well my dad has an 81 chevy and I was looking through his LMC catalog he got in the mail. LMC has cats for sale for 73-87 chevys but not for 73-79 Fords.....why? it's not like I'm gonna put a cat on my truck anyway. HAHA

I know that's a bad word around here (LMC) but I just had to ask.

 

nobody knows?

 

umm.. Chevys go through converters more then ford?

Most of the early style fords if I remember this right used what looked like two coffee cans, one on each side for the converters. Replacements are easy to locate at most auto parts houses. Thankfully our 75 never came with converters. Which of course prompted the inspector to get a bit antsy when he found the new dual exhaust system from the manifolds back... Like I'm going to install a set of Cat's if I do not have to?

S-

 

well when I went to get my truck inspected about 2 weeks ago the guy didn't even start the truck up; I was surprised 'cause I thought he was gonna fail me since I didn't have a cat. oh well that's what the Flowmaster is for.

 

LOL...Our inspector took one look under ours, and didn't even bother to pull a tire. He had it on the alignment rack, and all you can see is the 'shine' of new rotors, new drums, new parking brakes, new tires, etc... The only thing he questioned me on was the exhaust. LOL. The whole inspection took only 5 mins of his checking the horn and lights. Once he saw all the new parts? He knew we take safety as far as possible.

Have you checked NPD for cat's? Perhaps PartsAmerica.com as well? To be blunt...a large number of items still in production and rebuilt can be picked up at most parts stores for considerable less money spent at a specialty online store. (Rockauto.com is highly recommended as well, used 'em A LOT a few years ago---excellent service)

S-

 

yeah when I went to my inspection they didn't even look at the lights or horn. but of course my dad knows the inspector. they said since the truck is 20 years or older it is exempt.

no, I'm not gonna buy a cat. that's just wasted money if I can get by without having to have one.

 

i had to replace mine in California, that was a nice chunk of change that came out of my wallet, my truck passed the inspection with flying colors too, 3" flowmaster new cat, I always wanted to take the cat off but I cant justify taking it off without selling it and i think it might be a hard sell....(i live in washington now, and where I live there is no smog and the smog in washington they just look around your car)

cats are annoying as crap because they can back up and just annoying restrictions, ive heard you can get quite a gain in mpg when it is off.

 

Converters always have a bad reputation in my own opinion. Yes they can create problems when they start to get plugged, engines being out of 'tune' can create overheating converters, etc... Quite a bit of the lifespan of a converter is dependent on the condition of the engine's running state. High Flow converters are a decent option for the trucks that require all the smog stuff be attached. But it always will come down to correct maintenance of the engine.

Driving into Syracuse, NY yesterday the city issued an "Ozone Alert". (fancy wording they use for smog) Without a lot of wind moving that crap out of the area? It looked like the whole city had a hat made of smog over it. Kinda like thunderdome made of smog LOL. I'm left to wonder just how much of that smog was made by people that had crap cars/trucks that needed major repairs/maintenance. Heck, we see 'em every day. Cars spewing out black smoke from being severely out of tune--oil burners on the road making enough blue smoke to fog the skeeters'. And we breath that crap in every day!

An engine being in good condition, correctly maintained will go a long way to ensure cleaner air. Combined with a converter also in good repair helps to lower the amount of crap we inhale. If one does not want a converter? Then one should at least ensure their engine is running correctly and not blowing smoke.

It's not about "man-made global warming"...or the latest "man-made climate change" crap--(which is a different topic to discuss that pantload of mis-information) But heck, it's our air...and we kinda need it to live. Might as well be 'gag-free'.

S-

 

I don't run a cat but I know that my truck is running in/near top notch condition.

 

That'll do better then most of the cars/trucks on the road I've seen lately. People love to drive 'winter beaters' year round up here.

A well maintained car/truck will do wonders for cleaner air. Shame most people on the road just drive 'em until the tires fall off LOL.

S-

 

With the exception of California emissions, I'm pretty sure cats didn't show up on Ford trucks until 1979 and then only on trucks under 8500 lb GVWR. Since that is such a small slice of all the 73-79 F series trucks produced between 73-79 maybe LMC just didn't think there'd be much of a market for cats. Especially when you consider that many who have original cat trucks don't bother to replace them.

 

well, I was also wondering how many of y'all are running cat(s)?

 

For the production year on our 1975, non-cali.. Cats not installed with ours. I think in most cases they where not used until later years. To find out IF a truck started off with one? Two ways...check the sticker on the valve cover for emissions. It will state either "Non-Catalist" or "Catalist" (yeah..I know I spelt it wrong). 2nd method would be to hit one of the auto parts online stores. Check under emissions/exhaust and see if it was offered. Either you won't see it, and the pipework goes right to the manifold--You'll see it, probably a 'universal' replacement for models offered-- Or it will be "grayed" out--It did come as an option, but is not supported at the store to be sold.

To answer the magic question---if ours came with it, would I replace it? Probably to keep the truck as "Stock" as possible.---but sense it never came with it? Why install one?

Keep in mind ANY car/truck that used "Regular" gas? Will NEVER have a converter installed! (lead additive + converter = really bad things happening)

S-

 

Most states don't require cats on trucks older than 85 or so. Texas for sure doesn't

 

I just received my cat (from FTE sponsor bear river cats) and it goes on my 79 this week.. it's part #2007 (good for up to 10,000# truck and up to 7.5 engine) w/ 3" in and out-- if you gotta have it, it cost about $95 w/shipping.. I was pissed about having to run one, but I'm over it now...