Lexmex

$835!!!!

The aftermarket cat like I have on my RX cost only about $92 and I got that online.

Forget Ford, I've already had issues dealing with my girlfriend's Expedition.

jimxo

Can you send me the place where you got it from. Has it corrected the problem?

Lexmex

I still have a Magnaflow 93506, it's a bit bigger than the OEM cat, but does a way better job. I had some hesitation and some issues because of the Mexican gas with my previous Magnaflow 94005.

Company I got them from before no longer appears to be in existence, but

Price is just a bit higher now, but only by about $8 USD, http://www.bestmagnaflowsource.com/S...0Complian.aspx

Lexmex

One other thing I should mention to you before they tell you it's the cat (because American gas is not the kind of thing to kill a cat like the Mexican stuff (they sold tons of catalytic converters in Mexico City)), is to see if they can do a gas analysis test (just like an emissions test) to see what you are getting on HC, CO and NOx.

In addition, a faulty cat would get a P0420 low catalytic efficiency code, mean check engine light. That was a very common code my uncle would see at his shop even with vehicles built in this century, after I got him an OBD2 scanner to use for his work.

Depending on where it is (unless it's on the cat itself), they should be able to weld it shut. You might remember that's what I had to do in several places such as here on the exhaust manifold. Makes no sense in these hard economic times to go for the most expensive alternative.

lexus114

Lex,since we have two precats up stream,I wonder if it is possible to gut out the main converter. Re-install the o2 sensor,and act like nothing happened. I did so many pre 96 cars,and they alway`s ran better...... stupid obdii.

Lexmex

Here's the thing I found out several years ago. The non-California spec 1MZFE Toyota Solaras don't have precats (there's discussions of this over on www.solaraguy.com) and several of them have made their way oddly to California and have still passed that restrictive emissions test there. Mexico City also had a very restrictive test that even new cars had tough times passing (partly the crappy gas but also the altitude) and I knew guys running single cats that would also pass because they managed to tune the vehicle correctly.

The real key is not the upper precats (those only help when the vehicle is warming up) but rather the main cat underneath the vehicle.

The other thing is that OBDII (you hit on this) will fire up eventually a P0420 if there's a bad cat/no cat there.

However, I'd like to know where this particular hole really is (like a photo) or description so we know whats' going on.

lexus114

Well the only reason I brought this up re;Cat converter gutting,is because a good friend of mine has a 1999 Dodge Ram 1500 P/U.His converter started rattling,then blocked up.I did explain to him that these converters dont die,their murdered.And that something must have caused this to happen.Anyway,he took it off,gutted it,and I also told him he will eventually get a code from the ecm.So far,(almost two weeks later) no code has popped up.He also told me that the truck runs like its butt is on fire now.The question is,even if he does some how escape a code from this(which I dont think is possible)will the truck pass a PA I/M test now?Thats what I cant wait to see.

Lexmex

I doubt it's going to pass an emissions test because the main cat is really important. I've heard stories of finely tuned vehicles with no cats passing, but I'd have to see a gas analysis test firsthand to believe this.

My RX300 was able to pass the test back in Mexico with no issues and passed even better the second time that I tested (after switching out plugs, switched over to Castrol 0W30 and of course installed the converter above).

carguy07

I can say for sure that you can pass with an empty cat. I punched mine on an 84 Trans Am back in the day (probably around 1989-1990) and passed a California check. It even had an "off-road" chip in it. I remember doing a couple of suggested carb tricks but other than that it blew right through with an empty cat and the chip. Of course that's close to 20 years ago.

code58

I think the key phrase there is (see above). I can't even imagine today (especially in California) a vehicle passing with a gutted cat. Stranger things have happened (but I think they involved little green men from somewhere in outer space. )

lexus114

c`mon guy`s,you got me thinkin about this now.....Might .not .be .able .to control .hands!!...ARG!!

UNOHOO

iTrader: (3)

ive heard of this too, i myself replaced mine before i had heard of this with the bosch ones and they work fine for me but thats not to say that they work fine for someone else, i have a 99 AWD, not sure if after that model are the motors that dont function with it or not but there it is

lexus114

Thats because their for Cherman Cars.....

lexus114

Man I better settle down,Im getting off the wall now.