Aftermarket catalyst - quality difference?

[DriveHard]

BITOG friends,

The car I am preparing to give to my MIL has a catalyst inefficiency code. I have replaced upstream and downstream O2 sensors, did the poppet fix in the intake manifold, and also replaced the cam cover. Done the Italian tuneup and she drives wonderfully! If it was a car for me, or one that stayed under my control, I would not replace the Cat, but my bride insists that I replace it and keep the engine light OFF for her mom (how will she know if something is wrong with it?) Anyways, I don't want to dump another grand into this for a new cat. I can find aftermarket for as low as $175 on RockAuto. How much of a quality difference is there? What is the minimum brand I should be looking at?

 

[Danno]

It would help if you posted car - make, model, year, transmission, mileage. Thanks.

 

[DriveHard]

It would help if you posted car - make, model, year, transmission, mileage. Thanks.

apologies...
2016 Chevrolet Trax, manual, 1.4L T
~125k miles.

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

There is a massive difference between OEM and aftermarket catalysts. OEM catalytic converters are one of the most expensive single components on a vehicle. They are expensive for a reason, if there is one component to go OEM on, it’s the catalytic converter IMO.

 

[Revving2Redline]

https://www.import-car.com/tech-tip-converter-break-in-periods/

you can find more affordable ones, just break it in like I posted above for long life. I will have to do that as the high flow ones have a lower cell. ct and need especially to be properly seated.

 

[Trav]

apologies...
2016 Chevrolet Trax, manual, 1.4L T
~125k miles.

See if Rock has a California spec cat, they have more wash coat and usually have a 5 year warranty. I just looked, they have one.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=11045056&cc=3315184&pt=5808&jsn=503

 

[Revving2Redline]

There is a massive difference between OEM and aftermarket catalysts. OEM catalytic converters are one of the most expensive single components on a vehicle. They are expensive for a reason, if there is one component to go OEM on, it’s the catalytic converter IMO.

I. bought a Magna flow aftermarket and it's bends, performance and quality are better than the OEM. Got it for 573$ and they bought the old one back shipped in same box.

 

[GRUMPYDUDE2]

apologies...
2016 Chevrolet Trax, manual, 1.4L T
~125k miles.

Go cheap on this one. Not as good as OEM, but on this car it will liklely outlast the car anyway.

 

[oil pan 4]

BITOG friends,

The car I am preparing to give to my MIL has a catalyst inefficiency code. I have replaced upstream and downstream O2 sensors, did the poppet fix in the intake manifold, and also replaced the cam cover. Done the Italian tuneup and she drives wonderfully! If it was a car for me, or one that stayed under my control, I would not replace the Cat, but my bride insists that I replace it and keep the engine light OFF for her mom (how will she know if something is wrong with it?) Anyways, I don't want to dump another grand into this for a new cat. I can find aftermarket for as low as $175 on RockAuto. How much of a quality difference is there? What is the minimum brand I should be looking at?

Dodge people take out the down stream O2 and zip tie it to the frame.
You can get a freshly stolen one from your local scrap yard for about $20.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Dodge people take out the down stream O2 and zip tie it to the frame.
You can get a freshly stolen one from your local scrap yard for about $20.

Or a de-fouler I guess would work. Is there enough opening without the rear o2 to keep from throwing code?

 

[oil pan 4]

Or a de-fouler I guess would work. Is there enough opening without the rear o2 to keep from throwing code?

Yeah that's what VW guys do. Dodge people can usually only afford a zip tie, on credit.

 

[c502cid]

If you don't have emissions in your area, I'd just go with the cheap one. They do work.

 

[OneLonelyBurrito]

https://www.import-car.com/tech-tip-converter-break-in-periods/

you can find more affordable ones, just break it in like I posted above for long life. I will have to do that as the high flow ones have a lower cell. ct and need especially to be properly seated.

Most catalytic converter don't use this type of expanding support mats anymore. I'm sure some cheap one do, but most of the better quality one's won't because expanding support mats will crack the modern substrates during the "break in" process.

I. bought a Magna flow aftermarket and it's bends, performance and quality are better than the OEM. Got it for 573$ and they bought the old one back shipped in same box.

View attachment 234967

View attachment 234968

I'm not saying there aren't good aftermarket one, just for catalytic converters specifically, you get what you pay for. The cheap ones throw converter efficiency codes very quickly if not right away.

 

[Davejam]

Do you feel pretty confident that you fixed the issue that caused it to fail in the first place?

 

[GRUMPYDUDE2]

Do you feel pretty confident that you fixed the issue that caused it to fail in the first place?

Agree. OEM cat should work way beyond 125k.

 

[oil pan 4]

Most catalytic converter don't use this type of expanding support mats anymore. I'm sure some cheap one do, but most of the better quality one's won't because expanding support mats will crack the modern substrates during the "break in" process.


I'm not saying there aren't good aftermarket one, just for catalytic converters specifically, you get what you pay for. The cheap ones throw converter efficiency codes very quickly if not right away.

My buddy had a 1996 Tacoma started getting the p0420. We cut up his exhaust, flanged everything with a new catalytic converter that he picked out. Then after less than a year the cat started rattling. Took the cat off and the packing around the catalyst was gone and the ceramic was just rattling around inside. So we knocked the stuff out of it put it back on and put the rear O2 in a spark plug non fouler and ran it like that till he hit a deer about 12 years later.

 

[D60]

Isn't this one of the S Korean nightmares?

I imagine the one OP purchased will last the remaining (likely short) lifespan of the vehicle...?

 

[slacktide_bitog]

What kind of condition is the rest of the car in? How much rust is on it?

If the cheapest CARB-legal cat isn't too much, use that.

 

[D60]

Also appears common here:
https://www.traxforum.com/threads/c...ystem-efficiency-below-threshold-bank-1.9041/

 

[c502cid]

Also appears common here:
https://www.traxforum.com/threads/c...ystem-efficiency-below-threshold-bank-1.9041/

I was active in that thread. While mine throws the code, and even after I replaced the O2 sensors with OEM ones, I found it is really susceptible to coming on depending on what gas I use. I buy from a couple of stations I know and it hasn't been on in months. I don't worry much about it and I'm not going to replace the cat. Gas mileage was the same before and after the code popped up. It's been a pretty good car for us.