Weird question about catalytic converter "reuse"

[Super T]

I'm putting Kooks on my Magnum in about a month so the stock cats will be... um, around? I also have a '95 Cutlass that has been giving me a CEL during highway driving and sometimes during short trips as well, but I didn't know why (can't get the free scans because OBDII didn't come in until '96). Well, last night was the first night in a while that it's been nice enough outside to drive w/ the windows down. Once I hit 60 for about 5 miles, like clockwork, here comes the CEL... only this time I smelled a little bit of sulfur. That leads me to believe that it's a cat going bad. Now, being a '95, the car will never have to be tested for emissions again (sweet!). But for the sake of responsibility, getting rid of the light, and preventing the stink from worsening... what happens if I put the Maggie cat on the Cutlass? I can foresee three possible outcomes:

- it works great because it's designed to handle about the same amount of exhaust (3.1L is conveniently just about 4 cylinders worth of the 6.1L).

or

- it works too well due to the more stringent current smog requirements and throws a code for the air being TOO clean

or

- it doesn't work that well because it's designed to breathe better and the Cutty was designed for a more restrictive element, which in turn did a better job cleaning the crud out of the exhaust

So, has anybody done anything like this? Care to offer your insight? Of course, I need to verify that it's the cat. I'll take it in for diagnosis if/when the light is on more consistently since the car doesn't actually store DTC's, so I have to catch it "in the act." But if this is the problem, after $100 for the scan, I'd rather not put another $300 into a new cat for a car that's only worth around five times that amount.

[fnkychkn]

i doubt the cat is causing your MIL to illuminate. not sure about GM but pre-OBD2 chrysler cars did not monitor catalyst efficiency, therefore no downstream O2 sensor to set a code.

[Super T]

Really?!?! I wonder if that's why IL will no longer require pre-96 vehicles to be tested if they passed the last time they went in. Huh.

[Daniel454]

FYI, I had a 94 Ford (no Jokes Please) T-Bird with the 4.6L V8... No after Cat O2 sensors on it.... Parents had a 93 (I think) Buick V6, no after cat sensors there either...

[Super T]

s***... so i have a different problem, eh? Hmmmmm.... only other things I can think of offhand are...

I thought the motor mounts were going because if you brake and then gas it, sometimes there's a delay and then an engagement but it's real quick, thought it was the engine shifting some... maybe i'll check the trans fluid next weekend and see if that's really the problem. Otherwise, I got nothin.

BTW, thanks!