What sort of experience have people had with MagnaFlow converters (although it doesn't seem that many people have used them)?
I'm considering getting one as long as it doesn't restrict flow too much and lasts more than a few months.
This is the one i am considering:
http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

 

I have a 3" Magnaflow cat on my '90TII and I love it! The motor in my car blew before I could drive it for too long so I can't vouch for longevity since I don't know, but I think it's definitely worth it.

 

My friend had a magnaflow cat on his 90 GXL with the pacesetter header and RB catback and it sounded great, didn't have problems with it although in the emissions test he was way over double the limit for most of the tests...so I don't see the point in getting one, backfiring is fun

 

well i want it more for sound reduction than anything. if the car smells less, that would be good too. i don't need to do emissions testing.

 

i just found an interesting product.
apparently now they are making catalytic converters with a metallic substrate rather than a ceramic substrate. apparently it has a few advantages, the main one being flow is increased. there is an article about it here:
http://www.warpspeedperformance.com/metalsubstrate.htm

there are a few from Magnaflow:
http://www.car-sound.com/02product/u...al/599spun.asp

i've also googled a bit and actual benchflow tests show they do flow better...

 

i do have a magnaflow, had it for a little over a year and it has worked great! i just wish i had enough money for a metalic core cat i have learned for some people, rotary head ase cert. mechanics, that a metal core will last longer because of the increased heat with a rotary and flow better. just my opinion.

 

yeah that is what i have read also. it's really not too much more for a metal core cat, that "spun" construction cat i posted in my previous post is about $110, compared to $80 or so for the ceramic core one.

 

interesting......i will look into that when i have some exhaust work done next spring. thanks

 

I have magnaflow cats on my car. I couldn't hear any real difference in sound at all, I was hoping they would make it a little quiter. They didn't seem to slow me down at the track and I can't tell any difference in power. Not sure how well they clean up the air, mine are mainly there in case a cop looks under my car.

 

I have a 86 GXL N/A
When I bought it last September the cat was cracked in half and the two original pre-cats were still on the car.
I bought a new Magnaflow cat with down pipe included that is longer than the stock down pipe to eliminate the 2 pre cats and keep the main cats mounting and 2nd port positioning the same as stock.
My inspection mechanics installed the new down pipe/cat fairly easily. He mostly bitched the manifold bolts were hard to get off. I would have done the job myself but it was past due for Pa. inspection and a car lift is really nice wilst working beneath on our rex's.
Sound - restriction wasnt much different then the cracked main cat.
Only been on the car for 10 months and the passed Pa. emmisions test. (at least one time)
I had to make a gasket for the 2nd port tube off the cat and the muffler gaskets are the same size as the as the cat, pre cats, header to downpipe.
$150. for the two parts, so far all is well.

http://www.performancepeddler.com/de...CT_ID=MAG93678

 

i have an 89 gtu. the magnaflow cats greatly reduced the sound. i have magnaflow exhausts too. people used to hear me from like a mile away. i mean they still hear me from like a couple of blocks away but the difference is great. to me it feels like the car is being held back a bit but i have no real proof of this. people who have driven the car before and after the cat was in says that it feels the same so i guess it is just up to the person.

 

thanks for the replys. so most people saying it doesn't make much difference in sound, one person saying it did. although the various different types of cats will be different.

i was reading some flowbench results for a 2.5 inch spun bodied 200-cell metallic core, and they achieved over 400cfm, which i think is even more than most straight-through mufflers, and much more than most conventional type cats. so i shouldn't have to worry about it being a restriction, unless of course it clogs for whatever reason.

 

So this is a bolt-in that eliminates the 2 precats and replaces the main cat with a high flow? It bolts to the header and the cat-back with no modification? If this is true, that's exactly what I have been looking for! I just gave up and assumed I would have to go with a Bonez superflo.

 

Does anyone know if the metal core cats would still require the air injection when used on a rotary? I'd like to know if they can survive at the higher temps where a ceramic core which will die pretty quickly w/o air injection.

 

I believe all cats need air injection, otherwise there is no air for anything to combust and burn off.

 

air injection is not necessarily a factor for how long a cat will last, it is specific to a type of catalytic converter and ensuring that unburnt fuel has oxygen to react with, and has a lot to do with how much unburnt fuel you are shooting into the exhaust.
some catalytic converters have an inlet for air pump injection and others do not. typically those with air injection are actually 2 cats in one. the air is meant primarily to increase the efficiency of emissions filtering.

i would be more worried for a turbo car where you may be running fairly rich, but for non-turbo cars that are properly tuned, the amount of unburnt fuel in the exhaust stream should not cause any issues with the longevity of the cat.
in addition to that, if you read the link i posted about the new metallic core "spun bodied" cats the chance of failure is greatly reduced.
but still theory and application are different so some one will have to try it and see.

 

Yes! Buy one of these. Works great!

 

Seeing as how this thread is not too old I figured I would respond in here.


So has anyone whose had a magnaflow cat for 2+ years have anything new to say? Is it basically a one-hit quitter or will it be good for at least 2 emissions cycles (every 2 years here in california). Though granted, I am seeing them on ebay for $90 shipped (main cat, direct drop in with flanges) so I guess even if it was only good for one emissions test that isn't too bad, definitely cheaper than PMing wackyricer.

 

w/o the pre-cats and w/o a air pump hooked up to it,the magnaflow cat will die/burn up eventually fairly faster compared to w/ still having the pre-cats in it.i suggest pull the cat out in between emissions.it will last alot longer.

by the way,i was able to get my 298,XXX klm motor to pass emissions w/ just the magnaflow cat w/o the pre-cats and the air pump wasn't even hooked up to the cat.so was pretty surprised.the cat was a few hours old,put it on then went straight to emissions.pulled it out the same night afterwards.

 

I think the problem there is lack of air pump being hooked up. Oxygen is a key ingredient for combustion generally.

 

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