Catalytic converters for 512tr (California) | FerrariChat
Buy

Catalytic converters for 512tr (California)

Discussion in 'Boxers/TR/M' started by ferralc, Dec 23, 2013.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. ferralc

    ferralc Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 2, 2010
    2,152
    San Diego CA
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    #1 ferralc, Dec 23, 2013
    The car has Tubi exhaust but it is lacking cats and I would like to install aftermarkets so I do not deal with this every 2 years, what is the best way to do so?
    I've read hyperflow is a good solution and they run for $1538
    Also I found this really cheap option from magnaflow, I do not know if anybody is familiar with them but for 121 dlls I can really give them a try
    Magnaflow Universal Catalytic Converter Cat Cat 2 25" PC2 Rear 38005 | eBay

    Any input will be greatly appreciated
     
  2. ferralc

    ferralc Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 2, 2010
    2,152
    San Diego CA
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    #2 ferralc, Dec 24, 2013
    Also I have found used original cats for about the same price than the new hyper flows , any pros/cons of the used originals vs the hyperflows?
    Thanks


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  3. Melvok

    Melvok F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 25, 2008
    14,243
    Amersfoort, The Netherlands, Europe.
    Full Name:
    Mel
    #3 Melvok, Dec 24, 2013
    Keep an F as original as possible as long as parts are available imo ... :)
     
  4. tvu

    tvu Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 13, 2004
    1,350
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Trieu
    #4 tvu, Dec 24, 2013
    Does it pass smog now? I think it's the seller's responsibility to ensure that it passes smog. If it doesn't, then you can negotiate to have the seller fix it, or deduct the price of cats.
    Officially, CARB only accepts certain approved cat manufacturers - Hyperflow is not one of them.

    cons of original cats - the back/lid can get very hot.
    other cats(ie. Hyperflow) - can greatly reduce the amount heat
     
  5. ferralc

    ferralc Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 2, 2010
    2,152
    San Diego CA
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    #5 ferralc, Dec 24, 2013
    It did pass smog when it was originally registered in CA after that the cats were removed
    CARB doesn't need to inspect the car if it is already registered in CA (as far as I know) you just bring it to a test station and get your certificate



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  6. Pranucci

    Pranucci Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 17, 2005
    1,108
    Carpinteria, CA
    #6 Pranucci, Dec 24, 2013
    I think they've tightened up. The shop is supposed to do a visual inspection before the smog test. I had to bring out the emissions diagram for my AM and he looked all over at the parts in the smog system. They do the same inspection every 2 years. Replacement cats without the CARB number will get you bounced, or so I was told.
     
  7. tvu

    tvu Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 13, 2004
    1,350
    Southern California
    Full Name:
    Trieu
    #7 tvu, Dec 25, 2013
    Wouldn't it be easier to let the seller handle all the smog certification first? Unless you are saying it passed smog, and the cats were removed within the last 90 days.

    Smog Information
     
  8. chrisbinsb

    chrisbinsb F1 Rookie

    Oct 20, 2011
    3,675
    Santa Barbara
    Full Name:
    Chris B
    #8 chrisbinsb, Dec 25, 2013

    That's probably similar to what I'm getting for my 308. There's an outfit in CA that installs then correct flanges so that they can be bolted on without any welding needed. Or at least they are supposed to - their database was wrong so I got the wrong unit and am expecting the right one tomorrow.

    Anyway it's called DEC and the cats can be ordered through wunder car parts on amazon. If you contact them, they can tell you if they have one for your car.

    The advantage is that they at ready to be bolted on and are certified in CA as acceptable aftermarket units as long as you get the right one for your car.
     
  9. ferralc

    ferralc Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 2, 2010
    2,152
    San Diego CA
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    #9 ferralc, Dec 25, 2013
    Last edited: Dec 25, 2013
    It is funny, I found that website too, the part number listed is fe84304, and if you go to APDTY.com you find the same picture under the number ben84304
    (The 512tr is not listed just the testarossa)
    I imagine neither deccats.com nor apdty.com manufacture and someone else manufactures for them.

    (Update actually in the apdty.com shows the name of the manufacturer as BENCHMARK, and with the part number BEN84304 you can find it for different websites at different prices AND at jcwhitney.com that part number is listed as
    "Product legal for sale in California under Executive Order (EO) number D-193-84. Before purchasing this product, please check the Executive Order at www.arb.ca.gov to verify whether this product is allowed for installation on your specific vehicle application."
    If you go to the www.arb.ca.gov and look for the D-193-84, guess what you find? Magnaflow, so this cat is a magnaflow cat with the flanges ready)


    Please let me know how it goes when you receive your new cat.
    Thanks
     
  10. ferralc

    ferralc Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 2, 2010
    2,152
    San Diego CA
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    #10 ferralc, Dec 25, 2013
    I know is his responsibility and maybe I am being too kind, but I want to help him so the transaction goes smoothly as possible.
    My guess is he wanted to sell the car to someone outside CA and not deal with the smog issue.
     
