I have a 2001 Toyota 4Runner Limited

Last week the check engine light and the VSC Trac lights came on. Dealer says i need to replace the Catalytic Converter and he estimated the cost at $1,150.00.

Should i expect to be paying this much??

8/20/2008 1:08:02 PM

no

8/20/2008 1:14:37 PM

Do you have a general idea of how much it should cost?

8/20/2008 1:17:28 PM

I would suggest going to midas to replace your cat, but they did poor jobs on the last 3 cars that needed exhaust (in my experience). Aftermarket cats can be cheap. I bought my magnaflow performance cat for like $120.

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 1:19 PM. Reason : .]

8/20/2008 1:17:38 PM

Yep, couple hundred at most should cover it. It might not be the "identical" factory replacement part..but it will look the same, do the same job, come from the same place originally probably and ultimately save you a lot of $

8/20/2008 1:25:06 PM

Bob's or Henry's Muffler shop
Use yellow pages if you don't know where they are. Then go to one of them.
Should end up around $150 if their prices haven't gone up.

8/20/2008 2:37:53 PM

BOB'S FTMFW!

8/20/2008 2:46:00 PM

Bob's off of Tryon is the heat

8/20/2008 3:02:37 PM

expensive and sounds a little much, but that's not terrible for an oem direct fit converter plus labor at a dealer. all metal prices have gone haywire. especially for the precious metals found in some converters. lots of oem units can bring as much as $100-300 each at the scrap yard. wherever you might go, DON'T let them keep the old one unless they're compensating you off the repair price in exchange. double check the parts list on the estimate as well. besides the converter, i'll bet that might include o2 sensors also, which could be $100+ apiece and bring that price more inline. it's definitely not a bad idea to replace them at the same time since a bad one can kill a converter or vice versa. post up what codes they found were set also just to verify there isn't something simple/cheap to try first.

double check your emissions equipment warranty before doing anything too. there have been a lot of changes (increases) in recent years to the federal regulations, but i think it's something like 8yrs/80k miles now for major emissions control devices (which a cat converter is). i have no idea what years are the cutoff between any varying regulations, if the current regulations are retroactive and replace past ones, or what though. communist california of course follows the beat of a different drum, so if by chance that's where it was originally sold keep that in mind for whatever info you find.

even if it's past the applicable limits, it's still worth trying to still get it covered. it's not a warrantied system that dealers/manufacturers want to fight you tooth and nail over because of the governments heavy hand on the subject. toyota itself has a pretty good track record of standing behind their vehicles too, especially if it's any sort of common problem.

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 3:38 PM. Reason : .]

8/20/2008 3:36:37 PM

i'm pretty sure that any 2001 is way past it's emissions warranty. just sayin.

Quote :

" Should i expect to be paying this much??"

you should def. post what the invoice said, instead of just a price.

Quote :

"DON'T let them keep the old one unless they're compensating you off the repair price in exchange. "

i agree, ask for $300 off the job.

8/20/2008 5:07:50 PM

I am past the warranty limitations. The Invoice just says Estimate = $1,150.00. The guy at the dealership seemed like a prick, didnt really want to answer any questions. He did say the price did not include changing the 02 sensors.

The Code they got was P0420

I took it by Monroe Brake and muffler and the retard there asked me why i thought i needed a new CAT. So i told him that whats the Dealership told me and he told me he would probaly charge close to whatever the dealership quoted me.

I am going to take it to another muffler shop tomm. I would go to the ones suggested above but i am in Ohio at the moment.

Can driving with a bad CAT cause damage to my vehicle?

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 5:52 PM. Reason : .]

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 5:54 PM. Reason : ..]

8/20/2008 5:51:25 PM

Nope, drive it until the next time you need to get it inspected.

I know that running rich can ruin a cat, but if it's already shot I can't see why it would matter, unless the car freaks out because of that error code.

8/20/2008 5:56:21 PM

did you see the posts recommending Bob's or Henry's muffler shops?

8/20/2008 6:23:13 PM

I am in Ohio at the moment

8/20/2008 6:24:37 PM

any recommend a certain brand for a aftermarket catalytic converter?

8/20/2008 7:19:31 PM

1995 and up vehicles are covered federally for 8 years / 80,000 miles.

http://www.epa.gov/omswww/consumer/warr95fs.txt

8/20/2008 7:51:02 PM

Quote :

"Nope, drive it until the next time you need to get it inspected."

