which catalytic converter to buy

[stinkydogfilms]

Hi,

I had some glass packs installed in the 90 CP. It has headers, cats, h-pipe mid pipe glass packs and short length tail pipes. Its just like the exhaust setup in the 91 GM except the tail pipes exit behind the rear tires and are angled out and down at a 45 degree angle. The 91 GM's exit straight out the back bumper.

This turned out to be a little bit louder on the wagon than I wanted.
The muffler guy said the cats were going bad. They rattle if you bang on them.

What would be a brand of good quality catalytic converters that would help quiet it down without compromising power?

Thank you,
Mike

[johnunit]

Catco, Flowmaster, and Magnaflow all make universal high-flow cats that I've heard and/or seen good things about. Price is pretty similar between them.


However, if the cats have gone bad recently, I would make sure the car isn't misfiring or running rich. Otherwise you'll just burn up the new cats too. Been there done that.

[knucklehead0202]

You've got a lot more choices on cats than us poor bastards here in California. Ever read that crap at the bottom of a cat description "49-state legal" Guess which one is the 50th. I need to put cats back on my car but it's going to cost me a fortune because they've gotta be "California-approved". That said, i'll likely go with walker or magnaflow, as they both have very good reputations. Like John said though, make sure you're not gonna kill your new cats before replacing them.

[DerekTheGreat]

LoL

Is this also why those cats are significantly cheaper than the OEM ones?

[sly]

LoL

Is this also why those cats are significantly cheaper than the OEM ones?

no... the OEM ones are direct fit bolt on types and not just the cat with weld on fittings.

[DerekTheGreat]

Oh ok, just trying to figure out why people go to through the trouble of cutting them off of peoples' cars at night when they're only about 80 bucks or so. I guess a crack rock is a crack rock.

[sly]

they cut them off of Hondas/Toyotas/etc imports that use the much more expensive versions (precious metals involved in the catalyst). They typically don't cut them off of Domestics that are not "world" cars that use those same style cats.

[DerekTheGreat]

That would explain what I've heard.

[gadget73]

The OEM ones do have more spendy metals in them. Cash them in and you might get $50-75 for an OEM one, and you'll get like $10 for an aftermarket.

[88Vic]

If you don't need cats for emissions/inspection, maybe try a quieter muffler, like a Dynomax Super Turbo or Ultraflo. I don't like cats on older cars because if it's not running right for some reason, you can clog it up then the car will run like a turd, then you have to get new ones and that's a pain.

I've got the 4 stock cats on mine, and I'll continue to use them, but if they should clog or break apart, I won't be replacing them.

[gadget73]

Non-catted cars smell bad though. Converters also only clog up when things run bad for a long time. Simple fix is to just correct whatever the problem is before they die.

[DerekTheGreat]

So with that said, any of you guys notice a difference in exhaust smell after switching to aftermarket cats? Gotta be a reason why OEM's used more of the spendy metal, right? I was about to pop on Walker's 2.5" cats and a whole new 2.5" dual exhaust but decided to stay with 2.25 when I went dually style.

[88Vic]

I got a Thunderbolt highflow cat on my truck, it stank bad when I first got it, so it's not as bad. I ran no cat at all for a while, didn't smell at all to me. On my 87 5.0 Fox, it came out the side under the seats, had an offroad H-pipe and no smell. I tend to drive with the windows down, helps vent out the car but even sitting at a light, couldn't smell it.

[knucklehead0202]

My car was kinda stinky with the stock cats and exhaust, so they were probably at the end of their lifespan anyhow. When I hacked it all off and put the headers, off-road pipe, and 2.5" duals all the way out, it sounds great but it really stinks! I plan to put at least 2 cats back on it to hopefully un-stinky it, and allow me to pass BS California emission testing as well. I have to buy special 50-state cats because this state is retarded. They cost 2-3 times as much as 49-state. Some idiots still think it's worth living here for the weather....to damn hot if you ask me. Triple digits the last three days is eating me alive.

[DerekTheGreat]

Did you notice any gain with the headers? And by stink do you guys mean you end up smelling like hydrocarbons? Fury has that good No emissions/no EGR smell but you'll end up stinking like it after even brief exposure.