Duramax Catalytic Converter Scrap Price – How Much Is the Cat?

Duramax is the name that covers a range of diesel engines used in General Motors vehicles. We remember those legendary V8 Duramax engines and we also know the V6 Duramax diesel engine that is currently offered with RAM trucks equipped with the eTorque option and other technological features. But the overall idea remains the same - these are big diesel engines for trucks and SUVs.

Today, we'll tell you how much you can get for the set of catalytic converters and DPF filters from a Duramax engine if you decide to sell these parts as scrap units. We'll cover different engine types and speak generally about all the series. We'll also explain to you which DPFs and cat converters are used by GM in these engines.

So, here's what you'll learn today:

• What types of cats are installed in Duramax engines?
• How much should be the scrap price for Duramax converters?
• Who will want to buy converters and DPFs from your Duramax vehicle?
• Why are these converters prone to theft?

Let's get started!

Location and type of converters used with Duramax diesel engines

You have to understand that different Duramax engines will have absolutely different DPFs and converters. By the way, these engines usually have both DPFs and traditional cats. They are used to clean the exhaust gases and reduce the problems your car may make to nature. Actually, all old Duramax diesel engines have quite big DPFs and converters.

Newer cars will have much smaller units and of course, they will be way cheaper when sold as scrap. But the average prices are still quite high. You may have heard people saying that diesel converters are not as expensive as gas ones, but it's not the general truth. For Duramax engines, cats cost quite a lot and can be sold as scrap for good prices.

Here's what you should know about them:

• most classic big Duramax engines will have a couple of catalytic converters in from and the big DPF filter closer to the muffler;
• while cat converters are not as valuable, the DPF is pretty much wanted by recycling companies thanks to its size and weight;
• these cats and filters contain platinum, palladium, and also rhodium which can be recycled and then sold to some buyers;
• newer cars and trucks with Duramax engines also have cats and DPFs but they are much smaller and aren't that valuable;
• the type of converter you have in your vehicle will depend much on the engine displacement, so these cats are not the same;
• it's very important to note that we are mainly talking about OEM converters and filters, aftermarket parts won't cost that much when scrapped;
• also, you should know that it's impossible to recycle the cat converter by yourself and to sell the precious metals.

So, an average converter from a 6.6L Duramax can contain over 10 grams of platinum, 7 grams of palladium, and also 2-3 grams of rhodium. Front catalytic converters will be much less generous in terms of the weight of precious metals you will find inside. Of course, their price will also be much lower.

How can you understand that you are holding an OEM converter in your hands? That's not that easy. You will need to clean it a little and see if it has the serial number and the Chevy (GMC, RAM, whatever) logo on it. Then you should check if this serial number actually corresponds to OEM catalytic converters made by GM.

How much should a DPF and a cat converter from the Duramax cost?

The prices may vary according to the size and weight of the cat converter or filter. The biggest DPFs may cost up to $850 while some average ones will only cost $220. Also, the front catalytic converters may cost from $100 to $180 depending on their size and serial numbers. So, it's not that hard to get tangled in all these criteria.

As you see, the actual price of the cat converter of DPF filter from your Duramax-powered vehicle may be from $100 to $850 and this probably doesn't answer the question you initially asked when visiting this page. Don't worry much - the rest of the article will tell you how exactly you can learn the actual price and how you can sell the converter.

But first, make sure you are trying to sell the OEM converter. If not, the aftermarket cat should cost $20 to $40 depending on its size and brand. You can sell it to a local scrapyard and just give up reading the article now. If you have the OEM scrap cat, it's worth reading some more.

Who will want to buy a Duramax cat converter?

Ten years ago, people used to sell catalytic converters exclusively to junkyards. They used to call around, ask for estimated prices, and then just went to a certain scrapyard to sell their cats. But you should know that scrapyards have never recycled catalytic converters. They just resold them to other companies and earned their revenue.

Today, you have much more options and scrapyards are not the best one. You can sell these cats to private buyers or to big companies that really recycle these parts and then sell precious metals.

Here are the companies that can buy Duramax catalytic converters and DPFs:

• Scrapyards - we've already told you that they are certainly not the best options for you;
• Private buyers - you may advertise your cat converter for sale on eBay or on social media and find a private buyer, but this will only work for cats and DPFs that still work;
• Resellers - these are also private buyers that don't hide the fact that they want to buy your cat and then resell it at a higher price, these guys usually pay a little more than scrapyards;
• Exhaust shops - mechanics and owners of these shops may buy your catalytic converter or just make a discount for their labor for taking your old cat.
• Recycling companies - this is the most rational way to get rid of your old and non-working converter, these companies pay more than many other buyers.

If we needed to sell a catalytic converter right now, we would just go to recycling companies and sell these parts to them. They usually pay better prices and are easier to deal with than any other people or companies who buy old cats.

Also, the estimated prices that we've stated above were all taken from recycling companies, so other buyers will probably pay much less money than that.

How to sell a Duramax DPF or cat converter to a recycling company?

It's not that hard to sell a catalytic converter to a certain company. For this, you should just find the best option you can get. To compare the estimated prices or just to know the maximum price they can offer, you will need to make a short investigation.

Here's how it works:

• take the Duramax converter that doesn't work properly anymore off your vehicle and clean it a bit to see the serial number;
• get your phone and take pictures of that converter showing the serial number and overall quality of the cat;
• find some websites that belong to recycling companies and send those pictures to them using their "quote" opportunities;
• then, just wait until those companies give their offers and compare them to see the best possible price.

This will allow you to understand how much money you can get for the car or the DPF that you want to sell. While some companies will try to trick you and get the converter for little money, some other recycling companies will offer a fair price. And you'll be able to choose the best offer.

Are Duramax catalytic converters prone to theft?

If we are talking about cat converter theft, we should understand that the more expensive the converter is, the higher the chance of it being stolen. Why? Because on the black market, the prices aren't that cool. If a cat from an average small city car costs about $100 when you sell it to a recycling company, it will cost $25 at the black scrapyard that buys converters from criminals.

So, thieves are hunting for more expensive cats and want to earn more for their risk. Of course, this leads to Duramax DPFs being one of their targets. They know that these big converters cost a lot and they will do anything to get them.

So, if you own a vehicle powered by the big Duramax diesel engine, the best idea is to protect your cat from possible theft.

Final words

You should know more about the catalytic converter and DPF in your car before you decide to sell them. This will save you money because people often sell their precious cats for some dollars thinking they found a good deal.

Now you know that the best way to deal with your Duramax DPF or cat converter is to sell it to one of the recycling companies. Also, you can easily find the best company with the best price offers just using the simple guide we've posted above.