EPA vs CARB

[pacstud]

So probably gonna happen soon, I have a pending P0420.

I can get a Walker cat for about $350. EPA certified, stainless. Or I can spend around $1k and get a Magnaflow that is CARB certified.

My question, is the better cat worth it IF my goal is just longevity? I know the CARB exhaust components are closer to OE, more precious metals, etc... but is the considerable jump in price worth it? Changing it out in five years instead of four, that's not worth $600 imo. If it lasts over twice as long, well....

I do drive "hot" 95% of the time, no short trips in the midwest. Crazy an OE cat can go to almost 400k, but the replacement only has a 20k mile warranty. The "good" one has 50k

 

[bobbywalter]

which cat is better.?.?.?


i would wager the walker.

they build more components as oem than magnaflow.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I dunno, I’ve been sticking universal aftermarket ones on my stuff for years. I can have the local exhaust shop bend me up a full stainless exhaust with a universal cat for under a grand…

 

[pacstud]

I dunno, I’ve been sticking universal aftermarket ones on my stuff for years. I can have the local exhaust shop bend me up a full stainless exhaust with a universal cat for under a grand…

Yeah, I saw those universals, I'll price check locally for install.

Found THIS on Amazon (it's Walker vendor, via Amazon, as legit as you can on Amazon). $300 for the CARB, then whatever the locals charge for install. Not bad. Says 2" pipe, interweb says OE is 2.5", can't imagine that's a big issue. Still has the warranty.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Yeah, I saw those universals, I'll price check locally for install.

Found THIS on Amazon (it's Walker vendor, via Amazon, as legit as you can on Amazon). $300 for the CARB, then whatever the locals charge for install. Not bad. Says 2" pipe, interweb says OE is 2.5", can't imagine that's a big issue. Still has the warranty.

If you can, find the little ol mon-n-pop muffler/exhaust shop. That’s where you go for the good stuff.

The local one, the son owned the muffler shop and the mom owned the hair salon, lol

 

[broncc]

If you want a cat because you are legally required/hate the smell/care about the environment just get a cheapie off rock auto. I really do not trust scamazon for car parts. Everyone seems to have a bad time. RA always have some on closeout for like $40. Make sure you pay close attention to pipe diameter its not listed as clearly as it could. I'm pretty sure they're all 409 stainless but check the description.

Cutting it out and fooling the ECU is obviously a cheaper solution but I understand if its not for you.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

If you want a cat because you are legally required/hate the smell/care about the environment just get a cheapie off rock auto. I really do not trust scamazon for car parts. Everyone seems to have a bad time. RA always have some on closeout for like $40. Make sure you pay close attention to pipe diameter its not listed as clearly as it could. I'm pretty sure they're all 409 stainless but check the description.

Cutting it out and fooling the ECU is obviously a cheaper solution but I understand if its not for you.

The policy of TRS is that if it has a cat, it needs a cat, and we will not discuss otherwise. Federal law says it has to have a cat if it was equipped with one.

 

[sgtsandman]

It depends on how technical you want to be on being compliant. I forget the term but there are three classes of emissions standards, 48 state compliant, california compliant, and the other that is somewhere in between. The in between one usually ends up needing the california compliant part to be legal.

You are supposed to get the one that meets whatever the emissions sticker in the engine bay says (usually on the radiator support).

If you are looking to keep the CEL from coming on and pass an emissions test in places that only require the 48 state standard, the EPA one will do the job.

The big but in all of this is that for protection of the forum, we can only recommend going with whatever the emissions sticker says you should have.

 

[bobbywalter]

the carb exemption is for aftermarket certification . walker is a global oem supplier.

if you converted to run on hydrogen or even certain cng/lpg applications you wont need certain emission components.


diesel....well... those are nasty. nobody would ever swap in one of those things.

 

[rubydist]

To the OP - I would spend the least possible amount of money. You will not notice a difference between the federal spec one and the carb spec one.