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.

 

Anything AFTER THE LAST O2 sensor will not effect the computer and how it governs the engine. As for if it would effect anything else, I don't think it would.

 

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.

 

I thought you were not going to use cats.

 

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 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.

 

^+1. At this point, you don't have much to lose. Cut the cat you circled above and use for a few weeks and evaluate results and next steps as required.

 

That's a good option. I hope it positively affects my MPG too. I'm getting 15.3 average.

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!

 

Thank you! So I should cut the 3 cats out. Ok!

 

After chatting with a motorhead friend, I went to Summitracing.com to see if they have a magnaflow high flow catalytic converter for the Lexus RX330. Breaking down their search engine showed models available for every Lexus *except* the RX series. Not saying magnaflow doesn't make one. I figured if someone carried it, summitracing would.
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

 

How many cats does the 2008 460L have ?

 

gut the cat just knock the insides out

 

sounds like you have been on the drink tom51

 

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

 

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.