catalytic converter - direct fit. 2000 F150 ?

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My truck has 110k miles on it,and I was thinking I should consider replacing my catalytic converters. What is the best bang for the buck in price direct fit. cats,and possibly horsepower adv ?
 
Originally Posted By: lawnguy
My truck has 110k miles on it,and I was thinking I should consider replacing my catalytic converters. What is the best bang for the buck in price direct fit. cats,and possibly horsepower adv ?

As CT8 already asked, is there a documented problem with the current one that it needs replacing already? I've got nearly 400K on my Sienna and I'm not throwing any CEL codes or anything. If yours has failed at only 110K then that is unusual in my opinion.
 
Seems like a pretty premature failure. I have the OEM cat in my mr2 from 25 years ago with 160k miles on it and it passess emissions with flying colors still. My previous VW had 250k on it with the OEM cat and had no issues either.
 
I don't think you have emissions checking in FL. Not condoning removal, but...

I don't know when, but at some point, I think in the 90's, catalytic convertors stopped being "big" horsepower sucking devices. Not only that but it's probably only worth a few hp at best.

If it's not failed, then I'd leave it alone.
 
Originally Posted By: supton

If it's not failed, then I'd leave it alone.


Yes, agree. Only replace if it must be replaced.
 
Never had it checked or examined. I just thought at 100k miles it would go bad by now.
 
If you do, go Magnaflow
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Originally Posted By: lawnguy
Never had it checked or examined. I just thought at 100k miles it would go bad by now.


I would have agreed with you, in a different age. Maybe if it was a carb motor, or you knew for a fact that the motor had been run for a long time with a bad O2 sensor. Failing any good reason though, it's best to wait for it to go. Because when it goes it really doesn't do anything bad--it's not like proactive replacement would prevent a roadside repair. In this case, when it goes bad, you drive it until it's a good time to replace.
 
If it is not ash capped from oil burning (any consumtion?), they last a lot longer than that ...

If you bang on the side of it with you hand, does it rattle (internals loose). If not, don't worry and drive on
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I would consider replacing just the upstream O2 sensors before I'd consider replacing catalytic converters. If you have an error code, then you replace them. You don't replace them for preventative maintenance. As others said, they can last 200-400k or more. Also factory cats are better than aftermarkets. The EPA figures that by the time you need aftermarket cats, the car is probably pretty close to be shot anyway so they're just required to last 5 years and they not made as sturdy or have as much platinum as OEM which could last 15-20 years. If you have a Pzev car, emissions is supposed to be good for 15 years/150k miles. It's the downstream O2 sensors which basically tells you that the cats are shot. Basically if the upstream and the downstream O2 sensors have the same value that means the cats aren't doing anything. The downstream ones don't really do much so they last a lot longer so normally you just replace the upstream ones.
 
My pal has a 1997 F-150 (4.6l V-8) with
In his case I'd believe it was a bad run of stainless steel or whatever cats are made from.

He found a replacement from a donor truck (crashed) of similar age.

Even with all the things I've done with him ON THAT TRUCK I haven't seen these bad cats. He did say the metal can't take a repair. He can weld and has friends who can weld better so I ASSUME the metal might have been made extra thin for the '97's.

I don't know.
 
There is usually no need to replace the cat unless you get a P0420 code and you live somewhere they have inspection.

If you do replace it, get Walker or Eastern. And replace the oxygen sensors along with it.
 
A failed cat is usually a symptom(result) of an engine fault. With a good burning engine, the cat should just about last the life of the vehicle.100k is nothing unless your engine is in bad shape
 
Originally Posted By: Kira
My pal has a 1997 F-150 (4.6l V-8) with
In his case I'd believe it was a bad run of stainless steel or whatever cats are made from.

He found a replacement from a donor truck (crashed) of similar age.

Even with all the things I've done with him ON THAT TRUCK I haven't seen these bad cats. He did say the metal can't take a repair. He can weld and has friends who can weld better so I ASSUME the metal might have been made extra thin for the '97's.

I don't know.


My 2002 F150 4.6 rotted the drivers side cat externally and leaked at 70,000 miles, but 15 years. It's too bad but that era F150's, 1997-2003 were widely popular and nice but weren't built to last if driven in the "salt belt". Everything rusted out on those vehicles sad to say. And then you had the ever popular "self removing" spark plugs due to too few spark plug threads in the head
smirk.gif
.

Whimsey
 
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