Stolen Catalytic Converter

Just replaced my old cats with new ones (whole exhaust system was rusting out). Got $244 on my two cats:

• $63, Serial No. U64
• $181, Serial No. GA9

 

It might be best to just drive it to a muffler shop, mine was stolen and they cut the downpipe (3.4L) so I had to replace that, rewire the O2 sensor and get pipe welded, attached to rear cat. Had to weld on the pipe hanger too.

I think there is only 1 bolt in replacement cat available and its $1000+ whereas good universal ones can be had for $400 (CA) - basically they charge additional $500 just for the bolt in flanges!. So extensive welding and some piping probably required, not familiar with 4 cyl so dont know if your downpipe is cut. It will be fairly expensive to return to the exact stock configuration, you would likely have to purchase new exhaust sections - its rarely done this way unless car is newer model. I asked the muffler guy if he could rebuild it back to stock config and he basically said no.

My wife says she read the thieves won't usually go for replacement cats since they are worth a lot less but I think that's assuming a lot.

I read Toyota moved the cats into the exhaust manifold on the 3rd gen to prevent this, probably the only foolproof way.

 

Your truck needs its own mascot......

 

3rd gens are big targets still, I believe its the primary cats that are up on the manifold but the secondary ones are able to be cut off. Problem with them up on the manifold too is that they're much more expensive to replace if they go bad, but less likely to get chopped off.

I had Magnaflows installed on my 04 about 6 years ago, 50 state compliant. $600 out the door. Probably much more expensive these days. Haven't been chopped off yet so maybe thieves are picky about that lol.

 

If you want to see a diagram of your exhaust, look it up on one of the toyota part websites, you will also see prices. Just be sure to select the correct diagram, there are several exhaust configs depending on engine and XCab etc.

I doubt the OEM cat is available anymore, they stopped making them for many years now and it would be fortune anyhow.

Edit - I looked up your truck on the Toyota parts website, basically no exhaust parts other than hangers and gaskets are available so you are looking at custom welding to put it back together. Walker will have the cat back portion but not sure you need that.

 

Makes sense, but third gen does not have dual exhaust with 4 cats does it? Even if just 2 are accessible thats a big bill.

Yeah if you got 2 magna flows for $600 you made out - also says a lot that they lasted at least 6 years. I only have 1 cat but it needs replacement and its about $400 for a Magnaflow universal. The other tip is not to cheap out on the cat, the one the muffler guy put in only lasted 2 years (core came loose) and 2 others failed since then. Apparently you can get generic CA universal cats for about $200 and they are not worth a damn. Better put them on just before your smog check because probably won't last 2 years.

 

yeah I'm afraid I might have to replace the Magnaflows again before my next smog. I had to replace my battery a few months before my last smog check and it took over 1000 miles for the catalyst monitors to finally set green, so I could get tested. Normally they should set within 100 - 200 miles.

Even did the Toyota procedure for getting them to set and it wouldn't work. Finally dumped a bottle of Cataclean in the tank and ran it in 4lo for a few minutes and boom, good to go lol.

 

Good grief that sucks! Its like those damn things are maintenance items.

 

Well, the OEM ones are high quality and should last the life of the vehicle for most people. But these 1st gens just keep on ticking so a lot of folks are starting to see the dreaded P0420 code. Thats assuming it doesn't pop up because they got chopped off by a tweaker.

In my case it was because the PO supercharged the truck without doing the appropriate fuel mods and it burned them out fast. At least that's what I suspect, the front one was bad at about 60k miles.

 

Yeah I regret not buying the Toyota OEM cat when I had mine stolen, it was still available 10 years ago at $1000, seems like a bargain now.

 

They were still available in 2016 when I was looking to replace mine, went to them first but they wanted north of $3k for both installed. Said hard nope to that and went with the Magnaflows

 

I bought OEM everything last summer: header, cats, muffler, 02 sensors, gaskets and hardware. Installed everything myself. Came out to be around $3300 if I remember. But everything just bolts right up.

 

Gosh that’s expensive

 

Stockton or Modesto?

I bought a Cat Clamp to deter thieves. It uses a steel wire cage to make it difficult to cut.

I will preface is it won’t stop a determined thief. But it might make them go for an easier target.

 

It's a shame you can't charge it up. Back in the good ole days guys would hook a battery to the wheels of their cars/trucks to shock the dogs when they tried to piss on them. I guess alarms aren't any good in this situation.

 

Any one have a recommendation for an OEM-quality aftermarket cat? I have an aftermarket one, and I think it made the truck's exhaust drone. For longer drive, the noise gets annoying.

 

Magnaflow. Nothing aftermarket will compare to the quality of OEM, that's why OEM is 2+ times more expensive than anything aftermarket. But Magnaflow is probably the best non OEM brand