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I am stuck int he same situation - different car. The converter will covst over $1000 installed and the car has other issues
I looked into having a bypass done and so far, no one will do it. I was told by the delaer that some of the aftermarket converters gunk up in a year or two. They used to instal them (or so they say) but they kept coming back plugged up in a year so they stopped. They said some brands were ok, but others were bad. they could not remember which was which. For our van the direct fit after market converters appears to be about $300 with shipping. However what they picture for our year does not look remotely like what we have. What they picture for two years earlier, looks pretty simliar. Hate to buy one and have it not fit. Shipping is expensive.
I have ben looking for a simple double flanged pipe that I can clamp on after cutting off the converters so that I can test the engine and find out what else is wrong before deciding whether to rpelace the converters. So far no one carries such a thing. The only straight pipes that I can find are flanged on one side only. I am not sure whether I cna get one made or where I woudl go for that.
CJ, you can take 2 flanged pipes and using a tailpipe expander increase the diameter of one so they telescope into each other, to get the length right you may have to shorten one or both pipes but this can be done easily with a hacksaw. Put a muffler clamp in the middle where the pipes overlap, but don't tighten yet. Bolt flanges into place, then tighten muffler clamp.
The above assumes the pipes you have available are more than half as long as the cat. If not, you need a length of pipe to join them, and 2 muffler clamps.
All the above assumes you don't have welding facilities available. Although I like being able to put into place and align/tighten the clamps, *then* tighten the middle clamps.
All this is, ahem, strictly for testing purposes, OK?
In the case of the Toyota, assuming your cat really needs replacement, I'd check junkyards, assuming they have not scrapped all the used cats.
Last resort I would go for the factory part, particularly if your car has to meet smog checks and/or the aftermarket part does not much resemble what you have on the car.
I think that you can also ream out the guts of a converter to test your engine as well. BUt you need a realtively striaght pipe to get to the guts. Our pipes are all twisty so I cannot try that, maybe the toyota is different.
Car gurus, need help. (I posted this in another forum but have been asked to post here)
My 98 Corolla LE (90K miles) have the check engine light on while driving and when I checked the code at the shop, it shows p0420. The tech told me it needs a Catalytic Converter replacement, which may cost $950 (for the toyota one) and two hours labor ($150). He suggested the after market ones may be available for less than $500. According to him, the OEM would perform 90% up-to-the spec where as the After market ones would be only 30%.
My car itself may be worh 3.5K so I am confused what to do.
Inspection is due this month, so I cannot just ignore the light and continue drivng.
Car gurus, what are your thoughts ? what options do I have ?
Thanks.
1. First and foremost make sure the converter is the problem.
2. If it is, then determine what caused the converter to go bad. If you don't find and fix the cause of the converter problem it will also kill the new one. Does it have any other codes or drivability problems? ( think anything air-fuel mixture, vacuum leaks, bad injectors, maf sensor, head gasket leaking coolant onto the cylinders. Also check both oxygen sensor voltages before and after replacing converter).
3. Be aware with an aftermarket converter, it won't last as long or work as well as OEM (after you repair the root cause of the converter failure). It all depends on how long you plan to keep your car and whether you want to fix it and be done with it. Spend it now or spend more later.
4. Do not try to bypass the converter. That can cause a lot of other problems and your check engine light will still be on.
Fuel additives burn hotter than gas alone and destroy catalytic converters, don't add anything and try and stay away from methanol fuels. Easier said than done I know.
1. First and foremost make sure the converter is the problem.
2. If it is, then determine what caused the converter to go bad. If you don't find and fix the cause of the converter problem it will also kill the new one. Does it have any other codes or drivability problems? ( think anything air-fuel mixture, vacuum leaks, bad injectors, maf sensor, head gasket leaking coolant onto the cylinders. Also check both oxygen sensor voltages before and after replacing converter).
3. Be aware with an aftermarket converter, it won't last as long or work as well as OEM (after you repair the root cause of the converter failure). It all depends on how long you plan to keep your car and whether you want to fix it and be done with it. Spend it now or spend more later.
4. Do not try to bypass the converter. That can cause a lot of other problems and your check engine light will still be on.
Never known removing the Cat to cause any problems, it usually improves things....
I have a 2001 Hyndi Elentra I was told I need two cat replacements , car hesitates at red lights. I was quoted 1400.00 with labor-- am I being robbed?
Possibly. If you live in California, you have to get CARB-approved cats and those are pretty expensive. Otherwise, you can get aftermarket cats that are a lot cheaper. You can probably get both cats for $400 combined, probably another $100 for new O2 sensors, and maybe $200 labor. The trick is finding a shop that will either order the parts you specify or let you supply them yourself. Many won't, some will.
I have a 2001 Hyndi Elentra I was told I need two cat replacements , car hesitates at red lights. I was quoted 1400.00 with labor-- am I being robbed?
Get a second opinion, by someone who knows how to do diagnostics, not just read a code scanner. It could be a clogged EGR, bad plugs or wires, bad distributor if at has one, or a number of other things. If you haven't noticed a drop in passing/merging power, which would indicate clogged cats, then I believe they may be fine.
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