I ripped out the factory smog pump, plumbing and cat a number of years ago. Truck is getting a brand new-ish exhaust and I'm looking to put a cat back in that doesn't require air injection. I've looked through the Magnaflow universals, but don't know how effective they are. Pipes are were pulled from a late model F150 with a 5.0 going into my '92 with an I6. Exhaust is single 3". Anyone run an aftermarket cat that cleans up the exhaust? Smell is horrible.

 

I used a Magnaflow 59929 3" converter on my old 1992 F350 w/5.8L engine several years ago. It seem to work fine when I owned the truck.

 

That's the exact one I was looking at. It's hard to get real world feedback on stuff like this since people that normally pull the factory units off don't bother putting them back on with trucks this old. Thanks.

 

Most cheap converters [no matter what the manufacturer] do not last long. Since you do not have an OBD2 vehicle, you will never have a check engine light that says the cat is no longer working. Since the cat listed is for a Federal vehicle, it probably is not long lasting. I am certain it won't plug up, but I doubt if it will do much cleaning after a year or two.

If you are looking for one that lasts a long time, California certification is what you are looking for. They usually cost a bunch more [and if they do not, they probably are fake].

https://www.magnaflow.com/products/5...verter-5631406

 

Holy smokes. That explains the difference in price I see with factory replacement cats. Thanks, I appreciate the clarification. Truck will only see 1k-2k miles every summer anyways so I'll just opt for the cheap one still. This truck was my grandfather's and has become a project of sorts that only sees fair weather driving.

 

I ran a Magnaflow (Carsound) cat for about 30k, seemed fine. 3" in and out. The more expensive the part, the longer it lasts.

There is a single 3" on my shelf if interested. Came off parts vehicle, no need for it.

 

Again, it's not going to cause you a problem with the way it runs, but it just won't last very long. It may make you feel good that you are doing your part to keep the world better, which I understand we all need to do our part. If anything, it's more of an expensive muffler long term. Short term, it will be good.

There is a reason why people are stealing catalysts and it's not for the scrap metal that you see.

On a side note, while working at the BMW dealership [12 years ago] I replaced the catalytic converters [under warranty] for a 2008ish M5. After a day and a half of work, I was done. The parts cost was $12,000. Yes, Twelve Thousand dollars. Labor was $2,500.

 

Any usiversal cat you can buy will do what you are looking for and be durable enough for this application, my experience with them indicates the cores tend to get loose and rattle after 2-3 years in a daily driver but that doesn't seem to affect thier primary function much.

 

My experience [and it only applies to OBD2] is that the Federal cats work for a couple years. Then you get an efficiency code. Then the client asks.....Didn't you replace that a couple years ago? When that occurs, you just accept that you will warranty the part and eat the labor. Then in a couple years it's the same story.

Yes, with OBD1, there is no checking the catalyst. Is it really doing the job after a year or so? My guess is no. They do not fail because of noises or being plugged. They just do not do what they are suppose to do which is to make really bad exhaust gases to bad exhaust gases. If the OP wants to put a catalyst on the engine to feel good about doing the right thing, I have no problems with that. In a couple years, what is coming out the tail pipe may not meet your expectations.

 

This is going to be a very low mileage, almost recreational vehicle. If the cat's lifespan is a measure of mileage and not time it should suit me fine. Only reason for wanting one is the exhaust could double as riot suppression right now. Wife and kids complain about the smell. No codes and the ignition is all new. Figured the AFR is just where the factory placed it and it only smells because the cat is missing. Thanks guys.

 

You'll be fine with the one listed above. It should meet your expectations.