Catalytic converters - opinions needed

[Sasse]

I need to replace the y-pipe/catalytic converter for my 82 GL Brat. Actually, I need the whole exhaust replaced, but I digress.

Rockauto has 2 listed:

1 made by DEC

1made by Davico

Does either have a better reputation for correct fitting and durability?

 Thanks 

ds

[mkoch]

I ordered the one by "Davico" from RockAuto, for my '85 Brat.  It should be the same as the 82.  

It fit at the exhaust manifold, and only sort of fit at the mounting bracket further aft.  The bracket on the y pipe met the car's bracket at a 45 degree angle.   Not easy to bolt up, but doable.  

I used my own welder to replace the stock type flexible joint from the y pipe to resonator pipe.   The Davico 120021 Y pipe that I received had the wrong style of flange.  

 

edit-

The DEC one is $70 more expensive.  Knowing what I know now, I would still buy the Davico one, or fabricate my own.  The stock flexible joint is just a bother.  I now have the flexible piece connecting the Y pipe to the resonator pipe.  There are only three flange gaskets my exhaust system.   The two at the exhaust manifold, and one between the resonator pipe and the muffler.  So, essentially, a two piece exhaust system.  

 

mkoch

 

 

Edited January 15, 2021 by mkoch
typo, and then to add more info.

[mkoch]

"Also, before you get into the project, determine if you need a catastrophic converter in your area. 

mkoch

[Sasse]

35 minutes ago, mkoch said:

"Also, before you get into the project, determine if you need a catastrophic converter in your area. 

mkoch

Thanks for the help.  Aren’t catalytic converters required to be replaced by EPA on all vehicles originally equipped with them?  

Edited January 15, 2021 by Sasse

[mkoch]

My suggestion is to follow all laws all the time.

Some garages doing the inspection for the state will look under the hood, see a Weber in an '80s Subaru, and pass it, even though the Weber does not have the emissions stuff on it.  

My mechanic saw the two catastrophic converters on my Brat, and asked my why there are two. The second one looks like a resonator, but also, it sure has a honeycomb inside.   

The what looks like original catatonic converter for my 85 Brat did not have an O2 sensor, no place for it.  The replacement had a place for the sensor, so I put one in, just to plug the hole.  He said it had to be plugged in to pass.  He didn't say where.   Of course, I found the right place to plug it in, but he would have no way of knowing.  

These cars, 30 and 40 years after manufacture, might not have the original setup. 

 

mkoch

 

 

 

I am not a lawyer.  Consult your attorney for legal advice.  

[idosubaru]

15 hours ago, Sasse said:

Thanks for the help.  Aren’t catalytic converters required to be replaced by EPA on all vehicles originally equipped with them?  

If you're fearful enough to ask the question then you probably need the converter.  But the reality is whatever the law says, it's benign. That's like saying "isn't it illegal to drive 1 mph over the speed limit?"  What is law and what happens in practice are two different realities.  In practice they are replaced and removed *all* *the* *time*.  I guarantee I drove past dozens of cars/trucks today with "illegal" exhausts.

[1 Lucky Texan]

lol, if your concerned about minimizing your pollution 'footprint', why are you driving a 40 year-old vehicle?

[el_freddo]

6 hours ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

lol, if your concerned about minimizing your pollution 'footprint', why are you driving a 40 year-old vehicle?

Less plastics and metal material used to produce the car compared to those of today’s vehicles. Even if the factories were more polluting you’re using less resources to make the car in the first place. They’re also much easier to recycle at end of life than a modern vehicle (don’t even look at EVs for the recycling aspect yet!).

My EA81 brumby pulls great fuel mileage for a vehicle of its age. I put a bit of this down to good roads that can maintain cruise speeds for longer with generally less gradients to climb. 

My 2c on that anyway. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[1 Lucky Texan]

7 minutes ago, el_freddo said:

Less plastics and metal material used to produce the car compared to those of today’s vehicles. Even if the factories were more polluting you’re using less resources to make the car in the first place. They’re also much easier to recycle at end of life than a modern vehicle (don’t even look at EVs for the recycling aspect yet!).

My EA81 brumby pulls great fuel mileage for a vehicle of its age. I put a bit of this down to good roads that can maintain cruise speeds for longer with generally less gradients to climb. 

My 2c on that anyway. 

Cheers 

Bennie

 Well, the cat conv is really aimed at reducing operational pollution.

But, i agree with you otherwise. If the car is otherwise not leaking and is running well - better than the demand for a replacement to me. cradle-to-grave impact is often overlooked. But, ultimately, it may come down to the Laws of his State.

 

[el_freddo]

26 minutes ago, 1 Lucky Texan said:

Well, the cat conv is really aimed at reducing operational pollution.

Agreed. I wouldn’t be caught without one over here. Minimum fine is $10,000. 

If you’re really pressed and just need a cat converter to say you have one you can put a unit from a larger displacement engine on the little Subaru engine. Flow through should be better and generally the cost lower due to the higher volume of these units sold when from a popular vehicle. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[Sasse]

7 hours ago, idosubaru said:

If you're fearful enough to ask the question then you probably need the converter.  But the reality is whatever the law says, it's benign. That's like saying "isn't it illegal to drive 1 mph over the speed limit?"  What is law and what happens in practice are two different realities.  In practice they are replaced and removed *all* *the* *time*.  I guarantee I drove past dozens of cars/trucks today with "illegal" exhausts.

