How to select the correct CAT?

Gabriel5501 · Post by **Gabriel5501** » 10 May 2011, 20:29

Hey All, after lots of troubles and diagnosing I was finally able to track down my car trouble to a plugged catalytic converter, brought on by my friend driving this car for about 6 months with the ETM shot.
Now the problem that I am running into is figuring out which catalytic converter to buy.
I ordered the first one, a direct fit from partsgeek.com (which I have had pretty good luck with in the past) which was listed as fitting my car. Unfortunately the one that I got was completely wrong, and now they want me to pay the $25 shipping to send it back (on top of not refunding me what I paid for them to ship it to me initially).
Now, actually looking around, I see loads of websites with loads of cats, both direct fit and universal, which claim to fit my vehicle, but look nothing like what I have.
Here is a picture of what I've got currently:

As you can see (hopefully) the inlet on the cat comes in at about a 22' angle, which would seem to mean that using a universal cat is out. Also, there is no break between the small front part and the larger body of the cat, as I see in many others, also seeming to prevent me from using a universal cat.
I know lots of people push for the OEM cats, unfortunately I have already put about $1600 into this car, and have yet to drive it for more than a week, I really don't have another $800-$900 to buy an OEM direct fit cat.
Anybody have any other suggestions, or know where I can get a universal that will actually fit this car?

Thanks again!!

Post by **FlyingVolvo** » 10 May 2011, 20:38

Try calling up Erie Vo-Vo for a lifetime guaranteed used cat converter. This way it will be OEM, way cheaper (hopefully), and with a guarantee.

Post by **kcodyjr** » 10 May 2011, 21:16

Is it legal to pull a used cat from the boneyard in your state?

Probably it isn't legal to just attach a wire coat hanger to a drill and slip it into the cat through an O2 sensor port... cue nostalgic wishful thinking of the 80's... teeheehee..

Gabriel5501 · Post by **Gabriel5501** » 10 May 2011, 21:48

hey ecbsykes, I will have to give them a call tomorrow thanks! (hopefully...they don't have anything listed currently)
kcodyjr, New York may be more lenient than some other states, as far as emissions goes, but they would prob notice (especially since the inspection ran out at the end of last month...)

I probably could pull one from a junkyard...if I could find one that had it. Haven't found a single 99 v70 turbo at any junkyard within 2 hours of here.

Post by **kcodyjr** » 10 May 2011, 21:55

Erie Vo-Vo then. They rock for used parts.

As a diagnostic move, if your cat is already shot for sure, and you intend to only operate it in your driveway or trailered to closed courses, etc etc etc, you could try drilling out the old cat just to see if it runs any better.

That'll look a lot better to the cop if you've got a printed email from Erie saying they've got your cat in stock.

Post by **vjaneczko** » 11 May 2011, 00:35

I thought it was a Federal law that you can't buy used cats - maybe I'm wrong?

Gabriel5501 · Post by **Gabriel5501** » 11 May 2011, 11:05

So, I called Erie Vo-vo...nothing. Said they have a cat for the c70, but that won't fit the v70. Didn't have any recommendations either.
Any other suggestions, or ideas for fitting in a universal cat? Could I possibly have a piece of exhaust pipe fabricated to make that bend on the downpipe, and then just have a regular universal cat welded in?

Gabriel5501 · Post by **Gabriel5501** » 11 May 2011, 19:57

Ok, so I've opted for the universal cat, I'm going to have the downpipe piece fabricated, to make up the bend, and the additional length needed for a smaller cat.
The one thing I'm curious about, I have found 2 different universal cats available. One has the O2 port at the front of the cat, and the other has the O2 port in the middle.
Does it matter which I choose? It appears that what is currently there is toward the front of the cat, but it would seem to me that it would need to go toward the middle in order to measure properly. Any advice would be appreciated (as always)

Gabriel5501 · Post by **Gabriel5501** » 12 May 2011, 17:33

So I talked to a local (non-Volvo) mechanic today, and he said he would no recommend installing a universal cat, because if they don't pass CA emissions, they won't pass NY emissions either however, I can get a CA CARB compliant universal CAT, would this be an acceptable alternative?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 12 May 2011, 17:40

My guess is that if it can pass California CARB then it can pass anything. Here in flyover country we don't do any of that emissions crap and the inspection consists of going to the highway patrol to make sure the VIN matches the title and it isn't written in crayon on the dashboard (For a fee of course).

For a while we had "safety inspections" which was code for the service station ripoff act but I think they did away with that 30 years ago.

...Lee