Catalytic Converters Tested - $100 EBAY vs $800 CARB Certified

I compare the emissions test results between a $100 EBAY catalytic converter and a $800 CARB Certified catalytic converter on a 2006 Honda CRV in Colorado.

[kyletrummel]

Someone thought they stole the cat from my truck, but they actually grabbed the resonator. I just installed pipe to reconnect the muffler. I actually like how it sounds now.

[danc]

Another test would be to run the car without any CAT to see how bad the numbers are and how much better a cheap CAT may clean the air.

[kurtvanluven]

For those who have NOT had yours stolen, washing them through with citric acid for 6 hours, then rinsed out with distilled should do the trick.

[stevenmatos]

I can’t thank you enough for this video. I’m planning on changing mine soon and the deciding factors are now a lot easier to put into perspective. 🙏🏻

[superruff]

Literally the exact model of car I need to fix. Thanks so much for the info and price comparing.

[enaan]

Here I come in NYC with hollowed out cats and 90 degree o2 spacers 🤣🤣

[AjninHaru]

CARB cats are California certified. California Air Resource Board (CARB). They are mandatory in California and you can’t get non CARB compliant cats in stores or shipped to California. Depending on the vehicle they can be five times as expensive as cats you can get in a free state like Texas.

[slippinslidewayz]

I went for the Amazon model for $75. If it doesn't clear the CEL due to the factory wideband used in place of an O2 on my car, I'll go for the $400 OE factory used brand from rock auto. There's no way I'm paying $750 at AutoZone for a brand Honda didn't even use. Always shop around. You can find decent deals but they likely won't be at your local auto parts store.

[chriswise]

There's not many emissions testing videos out there. Very educational 👍

[renaissancemaneric]

Looks like Magnaflo offers an OEM quality version in the 500 range. It also says not for sale in CA, NY, ME. Though

[SAROTINEmissionCatalytic]

Thanks for your Video to let us Know about the real difference between EBay cats and Magnaflow Cats. I worked in Catalytic Converter Industry for years and I know something about the cats.
About the Exhaust Reading Difference: That is because EBAY Cat has only Platinum in it. But the CARB one has Pt, Pd and Rh. RH is more expensive than the pt and pd.

About the difference between 3 precious metals: Pd can only catalyst Oxidation of the CO and HC, Pt can catalyst the Oxidation reaction of CO HC and Reduction reaction of NOx, But not Good at NOx. Only RH can stronly improve the catalyst efficiency of the reduction reaction of the NOx,

All catalytic converter under $100 don't have Rh in it. Bucause Rh is nearly 10 Time expensive than Pt and Pd.
and the Pd content is only about 1/4 of Walker, Magnaflow or AP Emission. After 1-year use, It failed again, and waste your time and repair cost.
But the Big Brand cat is 4 times expensive than them.
So I founded a Brand Sarotin and sell ‘’Prime Grade‘’ as a improved version cat of the standard Cheap cat ，Two times more expensive than the standard version, but four times more expensive than precious metals, Its Precious metal content is as same as big brand and Add Enough Rh to improve the catalytic efficiency of NOx. Now only several Models【Prime Grade】Cats can be bought on Amazon and Ebay, Because I don't know will buyers want to pay another $100 on a cat to get a longer service life, I can't produce too much, But If customers like it, I will produce all models

If anyone want to know about the cats, Or you don't know how to solve Emission problems, Please comment me

[misterbulger]

1.5 NOx was the limit on my car before and after the law changed. Had to pull up my old papers from Colorado. I got mine down to .9 NOx with cheap ebay cats. But now a few years later it's too high but I think it's the O2 sensors. It's only one bank throwing a PO430 intermittently.

[SchrodingersBox]

Great video man- using this to help a friend make a good decision on cat replacement.

[mrkevinhoang]

a more interesting test would be to test Walker's same cat, but the NON carb version.

[lnmnxcy]

Get the cheap one, until the government fixes this problem. F em.

[pishta]

EXCELLENT HEAD TO HEAD. I have long theorized that the convertors were the same with only a longer warranty on the CARB models (mandated for CARB) but this was an eye opener. your NOx levels....my 92 SC400 'requres ' premium fuel but weve been putting regular .60 cheaper gas in it forever until it failed smog on NOx levels at 531 (487 passing) so we put 2 tanks of premium in and tested again. OMG, our NOx levels went down to 74! ans after I fixed a small vacuum leak went down further to 36! NOx levels are highly dependent on the temperature of the combustion process and higher octane levels burn slower reducing the Combustion temperatures. If you can get the combustion event to be cooler than 1700F you reduce the formations of NOx That is why there is EGR, it brings in an inert non combustible gas into the intake and that displaces some of the burnable gasses in the combustion process at a sligt hit to HP but greatly reduces the temperatures formed and thus reduces NOx formation. Running a can of "emission pass" fuel system clean through actually increased my HC levels 50% but I think my CATS are done as both are rattling indicating the matrix inside has broken down and is no longer scrubbing the exhaust of pollutants. $1800 for 1 cat? I got you beat, Lexus wants $900 each and I have 3....:-(

[noelelnolo]

Thank u for the information on how to saving lots of $$ while keeping nature safe

[juliank]

Wow! That's quite an eye opening difference

[firstlast-ynqg]

need to measure straight pipe to know if the $100 is even worth spending.

[Patrick-wbpp]

I wish the CARB compliant Magnaflow bolt on California Cat was $800---- paid $1500 for my 1988 VW Vanagon!