Definition of a Cat-Back

Buddy of mine just had the Magnaflow #15588 installed on his Hennessey raptor. I was looking at it and noticed it still had the stock resonator. I told him it wasn't a true cat-back as he was told it was a cat-back. I looked it up and it does show that.

MagnaFlow Exhaust Products - For Trucks, Suv's, American Muscle, Diesel, & Sport Compact Vehicles

I thought a cat-back was an exhaust with everything back from the outlet of the catalytic converter? I have the Ford Racing Touring Exhaust cat-back and it replaced the stock resonator.

How does Magnaflow state this is a cat-back, why is there differences in the terminology?

Must be a mistake on they're end. Cuz that is not a cat back

That is what I thought. Am I correct in what a "cat-back" is?

Yes

I don't think there's a true definition of what a "cat-back" system is. One thing we can all agree on is that a cat-back system retains your stock catalytic converters, but I wouldn't necessarily say that it has to bolt on to your factory y-pipe flange and/or replace the OE resonator.

On my last truck, 2007 5.4L F-150, I cut the flange off the y-pipe and ran true dual exhaust with an x-pipe and two mufflers (Raptor style) out behind the passenger tire. I still called it a cat-back because it kept all the OE catalytic converters in tact.

^^^^------Yup.

Cat back is a catch all that says basically from the engine to the catalytic converter is stock, mods after that.

Maybe these vendors that leave the stock resonator should call their system a "Resonator-Back" instead of "Cat-back" because technically it isn't closer from the catalytic converter.

---------- Post added at 03:23 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:21 PM ----------

torrin said:

^^^^------Yup.

Cat back is a catch all that says basically from the engine to the catalytic converter is stock, mods after that.

Click to expand...

Yeah but the resonator comes next then the muffler then the tailpipe. So it isn't modded until after another stock item.

Yeah, it's just semantics really - not every vehicle make/model out there has a "resonator" in their exhaust system (although cats and mufflers are standard) as well.

So when these aftermarket exhaust companies use the term "cat back," it's more of a generalization IMHO because you could imagine how crazy it would be if they got "too specific" with having to break down each aftermarket exhaust system offered for each make/model vehicle out there (that's what part numbers are for LOL).

Whole thing is confusing for the average Joe to fully compare apples to apples if the term Cat-Back is a catch-all. I made a statement to my buddy and guess technically I was wrong because there is no standard. Might as well say that anything that replaces the muffler or tips is a cat-back. LOL

Thanks for the responses so far.

I have seen "resonator back" described exhausts. It seems to be a matter of how much effort they put into the vendors description.

So yes, technically there are "cat back" and "resinator back" systems.