Looking for a source for the best aftermarket cat for a 1985 T/A. I looked up a price from gm parts but they want almost $500.00 for a factory replacement. I want a good cat that is less pricey. I know there are cheaper ones but I also know the quality are not as good and I do need this to pass emissions. Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

I just bought one from these guys http://www.autopartswarehouse.com. Really fast shipping and great fit for an OEM CAT. I would buy from them again. Also thought the price was good.

 

Yeah I saw that one but how does it compare to an o.e.m part??

 

Catco 9118. 3" in/out, A.I.R. tube included. Will pass emission inspections just fine.

$120 from summit.

EDIT: Not sure what kind of exhaust you have because your avatar info says you have a 350 TPI in an '85. If you're looking for a cat for an LG4 exhaust, look up Catco 4115 (2 1/4" in, 2 1/2" out). Sells for about $100 at summit as well.

 

305 tpi before the 350 swap. Why are the gm converters so much and what makes them different from catco or other aftermarket cats??

 

Not sure what makes the GM CAT's different from the others, other than the price. The one I got from Auto Parts Warehouse bolted right up and was a good fit. Shipping only took like 3 days. I had a Catco high flow but I had problems with it. It was causing me to have a check engine light. When I pulled the code it had to do with the EGR. I have a new EGR valve and selenoid and the passages on my manifold are clean. I was told by some people on this web site that it was because of the free flowing exhaust and the lack of back pressure. Since the new CAT, I have had no check engine light

 

Do you know if it is a 2 way or 3 way cat?? The three way is better for emissions.

 

Catco is high flow... I can tell you that much. Everyone that has one passes emissions just fine.

 

I have two brand new 2.5 inch inlet/outlet cats in the for sale section.. Don't know if one is the right size for your application though..

Other than that replacements in JEGs or Summit run anywhere from 50-100+ depending on model.

 

The difference is the brand name. GM can set the price to whatever they want for their parts, because they know less-technically-inclined people will pay to ensure that they have the correct part for their application, and that it will function on its application as it should. It doesn't necessarily mean that GM's parts are better, or that aftermarket parts are any worse (although sometimes sadly, it is the case). At least that's my guess.

When you buy aftermarket parts, there's always a chance that a part you buy will not work entirely like it's supposed to, or even at all. And, in this case, there's a chance that the part in question might not fit with the application.

That's why you do research before buying aftermarket parts, so you know what you need and how it will fit.