Catalytic converter replacement suggestions?

WWII Jeeper

WWII Jeeper

TJ Enthusiast
Supporting Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2017
Messages
423
Location
Broomfield, Colorado, United States
Hi All,
I've just ordered up new sensors (NTK) for my 06 TJ X, and I'm thinking about new cats as well. I have 95Kmiles on the originals, and I'm not, nor have been, throwing any codes.

As to the cats, header pipe and beyond, what brand has been good for you as far as lasting ?

I'm a stock kind of person, so I'm not looking for fancy aftermarket systems, and I'm not looking for cheap knock-offs either.

I've looked in the "How to" threads, but I'm curious as to what has worked the best.

Thanks
Ray
 
I'm in the same boat. For an 2006, look at the units from

1) Walker (2 mini cats, 3rd cat is separate)
2) Eastern Catalytic (all 3 cats, fairly cheap)
2) Flowmaster (all 3 cats, fairly cheap)
4) Magnaflow (several different options, 2 or 3 cats, $$$).
5) Bosal (all 3 cats, fairly cheap)
6) OE/Mopar? $$$
7) Others?
 
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Thanks mots,
I looked at Mopar Parts.....high 600.00....not happening :)

Longevity is my main interest, as I don't want to keep spending and replacing the same thing over and over with short periods of time. You know, do it right, do it once (knowing it won't last forever).

Ray
 
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WWII Jeeper said:
Non Carb.……… Jeeze...will I be a Felon if I drive into California ??????

Just kidding, :) …….sort of :)
Click to expand...

Haha, it only has to be CARB certified if you live in California and that's where the vehicle is registered.

I'm sure you know that though. The Californians don't take kindly to polluters, haha.
 
Chris said:
Haha, it only has to be CARB certified if you live in California and that's where the vehicle is registered.

I'm sure you know that though. The Californians don't take kindly to polluters, haha.
Click to expand...

I do, and during the time I lived there, we were always violating :)

Kind of liking the Eastern with all 3 cats.....
 
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Yeah, I like the ones with the 3 cats too (I'm down to Flowmaster and Eastern). I have thought about not replacing the 3rd cat at all, or replacing with a $100 high flow Magnaflow cat. But, if I can get all 3 for $250-300, then why not do that right?!!

I need to determine if I am doing this myself or not. I can't recall how easy it is to get to the 4 manifold studs to remove the downpipe with the mini cats. I'm sure it won't be easy on a 2005, LOL. I'm assuming I will need to heat them or cut them off. Might be more than I want to tackle on jack stands. Also looking at throwing on a cat-back at the same time. I love the Borla, just not sure I can justify $440 for such a simple cat-back. It sounds awesome though and is 304 SS.
 
Chris said:
I just removed my third cat entirely.
Click to expand...

It's tempting the way the sensors are setup and nothing monitoring the rear cat. If I go with the Borla, I do want to be able to actually hear it, LOL. It sounds better on the older TJ's without as many cats.
 
mots said:
Yeah, I like the ones with the 3 cats too (I'm down to Flowmaster and Eastern). I have thought about not replacing the 3rd cat at all, or replacing with a $100 high flow Magnaflow cat. But, if I can get all 3 for $250-300, then why not do that right?!!

I need to determine if I am doing this myself or not. I can't recall how easy it is to get to the 4 manifold studs to remove the downpipe with the mini cats. I'm sure it won't be easy on a 2005, LOL. I'm assuming I will need to heat them or cut them off. Might be more than I want to tackle on jack stands. Also looking at throwing on a cat-back at the same time. I love the Borla, just not sure I can justify $440 for such a simple cat-back. It sounds awesome though and is 304 SS.
Click to expand...

It's not hard to do. After getting under there multiple times to tighten the nuts that keep backing off, I've learned a few ways to position my body, and alternate the different socket extensions. Patience is the key.....

The Eastern looks like it's made in China, according to the internet....which we know is all true ...… I looked up the Evan Fischer, which is produced by "US Auto Parts", and called the company to see where these are manufactured. The Southeast Asia sounding gentleman asked me why I wanted to know.....and like an idiot, I told the truth about wanting a US made product...…

So, of course he said it's manufactured in the US the main headquarters is in Carson, Calif, and then he hit me with the hard sell, trying to keep me on the phone as long as possible. He also told me the E Fischer part # REPJ960313 is 48 State, which brought a lengthy explanation on Calif and New York air quality crap.

