I'm having a problem getting an answer for this one. I'm wondering if anyone has experience getting new catalytic converter(s) for their gs430 and if they used oem or aftermarket. Lexus parts is telling me $830 per cat! Also, they said no one has an aftermarket for this because it has a special flange..?

Is this true, any help would be appreciated!
Thanks

 

Why are you trying to replace them? It sounds like you may have better luck buying a new aftermarket full exhaust.

 

Well, I have the sulfur smell coming from the exhaust, i thought it was just at wide open throttle but after pulling in a garage today, i could smell it pretty bad. I live in Wisconsin and we do have emissions testing here. I've looked up at catco makes a cat for 99-00 gs400, but I can't find anything for the gs430. I wouldn't mind doing a new full exhaust (if it also replaces the cats).. do you have any suggestions on one?
Thanks

 

Why do you need cats??Did they say that your cats were bad? I've not heard of anyones ever going bad.
They are pricey.
a thought you might check a few salvage yards. theymay me used but if you found one w/o many miles $200-400 ( a guess)sound better than$1700 mostly for something that rarely goes bad.

 

The GS400 and 430 have a 3 way cat system TWC (Three-Way Catalytic converter) one right after the header and one at the back of the front pipe. It might be just a problem with the last cat. If that is the case then there are many after market cats that you can use.
I do think the GS400 and 430 are the same from th e header back.
Here is a pic of the 430 manual.

 

heyy Gillexus.. how did you get the manual's for the GS430?

 

Thanks for the info Gillexus. I haven't officially had it diagnosed yet, just concerned due to the smell - i'm reallllyyy hoping it's not the cat(s) since i'm getting great gas mileage and no ecu light, but in searching past threads i noticed that it's rarely mentioned and the times it has been, people have said "don't go to lexus they'll rip you off, go to an exhaust repair shop" so, just so i was informed (and possibly prepared) I started checking around on the net and calling a few places just to see if there was aftermarket cats for the gs430 and couldn't find anything, although catco makes one for the gs400 which i thought was strange. As for why i'm concerned just due to the smell it's because i just bought it and will have to have an emissions test pretty soon. BTW: the $830 price was from Carson, normal lexus price is over a grand per cat! Lexus or not, that's robbery.

 

I bought it back in 11/01 right after I bought my car. It was pricey but I knew I wanted to be able to do some repairs myself some day.
Wow, I found my reciept still stuck in my 2001 manual. I called this # 1-800-622-2033 -Toyota Material Distribution Center. I don't know if # is still good or if Carson Toyota can get them cheaper. This was back in Nov 2001 when I got mine. Vol.#1 $78 GS300/430 Electrical wireing diagram and Vol.#2 $114 GS300/430 repair manual.

The electrical manual is about 150pages and the repair manual is thick about 500 plus pages.

 

I didn't know Catco made cats for our cars. Its a good company If it is a direct fit for the o2 sensors, then that is a huge plus since some aftermarket cats require modifictaions to accomodate the o2 sensors. Let us know

 

Well if you getting good gas milage and no engine check light I would wait for the emission test if it passes, I would not worry about the smell. My $.02

 

I had one of my cats replaced at Lexus dealer due to CEL ( catalityc conventer below efficiency) Cat bank two was replaced under warranty which comes down to 8Y or 80K on 2000 GS 400. At that time my odo readings were 79,975 when i got to dealer, i was lucky, very lucky. They quoted me at $887 for cat (didn't pay for cat) My cost: labor $116, O2 sensor $170, gaskets..? Total $318 with tax.

I wouldn't worry about smell, if no CEL you're fine

 

sounds about right. my cat is out too (cat efficiency below threshold bank 2), which also caused my o2 sensor to go bad as well. from the dealer here in texas the cat cost 650 somethin i believe, a muffler shop could also do it with the universal OBD2 cat, but it would cost about $350 (normally $99 in houston). it really doesn't bother my gas mileage or anything, but it's annoying to see the check engine light.

my advice if you don't need to change it, DON'T. it's a whole lot of money for a whole lot of nothing. just my $0.02

 

The sulfur smell your experiencing may be normal. Has to do with the formulation of todays gasoline.

 

Thats correct, very true

 

Sounds like your Lex is running rich and making the cats work too hard. I'd replace the front O2 sensors before I spent the big $$ on cats. LEXSOO, I doubt your cat was bad, it's more likely the rear O2 sensor failed and the dealer didn't want to see your car again so he replaced both. The low cost procedure is to replace the rear O2 sensor, if the CEL is still on, then it's the cat (99% of the time it's a bad O2, brick cats last over 300K miles all the time)