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2nd Gen Ram Tech1994-2001 Rams: This section is for TECHNICAL discussions only, that involve the 1994 through 2001 Rams. For any non-tech discussions, please direct your attention to the "General discussion/NON-tech" sub sections.
No way that I know of to tell if a CAT is bad by looking at it unless there is obvious external damage.
What do you mean by 'fried'?
You could always cut your muffler off...listen to the exhaust....then cut/unbolt your converter....listen....and go from there. Leave room to re-weld it all.
Drive it around at night for a bit, stop and look under the truck and if the cat is glowing red hot then its bad. Magnaflow makes a really nice direct bolt in cat as I have one on my truck but I welded mine in.
Nothing in those pics looks amiss to me. What makes you think it is "fried"? You do know the cats get extremely hot (not red hot as mentioned) and will discolor the metal on them and this is normal.