ok so i got a 1997 f150 5.4l with 217xxx on it. the cats have been rusty ever since i bought the truck a little over a year ago and i had fixed the little holes by getting them welded by a friend. now latley theyve been rattling alot and its getting very annoying. they still work though cuz no check engine light has come on at all. a few months ago i got a price on getting new cats and they quoted me $300 and i guess they switch it to just two cats in the middle. i have two on each side so apparently thats what they do. my question is is that is that bad to do to switch to just two? wouldnt that mean they would have to move the O2 sensors cuz theres one on each cat. or should i just try another shop and see what they say? or maybe should i just put a pipe there instead cuz i think in mass after 15 years or older it doesnt need emissions anymore. what does anyone think i should do?

 

Ford did the 4 cat system to quiet things down very much and to over-filter gases. 2 cats will due just fine like it always has for other Makes, Ford switched to a 2 cat system in the mid 2005+ trucks for cost savings.

Your perfectly fine switching to two, with O2 sensors mounted after them. What brand of cats does the shop want to use?

 

im actually not to sure what brand they wanted to use. all they told me was that they were california state legal so its good emissions. if switching to 2 cats is fine i probably will do that because $300 doesnt seem like to bad of a price considering what cats go for

 

$300 out the4 door bought and installed really is not bad at all. It cost most folks $160 + shipping for aftermarket hi-flow cats, and another $100+ for labor install. Equals right out. As long as they offer a lifetime warranty I would go for it.

 

i cant remember if they had told me about a warranty i had got it checked out awhile back but i will probably go for it and will ask about the warranty. thanks for youre help

 

If you are in California, I don't think they are allowed to delete cats...I think they have to replace one for one...so if you have four cats then they need to install 4...

 

Correct... what comes off just go on. CA emissions cats are very expensive

 

i live in mass but they had just told me they were california cats so im not sure im going to follow up with them soon and get more details so i know exactly what they do

 

Was it Lou's?

 

yes it was. in worcester

 

I'm avoiding them from here on out. Their work is lacking IMO. My cats leak now. I'm going to enhances street performance in Sterling or Jim's custom exhaust in Rhode island

 

thats really the only shop ive checked out but ive always heard good things about lous also. ill have to find another shop in the area.

 

Yeah the Lous near me suck. I'm picky tho, I'm getting 304ss, mandrel bends etc.

 

which lous do you go to? cuz the one in worcester ive always heard good things about