8/20/2008 7:51:15 PM

Quote :

"I am in Ohio at the moment"

this sounds like you are coming back

but i think that ohio doesnt have inspection

8/20/2008 8:22:40 PM

jesus, any fucking podunk ohio muffler shop should be able to hook up with a new cat for less than $250. you kids who dont know how to carry yourself when you walk in a place always get taken advantage of.

Quote :

"I took it by Monroe Brake and muffler and the retard there asked me why i thought i needed a new CAT. So i told him that whats the Dealership told me and he told me he would probaly charge close to whatever the dealership quoted me."

Hey if I were a low life muffler shop tech, and you walked into my shop, basically telling me that you didnt want to pay what the dealer quoted you, I would tell you it would be "a little less" too. Seriously, have you got ANY common sense? Everyone is out to put food on the table and pay their light bills, FUCK the big corporations, fuck the chain stores, go to the little guy and get some real service. Do NOT expect any help from a fucking MONROE.

8/20/2008 8:34:56 PM

Bob's or Henry's muffler people

8/20/2008 8:55:24 PM

^^



I got no problem with people trying to put food on table. I am stuck in a bum fuck town working on a project and there are not many options to choose from when it comes to repair shops. I just stopped by Monroe because it was the first place i saw, but the guy said they would just end up ordering the cat from the dealer because they dont install aftermarket cats. So basically the cost would be close to the dealers price. I am going to see if i can find some small shops tomm. Thanks for your advise!

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 9:18 PM. Reason : .]

8/20/2008 9:17:32 PM

a bad cat can most definitely cause damage on a number of other levels. it can also leave your ass stranded on the side of the road if it completely fails and clogs up. no exhaust flow=no engine power. if that's the problem, get it fixed. what did they say that code is? i was looking more for the explanation, i don't have any way of cross referencing it at the moment. maybe someone else does.

Quote :

"http://www.epa.gov/omswww/consumer/warr95fs.txt"

nice find, that's good to know and clarify that it extends back to cover things that old.

obviously, you're within the age limitation and that's a plus. you still didn't mention mileage, but unless it's grossly over 80k you have a chance at getting it replaced free. even if they don't cover it completely, you might find they'll meet you halfway. like you just pay for labor or something like that. bottom line, it doesn't hurt to try. all they can do is say no. take it to another dealer if need be if this one seems discourteous. that's a shitty estimate, it should break things down by each part, labor, and other applicable taxes or fees. especially if you ask for it.

8/20/2008 9:29:27 PM

P0420 OBD-II Trouble Code

"The catalytic converter has an oxygen sensor in front and behind it. When the vehicle is warm and running in closed loop mode, the upstream oxygen sensor waveform reading should fluctuate. The downstream O2 sensor reading should be fairly steady. Typically the P0420 code triggers the Check Engine Light if the readings of the two sensors are similar. This is indicative of (among other things) a converter that is not working as efficiently as it should be (according to specs). It is part of the vehicle emissions system."


I am at 150,000 Miles. I am def planning on repairing asap. Thanks for the advise.

8/20/2008 9:36:59 PM

Is it not a possible bad O2 sensor? I'm no expert..just curious

8/20/2008 9:44:19 PM

yeah, you definitely need more info there on what they did to definitively diagnose the problem as the converter and not an o2 issue. they should be able to give you whatever readings they datalogged. there's also the very realistic possibility that while the cat may be bad, it was ultimately caused by an o2 sensor giving screwy inputs for the air/fuel mixture. running rich especially will ruin a converter real quick. with 150k miles, assuming they're originals, i would do the o2's anyway. no sense in dumping the money into replacing the converter only to have it screwed up shortly after. many computers won't throw a code for one that's just a little bit lazy either.

i don't really like that description of how obdII o2's work either. is that something from the dealer or elsewhere? a better way of putting it simply is that the upstream and downstream sensors work in conjunction to measure any differential across the converter. i understand what they mean, but saying that similar readings is what usually triggers a cel is misleading.

[Edited on August 20, 2008 at 10:36 PM. Reason : they switched to a wideband type o2 at some point, but i believe that was with the 5th gen??]

8/20/2008 10:32:17 PM

just wait for some bandits to sawzaw the cat off for the precious metals... then claim theft under your insurance.

8/20/2008 10:36:41 PM

Quote :

"sawzaw"

Wow you really are as stupid as everyone thinks you are...

8/20/2008 10:56:47 PM

GARAGE NINJA HERE TO ATTACK YOU.

8/20/2008 11:48:15 PM

leave it in park or neutral and run it up to 4k rmp for like 2 or 3 minutes. Watch your engine temp, dont overhead the engine.

