CA Catalytic converter - Magnaflow 339918

[Dana Champion]

Searching the threads....
I need to replace the CAT on my '88 Westfalia stock 2.1 . Yes it's CA smog check time.

I believe that this is the original.

Edit -

I found out that the beautiful image on ebay for the Magnaflow CAT is not what you get. I was a little disappointed, but then it's on a catalytic converter!

So basically the Magnaflow 339918 is the one.

[davideric9]

I think the only legal bolt on catalytic converter is the Magnaflow (in California). Van cafe is selling the Magnaflow.

Eastern Manufacturing has a CARB compliant universal fit for $166 at amazon.
Airteck, Inc's website does not list a CA legal cat.
Car Sound Exhaust System is MAGNAFLOW

CARB list of Vanagon cats is:
N/A ALL Airtek, Inc. 91094 PRE-OBDII D-280-47 T-1 1 Underbody UNIVERSAL
N/A ALL Airtek, Inc. 91135 PRE-OBDII D-280-47 T-1 1 Underbody DIRECT FIT
N/A ALL Airtek, Inc. 98104 PRE-OBDII D-280-94 T-1 1 Underbody UNIVERSAL
N/A ALL Airtek, Inc. 98135 PRE-OBDII D-280-94 T-1 1 Underbody DIRECT FIT
N/A ALL Airtek, Inc. 88894 PRE-OBDII D-280-98 T-1 1 Underbody UNIVERSAL
N/A ALL Car Sound Exhaust System, Inc. 39034 PRE-OBDII D-193-85 T-1 1 Underbody UNIVERSAL
N/A ALL Car Sound Exhaust System, Inc. 39918 PRE-OBDII D-193-85 T-1 1 Underbody DIRECT FIT
N/A ALL Car Sound Exhaust System, Inc. 39958 PRE-OBDII D-193-85 T-1 1 Underbody DIRECT FIT
N/A ALL Car Sound Exhaust System, Inc. 339034 PRE-OBDII D-193-105 T-1 1 Underbody UNIVERSAL
N/A ALL Car Sound Exhaust System, Inc. 339918 PRE-OBDII D-193-105 T-1 1 Underbody DIRECT FIT
N/A ALL Car Sound Exhaust System, Inc. 339958 PRE-OBDII D-193-105 T-1 1 Underbody DIRECT FIT
N/A ALL Eastern Manufacturing Inc. 863010 PRE-OBDII D-665-2 T-1 1 Underbody UNIVERSAL
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia, stock (bought 1994)
1986 Syncro Westfalia SVX, 3 knob (bought 2008)
1987 Westfalia (bought 2010)
1988 Wolfsburg GL (bought 2012)

[Dana Champion]

[Dana Champion]

I see this image for Magnaflow, when searching ebay. Looks great! Does this exist...? No, because it's CG....

So this what it actually looks like. This is GoWesty s image of basically the same one that Van Café sells. This is what they look like

I like the fact that Gowesty and Van Café offer the gaskets and hardware.

[davideric9]

I'd say the eBay one is not a photograph, its a well rendered cad drawing. Van-cafe is offering $75 off right now - I just got a spare yesterday.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia, stock (bought 1994)
1986 Syncro Westfalia SVX, 3 knob (bought 2008)
1987 Westfalia (bought 2010)
1988 Wolfsburg GL (bought 2012)

[Dana Champion]

thanks davideric9 !

I just purchased the Magnaflow 339918 for my '88 from Hottexhaust for a discount better than Van Cafes sale price.

Hottexhaust 800 288-7730 (John)

I'm disappointed that I won't be getting any cookies from Van Cafe , although I did order the gaskets and bolts from them. Too small a package for cookies...

Here's a shout out to Lindsay!, and the guys @ Van Cafe.Thanks for your help. Just don't call her "Wendy"

Price for everything delivered -$ 296.81

Peace

[[email protected]]

on what end does the metal o-ring go. I am missing mine. Does it go in conjunction with the flat gasket or is it one or the other?

[Dana Champion]

[bluebus86]

[Steve M.]

[Dana Champion]

Back from my 3700 mile roadtrip to Mount Rushmore, unfortunately not in my Westfalia.
Saw one Vanagon and three Vanagon Westfalias on the whole trip. Awesome trip!...

Removed my CAT today, with the muffler. Easier to get to the bolts on the outlet side of the CAT whilst out of the car. Had to remove the muffler brackets to get it out. It appears to be the original equipment.

Visual inspection on the inside of the CAT looks like there is nothing wrong with it. It's intact, and I can see through it. Two years ago my '88 2.1 did not pass smog. I replaced the oxygen sensor , and the coolant sensor II.

My smog guy said " next time you need a smog check, replace the CAT."

Does this look like it needs to be replaced ? It looks clean, and you can see through it.

Can the CAT be bench tested ?

Original muffler looks like it's seen better days. I'm thinkin, stainless !

[bluebus86]

a cat can look fine, but be dead. I know of no bench test, you put it on the car and test to see if it passes the smog test or not.


a new cat will last a long time if only bolted up for the smog test and promptly removed to a safe space in your garage between test dates.


good luck
_________________
Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information

Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022

[davevickery]

Has anyone else noticed a difference in tone with this Cat? Mine has a tin sound to it and it vibrates like metal on metal contact at certain rpms. It it a bit louder too.

Just wondering. I can't see anything else loose and I noticed it right after I swapped the new cat in. I may buy a stock cat now and see if it goes away and just hang onto this for inspection time.

[ohhorob]

[bluebus86]

[Dana Champion]

[quote="davevickery"]Has anyone else noticed a difference in tone with this Cat?

I just recently installed the Magnaflow CAT along with the GoWesty SS muffler, brackets, and tail pipe. The new setup is definitely not as " quiet" as the stock setup that I just replaced. Not sure if the CAT adds to the throatier sound.

I did pass the CA smog

Stock 2.1, 1988

[hanzonn]

Greetings,

I need a new cat for my 1988 European-spec Pritsche. I'm considering Van Cafe's California-legal product as I'll eventually take the truck there. All of the fitting/flanges seem to match up. Any idea if this would work & if I'd need anything else to make it CA legal?

TIA, Greg

[DanHoug]

the GW SS muffler is a straight thru design like the old Thrush mufflers... you can see thru one end to the other. but it is a nice muffler and i like the tone.

i used a Walker 15612 cat that isn't nearly as large as the Van-Cafe cat, tho it was only $90. fearing excessive backpressure from the small cat, i checked at the tap prior to the cat and had 0.5psi at idle and saw an absolute max of about 1.0-1.5psi revving higher than i cared to go. so the backpressure is okay with the small Walker.

-dan

[Waldemar Sikorski]