boris

Hi guys I am new to this forum, kind of a green guy. I just recently purchased ls 400 95 and check engine light decided to show up after 10 days. Yes its close to Christmas and I like the lights but not that one. However I was told by a friend who has garage that right catalytic converter is the issue. Now, lexus charges almost $1,000.00 for the part alone. As far as I can tell, it is not a very difficult installation. However, I have noticed that problematic converter is shiner than the other one and therefore has been replaced probably by an aftermarket part. Has anybody had experience with aftermarket cats and if so which one would you recommend? The cat is not glowing, nor is red, but gas milleage has been affected. Could it be oxygen sensor? I am just looking at all options. By the way I just fixed my hood struts, I got them from partsamerica for around $40.00. Installation was a breeze, even my 8 year old daughter is impressed with the hood elegantly lifting up, Whoa! Thanks guys.

Thermactor

iTrader: (1)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Direc...QQcmdZViewItem

hehe

boris

thank you for responding, I was wondering if anyone had a chance to use catco without the engine light coming on. thanks

Lexmex

I use a Magnaflow High Flow Cat on my RX300, don't have precats anymore and no CELs and I pass emissions down here.

lorenzo816

here is my story

They've be doing me fine for almost three years now.

Just a little welding is all you need, if you can't buy a cat that has the Bracket already welded on the ends.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

buy high flow cats only if you don't wanna shell out $$$ for OEM ones but the OEM cats on an LS400 are "metal core" and 95% of the time OUTFLOW the aftermarket highflow cats.

theres a couple threads on it from JBrady and others but im late for D1 as it is

boris

sorry guys here in Seattle area we have been without power, I am sure you saw it on the news. What I have decided to do was first replace the rear oxygen sensor since it will need one anyway. Reading from other forums OBD II catalytic converter issue in some cases could as well be the oxygen sensor. If that does not cure it, I will get a new aftermarket cat. Anybody had experience with A and B autoparts cat? I have called countless parts stores and talked with many parts people regarding cats, and this one seems to be carried by those who select their parts carefully. Many of them had good things to say about A and B autoparts cat. Of course, they are in sales, so ..... However I will give it a try. I'll keep you posted that is if we don't have yet another storm passing through.

PureDrifter

iTrader: (10)

ehh, id stick with a more national company like borla, flowmaster, or ultraflow.

Lexmex

Mexico City and I believe in Guadalajara. It is actually very strict in Mexico City, though we don't have the rules regarding illegal modifications that they do in California. If you pass, you pass. Foreign-plated cars have to test IF they want to drive every day. Otherwise, based on the last digit of your license plate (if all letters, it corresponds to Friday), you cannot drive one day out of the week. Tourists get caught all of the time.

boris

just a quick note I did replace aftercat oxygen sensor and that seems to have done the trick. After researching different forums, OBD 2 system can suffer from a code which indicates cat problem, however the issue is oxygen sensor. So far the light has not come back, so we'll see if it works. I replace the oxygen sensor myself it was quiete easy. Of course it took me a bit longer since it was my first time, but I could easily do it now in 20 min. I had a great helper my wife, if you could believe it. She had a crash course in mechanics. If you have any question regarding the oxygen sensor replacement, I will be glad to answer. Happy new year

lorenzo816

Okay guys - I said that the catco cats were fine.
boy! Was I wrong.

I noticed some popcorn in the left cat a couple days ago.
I drove up to the good ol'd boys at my tire/muffler shop and had him listen to it.
For sure we're convinced it was going to blow soon.
Well that very same day - OH the Irony! - It blew on the way home the exact way it did the first time.

EGR hoses blew clean off and the car choked at 15-20 miles an hour.
So I slowly drove my moving HWY target off the insane Independence Blvd in Charlotte and had AAA tow it to my guy at the shop.

He called me the next day and said the right Cat was gone too but the left was completely gone. (Luckily, when we replaced these earlier, I opted to keep three Cats on the car as the center Cat probably caught all the guts/honeycomb from the first two.)

Being that these were a thousand dollar life-saver the first go around....
(Lexus OEM cats for all three cost $4700 dollars - HELL NO!)
what the hell is the difference in the catco's and the OEM ones?

Is there a middleground for any of this?

I'm stuck with these catco's (warranty).
I'll pay labor this time only but it won't be $790 like the first time the cats blew
because all the welding is in place for an easy cut/swap/weld job.

Maybe next time it blows I'll turn them down, ask for money instead and invest in what?

Guys, tell me what to buy three years from now.(laughter)

BTW - If I can get a pic of the blown cats - I'll post 'em.

Sorry - to be so long-winded.
But the culprit has to be cheap guts.
OR
the fact that my car had a massive tune-up recently and new filters all around. Could it be that the car is cleaning itself out?
OR
cheap Cat guts?