Warning: Don’t Trust Aftermarket Cats if Boosted.

[Desert Dog]

Blew a Head Gasket on my Edelbrock Stage 2 Supercharged 18 GT. I’m Running the stock Edelbrock provided Tune. Additional Mods are JBA Long Tubes, JBA High Flow Cats and full 3” Exhaust . Fuel I run is 91 with Boostane additive with the stock pump enhanced by Boost a Pump. Data logs all looked good. I have taken it out to the 1/2 Mile Run what you Brung event, the last few years, having gone a best of 165. Last time out got a Wrench light and it would not stay running. Started taking the exhaust off to pull the engine and found this:

Sponsored

 

[SSG 5.0]

Man that sucks dude

 

[Unas2k5]

What is that? Packaging material ?

 

[ice445]

What is that? Packaging material ?

No that's the catalyst honeycomb itself, it melted from too much power

 

[stungjoe]

As a guy who's about to go boosted, I have heard the "Green" Kooks cats are about the only ones rated for boost. Is this the case or are even those cats subject to failure?

 

[80FoxCoupe]

Who is surprised by this?

 

[ice445]

Who is surprised by this?

Nobody who knows. But some people don't and have to learn the hard way. When it comes to high flow cats, you have to bust out the wallet for a known quality unit.

 

[80FoxCoupe]

Nobody who knows. But some people don't and have to learn the hard way. When it comes to high flow cats, you have to bust out the wallet for a known quality unit.

Are there any aftermarket units that are actually tested with FI systems and have data? If catalysts are a must, maybe oem units from an oem boosted car are the way to go. $$$ tho...

 

[engineermike]

Are there any aftermarket units that are actually tested with FI systems and have data? If catalysts are a must, maybe oem units from an oem boosted car are the way to go. $$$ tho...

I agree with this. I am told the best metal substrate cats are HJS. They are pricy but apparently widely used on European exotics. Otherwise, I’d go for oem-boosted car stock units as you said.

 

[80FoxCoupe]

I agree with this. I am told the best metal substrate cats are HJS. They are pricy but apparently widely used on European exotics. Otherwise, I’d go for oem-boosted car stock units as you said.

I suppose finding an oem boosted vehicle with a 3in catalyst is the next step. How much is a McLaren cat?$?$?$

 

[Cobra Jet]

Have you reached out to JBA, do they offer any warranty for craftsmanship or failures as such?

 

[SSG 5.0]

Any known signs that the cats are cooked before? Also, how much whp?

 

[RagmopInKona]

He blew a head gasket. My bet is the exhaust valve was opening long before the flame front was done pushing piston down the hole, and when valve opened, it went into pipe.
That looks like fuel burning in the pipe blow torching the unit(s)
What caused the gasket fail, pre ign. detonation or a lifted head.
Cats tend to die because of issues up stream, and the gasket failure is a hint, the pressure would have went out the intake valves into the intake, s/c and farted ,coughed,backfired long before this.

 

[ice445]

Are there any aftermarket units that are actually tested with FI systems and have data? If catalysts are a must, maybe oem units from an oem boosted car are the way to go. $$$ tho...

No idea about actual testing and data, but I have heard the Gesi G-Sport Gen 2 Advanced is pretty good. But they're like $1000 per bank so it's not super surprising. I'm too poor to boost when you add up all the ancillary costs, lol.

I do really like the idea of retrofitting OE cats from boosted versions of the same car.

 

[Crew4991]

Saw the title and all I read was don't trust cats.

Sponsored