Catalytic converter question.

I had spoke with Magnaflow over this and basically the more expensive one has more precious metals and for the Cal. Specs. If your vehicle is tuned for Cal specs then you want to go with the Cal one or you might throw a code (according to Magnaflow) I'm going with the one cat and the URD 02 simulator so I won't be throwing a code. I have a brand new pair TRD headers waiting to get put on my truck!

 

Good info QMEDJoe. Is there a performance benefit to going down to one cat? Or simply the obvious economic benefit of buying just one?

 

I swapped to a single high flow mag, as well as a resonator and borla muffler, but there was no change in performance that I could tell. Maybe a tiny bit more with wot on the butt dyno. Might just be my imagination tho. Ha.

I'd say it's mostly the economic benefit in most situations. Unless you're supercharged. Going all out with high flow and headers probably helps with that. But in other cases I'd argue it hurts performance, again probably unnoticeable. But yotas like their backpressure.

 

Nice write up QMEDJOE I want to know if you went with one cat and urd 02 simulator and if you got any issues I'm in cali. And from what I know about cats the difference between the expensive cats and cheaper cats is nothing but a number on the cats for cali. The state always wants it's share of the pie. Any input QMEDJOE

 

So I'm about to replace my cats. Thinking about just replacing the front one and hope the P0420 code leaves me forever. Seems like everyone is recommending the OEM Grade magnaflow. Am I correct in that? I've gotta magnaflow muffler now and love it. I doubt I could go wrong with going with their Cats also. Right?

 

Just the benefit of one cat, plus I have some TRD headers and I may have to use the Y-pipe that corresponds to the earlier models with only one cat.

 

Ive heard good things about them. They seem to be the best money can buy as far as cats for our truck

 

I havent had the chance to do it yet. ive been stuck on ship for the past few months with only one week off in which I was deathly sick. I probably wont be able to get it done till the end of the year. I'll be sure to give an update when I get'er done!

 

I have a 1999 Tacoma 2.4 is it possible to completely remove the cat on this truck? I have always removed the cats on my jeeps and they never tripped codes just wondering if i can do the same on a toyota. Not doing it for power reasons i just trash them when they start to rattle.

 

California sucks regarding emission test. So fricken bureaucratic.

I had my converter stolen too, but f!@#% Liberty Mutual refused to pay for OEM. That's long story but after multiple phone conversions (even my signing agent did not give a sh!@#) I ended up with aftermarket converter modified to fit existing collars and then dumping Liberty Mutual Joke Insurance from all my business (idiots, they lost more than 20 thousand dollars of my multi policy business for that one claim I ever had).

Anyway, 4 years later (after passing the smog for DMV already 3 times) the smog test station failed my truck because it had "not approved catalytic converter for this year/model/engine". Stupid thing, the model is approved on printed catalogs but not in EPA database, which smog stations have to use now. Some idiot in EPA did not enter the correct data to the database, and now there is no way the truck would pass "visual inspection" even the smog numbers are better then for a new Tacoma.

I went back to the original muffler shop who did installation 4 years before, and they took full ownership of my problem. The shop's owner said that I'm not the first one with this problem. He replaced the converter with the "officially approved one" free of charge. The truck passed smog with a little bit worse numbers than before ("officially approved" model actually creates more pollution than "not approved" one).

Yep, California sucks big time - they collect high taxes to create bureaucratic machine so they can rip you off even more, but that is another story.

 

I have a 2001 Tacoma Base 2.4l. The P0420 code has been up for a bit and a friend of mine who is a Toyota mechanic said it's the cat. Looking at the front cat, I can clearly see that it has passed it's expiration date. It's overly rusted and falling apart, currently held together with tie wire.. not my doing. The resonator behind it looks fine. Anyways, my mechanic friend of course recommended I purchase a Toyota OEM Cat, but for $1200 just for the part, no thanks. After reading this thread and the reviews, I just purchased the Magnaflow 49 state federal emissions cat converter for $226.81. I'll let you know how install goes and if I get rid of the P0420 code.

 

I deleted the rear cat and the truck throws the P0420 code every month or two. Might get a URD o2 sim, not sure yet.

 

I haven't bought one myself because I still need to buy the cat and Magnaflow cat back. As soon as I can save the money I'm going to give it a shot.

 

Tried to buy a magnaflow cat for mine, but the direct fit/bolt up options for mine were sold out everywhere. So I bought a Bosal brand 50 states cat.. cost me about $300.. what a pain in the ass to install.. I had to grind off the rear bolts and then I had to have a 15" extension on my impact gun to get off the other ones.. took me 4 hours to do the whole install because the bolts were just melted together from all the heat down there.. anyways, got her done and cleared the codes.. still waiting on the catalytic monitor to complete it's cycle.. it's been a couple weeks.. usually takes a bit for that one to finish. Hopefully the P0420 code doesn't come back on.