Catalytic Converter Issue

[The Drifter]

In 2012 I bought a Ford van 250 for work .A 2010, Bought used ,with only 6,200 miles on it . Bought from a Ford dealership in northern Ill. Bull Valley Ford . Now at 20,000 miles the Catalytic converter goes out . Took to Smith Ford in Lowell Ind. knowing catalytic converters are covered for 80,000 miles . Should have been no problem ,,BUT ,, come to find out it was not a Ford converter on the truck , instead a cheap converter was welded on the truck . Smith said no coverage on converter , and would cost me 1,200.00 to replace with proper Ford converter . Called Bull Vally Ford , and related the story to the owner .He said ,he would not cover a new Ford converter ,BUT , he would wend me 250.00 dollars to replace the cheap converter with another cheap converter. He also said the life expectancy of the cheap converter could be as little as 15,000 miles. I have his check , he said take it to a muffler shop and they should be able to do the job for about 200.00 dollars .
Is that true ?
Do I have any other recourse ?
Am I screwed ?

Come on car nuts, help me out . Thanks

 

[pute62]

Keep the check and cash it. Do away with the catalytic converter and run straight pipes. Problem solved.

 

[copo]

I just did the y-pipe/convertor on my 96 Dodge dam and convertor alone was 265.00. Plus labor to do it

 

[Ruffnek]

Cut that thing off and weld in a piece of pipe.I've done it to many,many,many vehicles.

 

[The Drifter]

How do you pass emissions without the converter ? I don,t need to go through emissions till 2016 ,but feel Ford should pay for new Ford converter . Ford , bought the van at auction and should have either informed me of the issue or restored it to the proper converter. Like I said the truck only had 6,000 miles on it when I bought it.

 

[Dirtebiker]

How do you pass emissions without the converter ? I don,t need to go through emissions till 2016 ,but feel Ford should pay for new Ford converter . Ford , bought the van at auction and should have either informed me of the issue or restored it to the proper converter. Like I said the truck only had 6,000 miles on it when I bought it.

Should Ford also have gone through the entire vehicle to see if there was any other aftermarket parts and replace them ?
did you buy it "as-is"?

 

[churchmouse]

If you have a fuel injected computer controlled engine the elimination of the "Cat" will throw the computer off. The ECU monitors O2 before and after the "Cat" and if these readings are off the engine tune is altered in an attempt to bring these readings into line. I have seen this with GM and Ford. Put the Cat in the pipe and enjoy the truck.

 

[Mark-DuCo]

I'm pretty sure that if you just cut out the cat and straight pipe it on an OBD2 vehicle, the check engine light will always be on and the car will not run as efficiently due to the downstream O2 sensor readings. I would replace it. I gutted the one on my 95 GMC K1500, but it is pre OBD2 and has no downstream O2 sensor to check the cat performance.

EDIT: churchmouse beat me to it.

 

[femurphy77]

Cats aren't a big deal anymore, just buy another aftermarket one and install it. If it looks like it's going to become routine maintenance while you own the vehicle have flanges installed so you can bolt/unbolt as necessary for replacement. After the first trip you could handle it yourself if so desired. As far as Ford making it right it's your word against theirs that they knew what the configuration was. I don't own anything newer than '00 so don't know how a gutted convertor would affect other things. I had one car though that when a O2 sensor puked my gas mileage went to crap because it threw the computer into "limp home mode".

 

[Rocket]

My bet is the original was stolen during those first 6200 miles. And owner did not want to spend money for ford one. You can not straight pipe a vehicle with a down stream converter without issues. Good news is that the aftermarket ones aren't worth squat and almost never get stolen. I do not think Ford would be on the book for this one.

 

[HoughMade]

My bet is the original was stolen during those first 6200 miles. And owner did not want to spend money for ford one...

Agreed.

I would add that as newer vehicle the owner probably got paid by insurance to have a Ford converter, but pocketed the difference.

Up here, we have to get emissions tested straight pipes will not work and will cause your dash to light up like a Christmas tree. If it were me, I would bite the bullet and buy the best aftermarket converter out there (check with NAPA) and if its not significantly cheaper than Ford, get a Ford one so you have a full warranty again.