'97 C1500 4.3L V6 Catalytic Converter/Y-Pipe Recommendations

[Schurkey]

1. If your converter broke into pieces, I'd be looking at how the exhaust system is hung under the chassis, how the vehicle is used (banging converter off of rocks or parking barriers) and whether the engine tune is correct.

2. Just because a converter hasn't broken into pieces or rusted-through, does not mean it's working or is "good".

3. There may be fifty different companies SELLING converters, but I bet there's only four or five MAKING converters. Re-boxing in the auto parts industry is epidemic.

4. Dorman exhaust manifolds are, in general, piss-poor. Allow extra time and money to have the cylinder-head to manifold gasket flange planed for straightness. And don't get me started on how some of them are made in Viet Nam while others are made in China. OTOH, for some applications they're the only choice as the OEM manifolds are either discontinued, or just as bad as the Dormans.

 

[df2x4]

1. If your converter broke into pieces, I'd be looking at how the exhaust system is hung under the chassis, how the vehicle is used (banging converter off of rocks or parking barriers) and whether the engine tune is correct.

2. Just because a converter hasn't broken into pieces or rusted-through, does not mean it's working or is "good".

3. There may be fifty different companies SELLING converters, but I bet there's only four or five MAKING converters. Re-boxing in the auto parts industry is epidemic.

4. Dorman exhaust manifolds are, in general, piss-poor. Allow extra time and money to have the cylinder-head to manifold gasket flange planed for straightness. And don't get me started on how some of them are made in Viet Nam while others are made in China. OTOH, for some applications they're the only choice as the OEM manifolds are either discontinued, or just as bad as the Dormans.

Exhaust is hanging exactly as it was from the factory, I've never noticed anything hitting or rubbing. I do drive the truck pretty hard but on-road 99% of the time and I never drive over anything that would even slightly concern me regarding clearance. I did consider the tune, I'm running a tuned PCM from Black Bear Performance that's set up for 91 octane but I really don't think that's the issue. The truck runs great. I do have another PCM that's got a stock tune on it with the exception of being modified to control a 4L80E, I can swap that in anytime.

The broken converter that's on the truck now seems to be "working" still, in that I've driven it a few times this week and still haven't seen a SES light.

I agree with you about the manufacturing/reboxing issue. For example, I've found that many of the ACDelco Professional brake products for these trucks seem to be reboxed Raybestos products.

Thanks for the tip on the Dorman manifolds, glad I decided to steer clear of those.