Cat Trouble and New introduction (3 Viewers)

[alkaline747trio]

Find an exhaust shop, tell them you have a catalytic converter deficiency error and think it's an exhaust leak (say your Toyota gurus told you that). If you drive a bunch before it, they can take an IR gauge and check your cats for proper temperature also. After the check things, there are only a few options.

Cats are good.....need gaskets/welding to fix the leaks you have

Cats are shot....Magnaflow high-flow cats work well and don't throw codes, have them use these (you can get them at summit racing) and fix any other leaks that are probably there


shouldn't cost more than $400, if they quote you more, go somewhere else.

 

[BrettinSanAntonio]

I had my cat replaced at an exhaust and welding shop in South San Antonio. Parts and labor were $150. This place does all the exhaust work for Land Rover of San Antonio and two local Toyota dealerships. The dealerships pay what I paid and then charge the customer what they quoted you. It's almost freaking criminal.

Hey group, newbie here. Just got (after years of yearning) into my first cruiser - a one owner 95 fzj in amazing condition. Truck has 180K on it and is AMAZINGLY solid. I have no idea of the maintenance records (bought from a boutique dealership who had just had 3 rows of new leather put in). Verfied one owner status on Carfax. I love it, my wife does not understand why I sit on the front porch and stare, but she cannot see my heart leap when I get told to go to the store for baby food...

I digress - got engine trouble light, took it to Toyota dealership in Dallas, they told me that my catalytic converters were both shot. They could fix to the tune of $2700. When I told my wife that, I almost got - well... fixed. Is this reasonable? I looked online extensively, found OE Toyota cats to be about $7-800, but aftermarket with the bolt on flanges at under $300 and not for Cali, which is okey dokey with me.

Advice appreciated, and if need be CDan, what can I get Cats and all gaskets needed for? probably time for O2 sensors as well.

I have coveted cruisers ever since my dad had the nicest 60 series in Vegas in the 90s, unfortunately traded it, but for an 96' 80, and since I tried in vain to buy a 40 in college. Let the addiction and $$$ drain begin.

 

[Ted44]

I had the MIL (Check Engine Light, Malfunction Indicator Light) come on soon after my purchase in 2005 with maybe 160K on the odo. I took it to a local independent shop (as big as some dealer service depts). The guy calls later and tells me it's a P0420 and I need to have both cats and O2 sensors replaced. Quotes the Cat prices as $1100 for the front and $1400 for the rear .

I am a 1.5 guy. BUT, I can read and I had purchased my genuine Toyota Factory Service Manual. SO, I started asking this guy questions straight from the diagnostic procedure for this MIL code in the manual, there was dead silence on the other end of the phone. He literally said nothing. So I told him to reset the code and I'd pay him for his time to that point and be over shortly to pick up my truck. He tells me that he cannot reset the code without replacing the parts. So I told him I'd reset it myself by pulling the EFI fuse. Again, silence. I said I'd be over soon and hung up.

When I picked up the truck, the the MIL was off. I then went to Advance Auto bought a code reader for about $150. I have never had that code since that time. The truck has 200+K now.

That afternoon, I crawled under to look at the scene for myself. I found the rear O2 sensor hanging loose on the studs , which I fixed with two new studs and nuts from a local specialty fastener business.

Important point from my perspective: The FSM advises as the first step in dealing with MILs is to read and reset the code, then wait to see if it comes back. Then it advises to test the sensors themselves. There are a number of steps before replacing something like the Cats themselves.

Buy the FSM. Be an educated consumer.

 

[smokethedog]

Welcome

Heres what I would do . Reset the light and see if it comes back .
If it comes back then check for leaks between the joints of the two and the front header pipe and rear pipe off the 2nd cat . If no leaks then move onto replacing both of the O2 sensors. When the O2s get old they tend to throw the cat codes as they are no longer working like they should plus if you still need to replace the cats you can reuse the new o2s .

