ThosL Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Is there that much difference in cat converters for Subarus? I saw this thread: https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/7k-for-catalytic-converters.533802/ On Rock Auto prices went from a few hundred to $1500! I know the precious metals vary, are the expensive ones using more precious metals? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Inexpensive converters usually last 1-2 years tops. Factory Subaru converters often last 150k+ miles and several decades. So yes there's a qualitative difference. 3x-5x the price for 10x to 20x the lifespan. Regarding if they have more precious metals - we can conclude based on the recycle value of OEM vs aftermarket that they most certainly do. GD 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 (edited) OEM converters are worth hundreds, aftermarket $25 on a good day, happy scrapper, if he rounds up. If aftermarket converters had more value in them the market would find a way to extract it and entice people to sell them. This isn't just twice as much...no way they're comparable when there are orders of magnitude difference in value to scrap yards. More anecdotally you'll see it on forums - aftermarket converters throwing codes, being problematic. I've bought cheap aftermarket exhaust and it'll be rusty in a year. Which is fine for a car not long for this world anyway. But they're not going to use cheap materials everywhere else and top shelf precious metals for the catalysts. Edited January 18, 2022 by idosubaru Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 Rock Auto has units from a few hundred dollars to $1000, the better ones are Walker. If I had a choice would just replace with a pipe, not worth the trouble, codes will come up even with the best parts. The idea behind them was to neutralize unburned exhaust which if you have an efficient engine should not be that bad. Plus in some states 20 plus year old vehicles have exemptions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted January 18, 2022 Share Posted January 18, 2022 I have several CATS your for the shipping. 80919 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted January 18, 2022 Author Share Posted January 18, 2022 Thanks for that; I would have taken you up on it if I could have gotten it earlier. I ordered a Walker unit on Amazon, saved some money by opening a business account. Longo's in Norwalk put it in; called me that the Y pipe also needed replacing. I checked it out today and the only damage were on the flanges, I'm not sure why they couldn't get it out without damaging those. They only charged me for their cost, around $200. Total labor cost $300 for Cat installation and Y pipe installation. When I started it up the AT oil high temp light was flashing. I asked them about it, they asked me whether it was like that before? I said no. I drove off, went to a gas station, spoke with a tow truck driver who said that it needed to be properly diagnosed as there were bubbles on the transmission dipstick, indicating possible overheating. I went back to Longos and they checked out codes and zeroed them out. It seemed OK after that. CEL has been on and off from that time. I smell the new Cat probably burning away surface issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 I have dual port Y-Pipes as well. Hope it all works out. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ronemus Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 On 1/17/2022 at 1:14 PM, ThosL said: Is there that much difference in cat converters for Subarus? I saw this thread: https://www.subaruoutback.org/threads/7k-for-catalytic-converters.533802/ OEM cats are required to last for 100k miles/10 years, but aftermarket cats are only requires to last 35k miles/4 years (not well publicized facts). I tried a couple of aftermarket cats and guess what - they lasted <40k miles! The aftermarket cats are not any sort of good deal - stick with OEM (especially if you're paying a mechanic for installation). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Numbchux Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 When I worked at a Subaru dealer, we tried a few aftermarket cats on customer cars. I bet 80% of those cars came right back with the same problem. We had better luck with the aftermarket ones that are listed for sale in California. That said, the factory cat was stolen from my Honda Odyssey last fall. I bought an aftermarket one to replace it. It was less than $200, and a factory cat is about $1500 (and the theives cut the flanges off the pipes on either end, so I would have to either replace those pipes, or fabricate something anyway). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 20, 2022 Share Posted January 20, 2022 (edited) On 1/18/2022 at 3:11 PM, ThosL said: Thanks for that; I would have taken you up on it if I could have gotten it earlier. I ordered a Walker unit on Amazon, saved some money by opening a business account. Longo's in Norwalk put it in; called me that the Y pipe also needed replacing. I checked it out today and the only damage were on the flanges, I'm not sure why they couldn't get it out without damaging those. They only charged me for their cost, around $200. Total labor cost $300 for Cat installation and Y pipe installation. When I started it up the AT oil high temp light was flashing. I asked them about it, they asked me whether it was like that before? I said no. I drove off, went to a gas station, spoke with a tow truck driver who said that it needed to be properly diagnosed as there were bubbles on the transmission dipstick, indicating possible overheating. I went back to Longos and they checked out codes and zeroed them out. It seemed OK after that. CEL has been on and off from that time. I smell the new Cat probably burning away surface issue. If it flashed 16 times on startup it indicates the transmission control unit has stored a fault code. CEL will be triggered with a P0700 (transmission CEL request). Probably unrelated to the work but they likely did welding on the vehicle and depending on where they attached their ground it could cause issues. If this is an older car then it's likely there may be issues with one or more of the transmission solenoids. If welding current happened to pass though a solenoid coil it could easily burn it out. New OEM cat's don't smell after startup. That's cheap cat that the factory didn't pre-heat to cure the epoxy material that holds the matrix into the pipe. Having the vehicle do this curing is questionable since the added vibration and exhaust pressure of the engine running without the matrix fixed in position and the epoxy fully cured can be problematic. High quality cats are heated after manufacture to cure them and drive off all the volatiles you are smelling. We regularly install factory