Uh.  OK.  When did asking questions and seeking knowledge become a sign of fear?  

I was confused by the suggestion that state laws can be less stringent than federal laws.  I learned states can be more stringent than feds, but not less. 

Thanks for the input.  Though I disagree with your implicit premise that since some people don’t try to minimize environmental impact, why bother doing anything.
 

 

[el_freddo]

32 minutes ago, Sasse said:

When did asking questions and seeking knowledge become a sign of fear?  

There’s a big difference between knowledge and opinion - this threads seeks opinion, which could be included as peer pressure/fitting in with a group or scene, which comes with its own underlying fears (or anxieties - pick your label). 

Fear/worry... you asked about removing something you know or at the very least suspect is something required by law. 

So yes, fear had you ask the question whether you knew it or not. 

If it was a question only about which catalytic converters is best to replace an old dead one and how to go about it, that’s one for knowledge and know how. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[Sasse]

14 minutes ago, el_freddo said:

Fear/worry... you asked about removing something you know or at the very least suspect is something required by law. 

....

If it was a question only about which catalytic converters is best to replace an old dead one and how to go about it, that’s one for knowledge and know how. 

 

I asked which cat converter is best (check for yourself).  I never suggested I was removing one - except to replace one.  

[idosubaru]

11 hours ago, Sasse said:

I asked which cat converter is best (check for yourself).  I never suggested I was removing one - except to replace one.  

You can cross check the part numbers to amazon and other sites with reviews, google, and see if there are reviews there.

These usually aren’t replaced and reviewed with enough volume to see more than anecdotal statistically limited data. You’ll get a hit or four and that’s about it.

Look for those handful of reports on your same vehicle and make a best case judgement.  I wouldn’t expect as much determinant feedback as say repairing the suspension, trans, engine, etc  

most after markets I’ve seen all rust quicker than OEM and have lower grade catalyst so they don’t last as long - tripping CELs in less than a year...usually on newer vehicles but I doubt older models use more expensive catalysts they just don’t have a P0420 in the software.

 

[idosubaru]

12 hours ago, Sasse said:

Uh.  OK.  When did asking questions and seeking knowledge become a sign of fear?  

I was confused by the suggestion that state laws can be less stringent than federal laws.  I learned states can be more stringent than feds, but not less. 

Thanks for the input.  Though I disagree with your implicit premise that since some people don’t try to minimize environmental impact, why bother doing anything.
 

 

Got it. I see. I wasn’t speaking from an environmental impact perspective. I make assumptions because i have no context.  I go where the data leads which is that very few old Subaru owners make repair decisions based on environment or EPA. Hats off to you for being different. I always say if I’m like other Americans I’m probably doing something wrong!

I didn’t mean fear as a psychological diagnosis or cut down or for semantic accuracy. I’ve been helping people for years and many people are hesitant to buy aftermarket, have exhaust work done, or worry about inspections and laws and their shop touching an aftermarket converter, getting pulled over for being too loud, blah blah blah.  All of which are unfounded concerns with no application in practice in the US.  When you mentioned EPA that’s a typical sign of hesitancy (maybe a more accurate word than fear?) that keeps people from pursuing other options, etc.  But it matters not in the end for your current decision - Now back to choosing which converter....

[el_freddo]

On 1/16/2021 at 12:46 PM, Sasse said:

I asked which cat converter is best (check for yourself).  I never suggested I was removing one - except to replace one.  

Fair call. 

Use whatever you can fit. Easiest to fit is a replacement unit with two inlets and one outlet. Probably harder to find. 

Hardest to fit is the much more widely used single in/out port units. You need to modify the Y pipe to make it a 2 into 1 then fit the cat converter. Probably easier to have a shop make new extractor pipes to replace the stock Y pipe. 

Cheers 

Bennie

[Step-a-toe]

With a car this old, surely you are doing the environment some good by not choosing a new car and all the negatives of manufacturing it with environmental impact in mind.

This alone should allow some leeway with other things such as cat or no cat

[Lezbaru]

Hi!

I know this is a bit late so possible you already purchased, but I just had the Davico catalytic converter installed on my 85 brat at the shop. They had to mess with it quite a bit to get it to fit, though ultimately it did work.

[Sasse]

Thanks all.  I went with a Magnaflow.  The mounting point on the tail end of the unit matches stock better (to my eye).  Now welding, or mods needed.  So far, so good.

[idosubaru]

15 hours ago, Sasse said:

Thanks all.  I went with a Magnaflow.  The mounting point on the tail end of the unit matches stock better (to my eye).  Now welding, or mods needed.  So far, so good.

Did you install it yet or just ordered or received it? 

[Sasse]

1 hour ago, idosubaru said:

Did you install it yet or just ordered or received it? 

Installed.  All went pretty easy.  The cat-back muffler/pipe will be installed next week.  

[idosubaru]

1 hour ago, Sasse said:

Installed.  All went pretty easy.  The cat-back muffler/pipe will be installed next week.  

Great, glad to hear it bolted right up. Thanks for the follow up. 

Edited February 26, 2021 by idosubaru

[mkoch]

On 2/26/2021 at 9:20 AM, Sasse said:

Installed.  All went pretty easy.  The cat-back muffler/pipe will be installed next week.  

Thank you for the follow up.   I'd like to see pictures after you install the next piece.

moch