  11. chrisbinsb

    chrisbinsb F1 Rookie

    Oct 20, 2011
    3,675
    Santa Barbara
    Full Name:
    Chris B
    #11 chrisbinsb, Jan 2, 2014
    Finally got the new DEC cat installed and the car back on tuesday. Short story is that it does it job and the car passed smog easily.

    As you found in your research, it looks like these are magnaflow with the appropriate flanges added by DEC, then sold via various vendors. So in my case, the vendor was Wundercarparts via amazon), the flange installation was DEC, and the car itself was magnaflow.

    The longer story for me was a little more complicated as the first cat I got had terrible workmanship on the flanges and the inner fitting the gasket goes around was the wrong size. They then sent a replacement with better workmanship but still with a too-small fitting. We decided it would be easiest at that point to fabricate an additional ring of the right size to tack weld on but then discovered that the car was approved in CA for pre-'95 Ford trucks wit dual cats - not my car. A few irritated phone calls to DEC revealed that their database had the wrong unit listed my car and they sent out a new one. This one still had a small ring so we used the fabricated one as planned and everything is fine. Truth is, the gasket would probably be fine without it, but the peace of mind was worth the $30.

    Bottom line - as long as they send the right unit and you don't mind the non-oem appearance and possible need to fabricate the correct ring size, these will do the job and for much less than other options. Mine cost about $225, rebuilt oem were $500+ at GT car parts.
     
  12. ferralc

    ferralc Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 2, 2010
    2,152
    San Diego CA
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    #12 ferralc, Jan 3, 2014
    Nice it worked for you, I did not purchase the 512tr that I needed the cats for at the end (it needed pre cats too plus other things), but I found out that even though the original testarossa and 512tr cats you can use them interchangeably between both models, that is not the same with aftermarket ones, magnaflow cats through EO D-193-84 are only approved for testarossas (and of course 308 just like yours), but not for 512tr, so even of they will work and pass smog test and everything, they will fail you in the visual inspection, because the database shows no aftermarkets are approved for 512tr, only original cats can be used with 512tr.
    So they bring their database and because no aftermarkets are approved they will fail you with any other cats than original ferrari
     
  13. rw328

    rw328 Rookie

    Mar 20, 2005
    26
    San Jose Calif.
    Full Name:
    Roger Winslow
    #13 rw328, Feb 23, 2014
    I'm running into a similar problem with my 89 328 calif car. I need a new cat but have so far been unable to locate a legal one. My cat says ZS 428D 121 385 which is the same for the Testerosa, but the Benchmark 84304 is not authorized for the 328. Evoflow is also not a listed CAT. Tomorrow I'm going to try and get a hold of a couple of CAT makers back east and see if they can rebuild my old one, but I'm not holding my breath. Any ideas ?
     
  14. Motob

    Motob Formula 3
    Professional Ferrari Technician

    Nov 11, 2003
    2,338
    Frederick, Maryland
    Full Name:
    Brian Brown
    #14 Motob, Feb 24, 2014
    Typically catalyst remanufactures will not ship to a California address. I don't know of any smog technician that looks at the numbers on the cats to see if they are original or approved.
    On 328's or Testarossa's/512TR they are pretty difficult to see.
     
  15. chrisbinsb

    chrisbinsb F1 Rookie

    Oct 20, 2011
    3,675
    Santa Barbara
    Full Name:
    Chris B
    #15 chrisbinsb, Feb 25, 2014

    I can't imagine why the cat that worked for my 308 wouldn't work for your 328. Did you check out the DEC website? I'd try them and wundercarparts. As I said above, I had some issues but the end result was a working CA legal cat
     
  16. Testarossa Lover

    Testarossa Lover F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Dec 31, 2006
    3,622
    Newport Beach, CA
    Full Name:
    Haig Barsamian
    #16 Testarossa Lover, Feb 25, 2014
    Are you buying the red 512TR that has been around a while??? Something like 60-65K?
     
  17. ferralc

    ferralc Formula 3
    Owner

    Sep 2, 2010
    2,152
    San Diego CA
    Full Name:
    Fernando
    #17 ferralc, Feb 25, 2014

    Which one? The one I was buying was the eBay one that had the two tone interior. I know there is another 512tr in San Diego somewhere for about 60-65k who has the side strakes inside painted in red and it looks weird, but I don't know if that car is still for sale.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

Share This Page