Subaru converters and also COBB catted high-flow downpipe's and we haven't had a single complaint or experience with any "smells" GD Edited January 20, 2022 by GeneralDisorder 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted January 20, 2022 Author Share Posted January 20, 2022 14 hours ago, GeneralDisorder said: If it flashed 16 times on startup it indicates the transmission control unit has stored a fault code. CEL will be triggered with a P0700 (transmission CEL request). Probably unrelated to the work but they likely did welding on the vehicle and depending on where they attached their ground it could cause issues. If this is an older car then it's likely there may be issues with one or more of the transmission solenoids. If welding current happened to pass though a solenoid coil it could easily burn it out. New OEM cat's don't smell after startup. That's cheap cat that the factory didn't pre-heat to cure the epoxy material that holds the matrix into the pipe. Having the vehicle do this curing is questionable since the added vibration and exhaust pressure of the engine running without the matrix fixed in position and the epoxy fully cured can be problematic. High quality cats are heated after manufacture to cure them and drive off all the volatiles you are smelling. We regularly install factory Subaru converters and also COBB catted high-flow downpipe's and we haven't had a single complaint or experience with any "smells" GD Thanks for that sharp technical analysis. I went back after the shop had dismissed the flashing light as probably before they worked on it and their mechanic zeroed out the codes and it wasn't a problem afterwards, said a faulty tranny oil pump would squeal. The code came up and I have a spacer that I haven't put in with the rear O2 sensor, which should address the issue from I've heard. The cat which I kept looks more than two years old, I called the previous owner who he said Mavis installed that a refund may be due, unclear on the process for that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted January 21, 2022 Share Posted January 21, 2022 What year and model are we working on here? What codes came back? Transmission codes or converter codes? GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted January 24, 2022 Author Share Posted January 24, 2022 On 1/20/2022 at 9:58 PM, GeneralDisorder said: What year and model are we working on here? What codes came back? Transmission codes or converter codes? GD I got: Po1443, and Po130. Both O2 sensors are new Bosch units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted February 16, 2022 Author Share Posted February 16, 2022 On 1/18/2022 at 6:18 AM, idosubaru said: OEM converters are worth hundreds, aftermarket $25 on a good day, happy scrapper, if he rounds up. If aftermarket converters had more value in them the market would find a way to extract it and entice people to sell them. This isn't just twice as much...no way they're comparable when there are orders of magnitude difference in value to scrap yards. More anecdotally you'll see it on forums - aftermarket converters throwing codes, being problematic. I've bought cheap aftermarket exhaust and it'll be rusty in a year. Which is fine for a car not long for this world anyway. But they're not going to use cheap materials everywhere else and top shelf precious metals for the catalysts. i checked local buyers of cats for the old aftermarket and they offered me $10; another online option was paying $20 and covers shipping. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lmdew Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 Yep, not much more than scrap price. Sad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 9 hours ago, ThosL said: i checked local buyers of cats for the old aftermarket and they offered me $10; another online option was paying $20 and covers shipping. That’s typical. If you sent a picture maybe they can tell it’s subpar or aftermarket which are worthless. I can’t sell them locally for more than $20 either so I don’t. The local scraps yards want to “discourage” (or act like they’re discouraging) local thefts from trying to use them. The minute they’re known as the place rhay pays hundreds for used converters they’ll be in hot water. Pretty sure I can get $150 or more for it. or Maybe the market changed recently and I don’t know it. But I doubt it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 1 hour ago, idosubaru said: That’s typical. If you sent a picture maybe they can tell it’s subpar or aftermarket which are worthless. I can’t sell them locally for more than $20 either so I don’t. The local scraps yards want to “discourage” (or act like they’re discouraging) local thefts from trying to use them. The minute they’re known as the place rhay pays hundreds for used converters they’ll be in hot water. Pretty sure I can get $150 or more for it. or Maybe the market changed recently and I don’t know it. But I doubt it. Any idea what the producer of this one was? Walker? 5kkneOw.jpg (4608×3440) (imgur.com) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 17, 2022 Share Posted February 17, 2022 12 hours ago, ThosL said: Any idea what the producer of this one was? Walker? 5kkneOw.jpg (4608×3440) (imgur.com) Thats worthless aftermarket. If that’s the one being replaced then this is an example of what GD said - aftermarket are lower grade and don’t last as long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted February 17, 2022 Author Share Posted February 17, 2022 The buyer of this is paying $40 for the two pod unit free shipping. I could have kept it and tried to get it unclogged as it was only a couple years old as backup. You said there is a way to get more for these right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted February 18, 2022 Share Posted February 18, 2022 7 hours ago, ThosL said: You said there is a way to get more for these right? No that’s not what I said. On 1/18/2022 at 6:18 AM, idosubaru said: OEM converters are worth hundreds, aftermarket $25 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThosL Posted February 18, 2022 Author Share Posted February 18, 2022 On 2/16/2022 at 7:45 PM, idosubaru said: That’s typical. If you sent a picture maybe they can tell it’s subpar or aftermarket which are worthless. I can’t sell them locally for more than $20 either so I don’t. The local scraps yards want to “discourage” (or act like they’re discouraging) local thefts from trying to use them. The minute they’re known as the place rhay pays hundreds for used converters they’ll be in hot water. Pretty sure I can get $150 or more for it. or Maybe the market changed recently and I don’t know it. But I doubt it. This was the quote I was asking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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