BTW this is what I did when I got my truck and the CEL came on 2 weeks after . its been fine for over 45k miles since then
good luck with it

Same deal here on a 95 when i bought it in 2002. i think the cats had been replaced before, since I only had one cat. I went with an aftermarket cat from a local muffler shop. Fixed it for about a year, then got the code again. I found an exhaust leak right behind the cat. Had that fixed, and replaced O2 sensors. Been fine since

Check for exhaust leaks, and replace O2 sensors before replacing cats. If you replace the cats, go to a muffler shop, only a couple hundred bucks to do mine. Youmight consider goin with just one unless laws/emissions folks in your area would fail you for it.

 

[Flank]

So I told him (toyota Dealership) to reset the code and I'd pay him for his time to that point and be over shortly to pick up my truck. He tells me that he cannot reset the code without replacing the parts. So I told him I'd reset it myself by pulling the EFI fuse. Again, silence. I said I'd be over soon and hung up.

Thead is getting long - OK by me! As the original poster, I am learning a lot.
This happened to me as well, I asked the Dealership to reset the code for me, and I would get it worked on when I had the funds. They were already charging me for putting on the scanner ($80). They said they could not reset. Not that they would not, but that they COULD not. I pulled the battery cable for 30 seconds, and the code remained off. Liars, in my estimation, and I will not give that dealership any business any more - shame because they are near my house.

 

[AdventureBuddies]

I had to get both cats replaced to pass CA smog and I paid $775 including parts and labor. That's the inflated Orange County / CA price. It shouldn't cost any more than that elsewhere.

 

[AZ2ME]

Flank,
Some states don't allow repair shops to turn off the CEL w/o doing the work. When in AZ, I had the AutoZone tell me that, but the guy who ran the code (for free, as they are supposed to do) said "I can't push that <clear> button. But you can," as he handed me the scanner.

 

[Flank]

Flank,
Some states don't allow repair shops to turn off the CEL w/o doing the work. When in AZ, I had the AutoZone tell me that, but the guy who ran the code (for free, as they are supposed to do) said "I can't push that <clear> button. But you can," as he handed me the scanner.

I can totally understand that. If that is the case, this is something they can explain, which under my scrutiny, they did not.
Your guy was cool, but most importantly, he expained the situation.

The dealership made it sound like it was a physical impossibility, which I consider at worst false representation, and at best very poor customer service. I would not ask them to break laws, and furthermore, would respect them for taking the 15 seconds to clarify. I am not anti-dealer. In fact, my Pop swears by his toyota dealer service guy in Las Vegas - he consults the guy about everything, and always gives him first right of refusal on any additions / mods to his former CL 80 and his current Sequoia.

Again, I digress. Off to find a muffler shop in downtown dallas that speaks English and does not have dirt floors...

 

[AZ2ME]

Flank,
I totally know where you're coming from! It took me a long time to even figure out that the shops couldn't turn off the light w/o doing the work. Seems like either the techs don't know why or they just refuse to tell you (something about bonuses, I imagine).

As for my experience on this issue, I finished the job las week, and so far so good.

Ran the car and crawled around and found a little breeze at the y-pipe and another behind the cats at the pipe going to the muffler. So I pulled them (after cutting several nuts) and got the y welded, new gaskets and new O2s. So far so good.

BTW, anyone who's cutting stuff, I found the dremel reinforced cutting discs to be much nicer than the standards. I didn't even go through 2 of them on the whole job.

 

[Buckru]

There is a product called Seafoam that is sucked up through a vacum line while the engine is running. It's intended purpose is to de-carbon the intake and top of the pistons. A side benefit, as I found out, will show you if you have any exhaust leaks. Do a search on here for the seafoam treatment and good luck.

btw, welcome.

Buck Buchanan

 

[NoMoreFires!]

OBD1 vehicles do not to my knowledge have a #2 o2 sensor so you should be able to gut the converters (you can keep the appearance of converters without keying anyone in at inspection time) If you have smog tests then ignore what I just said, if you are a member of any law enforcement or epa ignore what I just said, but ahem my 94 is totally going to have gutted cats-again law enforcement of epa folks can ignore that last statement-----but god is it going to run better cat free.