and I think he'll louse it up trying to do it himself. If we do go this route, we'll likely chop his original 02 sensors to retain the factory plugs (so that we can just plug them into his existing factory harness points).

I have suggested we buy a tuner and do it right, but this guy heard me talking about the "cat foolers" and keeps bugging me about them as opposed to going hundreds of dollars into a tuner. There is a Mustang performance shop not to far from us, Delk Performance, and they may be able to reflash his PCM *BUT* local emissions test centers immediately flunk a vehicle if they plug into your OBDII port and find a non factory flash installed. They roll mirrors under the vehicle to see if you have cats installed, and the custom exhaust shop installed what look like cats (but are empty) to satisfy the mirror test part of emissions testing...

I told him this - there are two kinds of problems in this world: Your problem and my problem. My problem is not your problem, and your problem is not my problem - we both enjoyed a good laugh as I do want to help the guy out, just not get buried in it!