Might clean that shit out.

8/21/2008 6:53:30 AM

If you can order/purchase the part yourself:

I would just go to Advanced Auto (I searched online, even ebay, but screw it all, just go to AA. They're right there and you should be able to pick it up right then, or next day if they have to order it.) They'll even waranty most parts (for 1 year iirc), and you can go back to any AA store if it gives you trouble.

http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductList.aspx?CategoryCode=3333B
(I just used a random Ohio zip code since I don't know yours when I did the parts search).

Actually, don't even worry about that online. just call them up, tell them you need 2 o2 sensors (they should be cheap, so go ahead and replace them too), and a catalytic convertor. They may/may not have an OEM replacement as well as aftermarket universal options. How much you want to spend and what you should use it up to you. If they don't have it in stock, they can order it and have it for you next day.

If you go to any muffler shop and you supply your own cat, they should be able to cut the old one off and replace it with the new one in about 30 minutes (so it should cost no more than $65 imo, in case they charge for 1 hour labor). I would make sure to replace the o2 sensors as well for good measure. It isn't complicated, work, so don't let them haggle you for more money or say they won't work on it because they won't warranty the part or anything. If they start giving you shit about just cutting the old one off and installing the new one, be firm on your offer or just say you'll take your business elsewhere. there's no reason to spend $texas on this.

Also, if a shop decides to do the work, make sure to request your old part back (so you can recycle it and get some $money back). heck, you might be able to break even if your lucky. It is your right to get any old parts back, so don't let them try to sway you otherwise. Any old parts they replace is still yours unless you ask for them to dispose of it.
Heck,

8/21/2008 9:58:55 AM

yeah, unless it's the forward cat (precat) that's bad which is located right in the bend of the Y pipe. a universal one either won't work at all, or will be a real ass pain to fit in and look like shit once hector down at monroe puts his magic touch on it. you can probably guarantee it's going to start leaking at a joint within a few months and the cheap thin mild steel will probably be rusted out in 2 years. advance and other local chain stores have their place, but it's about the last place i would buy a converter. they're going to carry the cheapest on size fits all shit out there, and it'll cost more to have it hacked and rigged in than just buying a nice one in the first place.

if you're going aftermarket, stick with a good name like eastern or catco or something. both of them specialize in direct fit oem quality stuff for most makes/models. they include any built in AIR fittings, o2 bungs/flanges, heat shields, etc. as the application calls for. most univeral converters are a waste of time and money unless you've got a real simple, basic, or custom application.

anyway, enough speculating... i'm still waiting to see what the dealer has to say about how they arrived at the diagnosis of the cat and which one it is. probably the rear one if i had to guess.

8/21/2008 10:30:42 AM

Quote :

"jesus, any fucking podunk ohio muffler shop should be able to hook up with a new cat for less than $250. you kids who dont know how to carry yourself when you walk in a place always get taken advantage of."

Jesus I agree. ahali2, just get your boyfriend to go talk the mechanic men and let him take care of it.

Good find on the http://www.epa.gov/omswww/consumer/warr95fs.txt jpark.

Jbaz, it's a fucking SAWZALL. But I'd guess you'd have to be around hammers and nails (or a paslode) to know that.

8/21/2008 11:18:33 AM

I thought I'd be responsible and run a cat on the turbo..

but the pressure blew all the honeycomb out in chunks after a weeks

8/21/2008 11:24:21 AM

^^

Thanks Cool Guy, obviously i am asking other people for there advise since i havent dealt with this type of repair before. If I was being taken advantage of I would have already dished out $1200 dollars. Keep your childish comments to yourself.



[Edited on August 21, 2008 at 11:31 AM. Reason : .]

8/21/2008 11:30:59 AM

SHOOOO KHAYYYEEE koos aukht el manyekaaaaaaaaaa

Kooll humm 3ala ras Eyrak

hit me up I got you yo

8/21/2008 1:48:53 PM

i just had to get my cat replaced on my camaro and Meineke was the cheapest place and only took an hour to get the job done. Cost me $252 after tax, midas wanted $850 and dealership wanted $975 so try meineke and see if they are the cheapest for you

8/21/2008 2:27:22 PM

^^ LOL

8/21/2008 3:39:10 PM

Quote :

"Wow you really are as stupid as everyone thinks you are..."

Think? People should know this by now...

8/21/2008 8:14:55 PM

how many spark plug defoulers are usually appropriate to get rid of a CEL?

9/6/2008 3:21:30 PM