Replacing Cats - $800?

[DIYFanatic]

2001 Explorer Sport...180K

Mechanic quoted $800 just for the forward cats that bolt to the manifold or is he replacing all four plus exhaust system? He said if I went through the dealer the cats would cost $1400. Does this sound right? I guess I need to clarify exactly what he is doing but, in the meantime, can anybody tell me if this is ballpark or throw out a ballpark figure that you would expect?


BTW, this quote was for a part...not labor.

 

[Joe Dirt]

My buddy had his done on a V8- they replaced the 2 fronts and replaced the 2 rears with pipe since they weren't necessary, and it was about $400 with parts and labor.

 

[my pos mounty]

If you can get your own parts, try this:
http://performance-curve.com/index.aspx

 

[GETMYBELTSON]

The only thing Michigan has going for it other than all the top Ford guys having shop here is no emissions. I don't know what i'd have done as a kid if all my cars had to have passed emissions!

 

[Joe Dirt]

I don't know what i'd have done as a kid if all my cars had to have passed emissions!

Be glad you weren't driving back when we had emissions testing...

Now to answer your thought: Instead of having the emissions probe stuck in the tailpipe like it's supposed to be, buy him a Mountain Dew and watch the guy lay the probe about 8 feet behind your '86 Thunderbird so it passed...

Oh- and we have another thing going for us- no front license plates...

 

[siamezul]

I have to replace the rear one because just got plugged. Mechanic quoted me $ 1,800.00 parts and labor, through Ford (i have California type). Tonight took me about 60 min to unbolt the cat, clean it, chip off some of the honeycomb and put it back. Car is running for now; I'm waiting for the new one from e-bay $ 340.00 including shipping.

2001 Explorer Sport...180K

Mechanic quoted $800 just for the forward cats that bolt to the manifold or is he replacing all four plus exhaust system? He said if I went through the dealer the cats would cost $1400. Does this sound right? I guess I need to clarify exactly what he is doing but, in the meantime, can anybody tell me if this is ballpark or throw out a ballpark figure that you would expect?


BTW, this quote was for a part...not labor.

 

[2KExplorerSport]

I had to replace the entire exhaust on my 2000 Sport when I got it 2 years ago. Replaced everything except the exhaust manifolds. Went stock on everything and the parts came to around $1100 for the full exhaust. Did all the work myself so I didn't have to pay anything for labor.

 

[DIYFanatic]

Thanks for all your replies. What a racket this turned out to be...going green. It's only gonna get worse.

 

[DIYFanatic]

If you can get your own parts, try this:
http://performance-curve.com/index.aspx

I'll check that out. Thanks.

 

[ranger7ltr]

If you can weld...

Performance-curve.com has what you need...I replaced all four of mine with their Thunderbolt spuncast high flow convertors...I also got an x-pipe and made the exhaust to come apart right at the flange but into two parallel convertors instead of two series convertors and then into a dual in/dual out Magnaflow muffler...

The cost of the hardware was $150 for all four convertors, $25 for the x-pipe, and I already had the muffler...

If you are handy you can remove the headpipe and mock up the replacement convertors then either weld them in or have someone weld them for you...Likewise for the rear convertors...

 

[gavin]

$800 parts and labor sounds right for OEM-style direct bolt-on replacement parts.

save some coin and get "universal" aftermarket cats; not the bolt-on replacements.

 

[team]

why are you replacing them?