And of course I needed the 50 State...….. at 1k...…… plus he said, the 48 state will not work on my TJ X...… "it will mess everything up" he said.

I know chances are slim for a US product, but I like to check anyway. The Evan F and Eastern are $300.00 which include all 3 cats. I'll keep checking though and see. I'm not in a hurry.

Ray
 
WWII Jeeper said:
It's not hard to do. After getting under there multiple times to tighten the nuts that keep backing off, I've learned a few ways to position my body, and alternate the different socket extensions. Patience is the key.....

The Eastern looks like it's made in China, according to the internet....which we know is all true ...… I looked up the Evan Fischer, which is produced by "US Auto Parts", and called the company to see where these are manufactured. The Southeast Asia sounding gentleman asked me why I wanted to know.....and like an idiot, I told the truth about wanting a US made product...…

So, of course he said it's manufactured in the US the main headquarters is in Carson, Calif, and then he hit me with the hard sell, trying to keep me on the phone as long as possible. He also told me the E Fischer part # REPJ960313 is 48 State, which brought a lengthy explanation on Calif and New York air quality crap.

And of course I needed the 50 State...….. at 1k...…… plus he said, the 48 state will not work on my TJ X...… "it will mess everything up" he said.

I know chances are slim for a US product, but I like to check anyway. The Evan F and Eastern are $300.00 which include all 3 cats. I'll keep checking though and see. I'm not in a hurry.

Ray
Click to expand...

Haha, I would have loved talking to that guy...not! Let me know what you decide to do and I will do the same.

Flowmaster says theirs are made in the USA:
https://www.flowmastermufflers.com/...odel=144&engine=330&drivetype=&category=0&kw=
 
mots said:
It's tempting the way the sensors are setup and nothing monitoring the rear cat. If I go with the Borla, I do want to be able to actually hear it, LOL. It sounds better on the older TJ's without as many cats.
Click to expand...

Mine sounds great without the third cat. Nice and throaty, but not obnoxious at all. Been running it that way for a few months now.
 
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I'm in California, I know... my family's been here since the late 1840's and I'm ready in a couple of years to bail. In the fine state of regulation when my cats started acting up, shopping around it seems the price of just parts runs what a complete repair costs anyplace else in the country and after reading some of the hassles with fit issues on some of the kits I went the safe easy route and paid a shop.

Now I don't know very much about cats in general, but the muffler shop I used has been around for over 50 years, I remember seeing it as a kid, they have one of those giant lumber jack statues out front proudly holding up an entire exhaust system for display in front of the shop. What my guy said was that if the pre-cats haven't dumped into the main cat, the main cat is usually OK, my tj had 180K and this was true. He removed my system at the header, cut out the pre cats cans replaced just the cans with same size California rated cans. I have several thousand miles on the exhaust now with no codes no issues and just passed one of californias star inspections with flying colors. He just needed to use same size that were compliant to meet standards. My whole repair ran me around $700 using most of the factory system, my shop said factory pipe was superior to a lot of the aftermarket stuff and having the shop do the work for me ran about what I was looking at buying a calif approved system and doing it myself.
 
1515art said:
I'm in California, I know... my family's been here since the late 1840's and I'm ready in a couple of years to bail. In the fine state of regulation when my cats started acting up, shopping around it seems the price of just parts runs what a complete repair costs anyplace else in the country and after reading some of the hassles with fit issues on some of the kits I went the safe easy route and paid a shop.

Now I don't know very much about cats in general, but the muffler shop I used has been around for over 50 years, I remember seeing it as a kid, they have one of those giant lumber jack statues out front proudly holding up an entire exhaust system for display in front of the shop. What my guy said was that if the pre-cats haven't dumped into the main cat, the main cat is usually OK, my tj had 180K and this was true. He removed my system at the header, cut out the pre cats cans replaced just the cans with same size California rated cans. I have several thousand miles on the exhaust now with no codes no issues and just passed one of californias star inspections with flying colors. He just needed to use same size that were compliant to meet standards. My whole repair ran me around $700 using most of the factory system, my shop said factory pipe was superior to a lot of the aftermarket stuff and having the shop do the work for me ran about what I was looking at buying a calif approved system and doing it myself.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info, I know that area very well, grew up in the northbay, and how I long for those old fashioned shops that don't rely on a computer program to tell you that the rattle you hear, is not a problem because it doesn't show on the screen...… :)

Ray
 
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