How many catalytic converters?
#1
Driver
Thread Starter
How many catalytic converters?
Hello! It's that guy again.
Please tell me:
Can I safely replace the catalytic converter pictured in the circle with a muffler without affecting the ECU?
Note: I have codes P042 and P043, but we do not have inspection here. I really want to replace the 2 other cats just because of the fuel consuption, noise and bad odor inside the cabin and from exhaust. I suppose the third one is overkill (yes, who am I to contradict the engineers?).
Please help me on this one. I bought this car used 3 months again and I think previous owner did not care about these things.
Please tell me:
Can I safely replace the catalytic converter pictured in the circle with a muffler without affecting the ECU?
Note: I have codes P042 and P043, but we do not have inspection here. I really want to replace the 2 other cats just because of the fuel consuption, noise and bad odor inside the cabin and from exhaust. I suppose the third one is overkill (yes, who am I to contradict the engineers?).
Please help me on this one. I bought this car used 3 months again and I think previous owner did not care about these things.
Last edited by Eliaquim; 07-11-14 at 11:35 AM.
#3
Driver
Thread Starter
Thanks! Do you think it is ok to use a universal catalytic converter for the manifold converters? Any suggestions? I'm inclined to get 2 from magnaflow, flowmasters, walker or eastern.
#5
Driver
Thread Starter
And you are not mistaken. All this bad odor, this 15.2 MPG average, all this fear of breaking any other thing is turning me nuts. But here is the current situation:
I could not find straight pipes online that would fit directly on where I want to remove the 2 manifold catalytic converters (Maybe you could direct me on this? Please?). And I just saw that the universal catalytic converter where not that expensive. Should I just go to a shop and ask to build them for me? What about the sound. I do not want to be the only guy here with a noisy Lexus.
But my current idea is:
- Remove all cats;
- install straight pipes (is there anywhere I an order fitting pipes?);
- install magnaflow or flowmaster (whichever is cheaper with shipping) resonator or muffler (explanations on what each is are confusing me) in the place of the rear main catalytic converter;
- install spark plug foulers (I think that's the name) in the two O2 sensors;
- See if problems (CEL, odor, fuel consuption) are solved.
Do you think it is OK to go this route?
Thank you very much!
EDIT: I just reached 100 posts with this one.
I could not find straight pipes online that would fit directly on where I want to remove the 2 manifold catalytic converters (Maybe you could direct me on this? Please?). And I just saw that the universal catalytic converter where not that expensive. Should I just go to a shop and ask to build them for me? What about the sound. I do not want to be the only guy here with a noisy Lexus.
But my current idea is:
- Remove all cats;
- install straight pipes (is there anywhere I an order fitting pipes?);
- install magnaflow or flowmaster (whichever is cheaper with shipping) resonator or muffler (explanations on what each is are confusing me) in the place of the rear main catalytic converter;
- install spark plug foulers (I think that's the name) in the two O2 sensors;
- See if problems (CEL, odor, fuel consuption) are solved.
Do you think it is OK to go this route?
Thank you very much!
EDIT: I just reached 100 posts with this one.
Last edited by Eliaquim; 07-12-14 at 05:15 PM.
#6
Lexus Champion
I have no idea about expense where you are but here muffler work is not that high and certainly not that complicated. Would it be possible to continue to use your existing muffler and resonator and just weld in pipe where the cats come out? That would seem to be the simplest and cheapest way. The smell comes from the blown cats as I understand it so removing them from the existing system would be a good place to start.
That may solve your problem if not, you've only spent money on some pipe and some welding.
That may solve your problem if not, you've only spent money on some pipe and some welding.
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#8
Driver
Thread Starter
I have no idea about expense where you are but here muffler work is not that high and certainly not that complicated. Would it be possible to continue to use your existing muffler and resonator and just weld in pipe where the cats come out? That would seem to be the simplest and cheapest way. The smell comes from the blown cats as I understand it so removing them from the existing system would be a good place to start.
That may solve your problem if not, you've only spent money on some pipe and some welding.
That may solve your problem if not, you've only spent money on some pipe and some welding.
And when I talked about muffler and resonator, I was not referring to exchanging the current ones, but to put one in place of the catalytic converters. Anyways, I will follow your opinion and see about the noise.
Thanks, Carver!
#9
Driver
Thread Starter
#10
Rookie
iTrader: (1)
Let me know if you have better luck. I will continue searching myself, since I just recently got the intermittent P043 code on 'the wife's car'
Chris
#14
To the OP...
i know it's an older thread, but what happened in the end. I have a 2009 rx350, and wondering if the secondary cat (like the one you circled), might be getting clogged? Not throwing any codes, bit getting bad gas milage.
fab
i know it's an older thread, but what happened in the end. I have a 2009 rx350, and wondering if the secondary cat (like the one you circled), might be getting clogged? Not throwing any codes, bit getting bad gas milage.
fab
#15
15.2 mpg is not that bad, and not far off from the brand new rating of 16mpg (AWD) or 17 (2wd).
I just got an 06 AWD and I average about 15.4 in the city... and managed 25.2 hwy on the way home by grandma driving.
I just got an 06 AWD and I average about 15.4 in the city... and managed 25.2 hwy on the way home by grandma driving.
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