Catalytic Conv. stolen. Stuck 2000 miles from home in “Limp Mode”!

[paulunm]

Is the budbuilt transmission and transfer case skid plates enough to cover cats?

If so it’s like $650.

Is there a cheaper way to cover everything?

The transmission skid alone should be enough to stop the cats from being stolen. If you look at your pic, the furthest aft part of the cat can be seen- so in theory you could cut the exhaust there, but you'd have a heck of a time cutting the other end.

Someone could cut the skid plate with a Sawzall, but that's going to take a while and make a lot of noise- so I have to think they would move on to the next Prius they see.

I didn't do the transfer case skid since I think the transmission skid is enough (I did do everything forward of the trans skid too).

 

[bloc]

Does anyone make a cover for it (other than full skids)?

If you do some digging someone posted within the last six months with some discussion and products to try and deter thieves for their brand new cruiser. There was some debate about whether the products would work.. but the thread is worth checking out for the discussion.

 

[brasskey]

If you do some digging someone posted within the last six months with some discussion and products to try and deter thieves for their brand new cruiser. There was some debate about whether the products would work.. but the thread is worth checking out for the discussion.

Yeah, I saw that thread when it was posted.

 

[bronc076]

Aside from the bud built skids what others fully cover the cats? Bud builds might be a bit beefy for my mild off-roading and I'm thinking about weight. Plus a bit lower price point. I know there is a thread where the positive and negative aspcets of various brands are debated but i can't find it.
OP sorry for your loss, it's real s***ty!

 

[tys4x4]

I’m not sure if this is the most cost effective and I obviously don’t know your budget, but if it were me I’d ship the LC home and rent a haul or a truck and tow the camper home that way if the limp mode issue can’t be easily fixed on the road.

 

[highfructose]

The transmission skid alone should be enough to stop the cats from being stolen. If you look at your pic, the furthest aft part of the cat can be seen- so in theory you could cut the exhaust there, but you'd have a heck of a time cutting the other end.

Someone could cut the skid plate with a Sawzall, but that's going to take a while and make a lot of noise- so I have to think they would move on to the next Prius they see.

I didn't do the transfer case skid since I think the transmission skid is enough (I did do everything forward of the trans skid too).

I suppose then the concern would be that the thief might erroneously cut off the mufflers/resonators that look vaguely like a catalytic converter.

 

[highfructose]

I suppose then the concern would be that the thief might erroneously cut off the mufflers/resonators that look vaguely like a catalytic converter.

It occurred to me that one might make their own catalytic converter/skid protection.

The plastic engine skid that is standard on our vehicle and the lack of a cat skid measures about 48”.

The size of a standard aluminum construction/men working sign is about 48” as well…and about 3mm/0.1” thick…much thinner than the aluminum budbuilt skids but potentially an upgrade and cat protection over the oem plastic.

 

[PhuckItImDone]

I know 2000 miles is no small distance, but is having the LC shipped home, and renting a tow vehicle just to complete the trip an option? At least keeps the trip moving more than 35mph....then the ball can be rolling at home with repairs.

 

[Madtiger]

What they need to do is invent a quick disconnect of Cat…so that at night at a hotel, you can disconnect it and take it into the hotel room. In morning, go back out and reconnect it. Like how folks take in their bicycle wheel for security.

If anyone makes that, i want kickback for the idea! LOL

 

[greynolds]

I know 2000 miles is no small distance, but is having the LC shipped home, and renting a tow vehicle just to complete the trip an option? At least keeps the trip moving more than 35mph....then the ball can be rolling at home with repairs.

I wonder if insurance might pick up some of the cost of this. Probably not, but it might be worth looking into.

As others have posted, some details on how/where/when the theft happened would be good to know. As I said in a previous post, I have an upcoming trip to Michigan in July and it would be good to know if there are any specific areas I need to avoid, precautions I should take when parking overnight, etc. I'll be primarily in the Detroit area (for The Henry Ford museum), Grand Rapids, and Cadillac (a bit south of Traverse City as it was a LOT less expensive than staying in Traverse City) and driving out via Cleveland (so not crossing through Canada) coming from eastern Massachusetts. I'll be staying at Hampton Inns.

Given lead times and supply chain issues, I doubt I can source skid plates in time for my trip, but if anyone is aware of a good option (Budbuilt, ARB, etc.) that I could source in time that is bolt on, please let me know.

And once again, so sorry this happened to you @chris777. It sucks to have this happen at any time, but especially so on a vacation where you're far from home AND hoping to enjoy yourself.

 

[PhuckItImDone]

What they need to do is invent a quick disconnect of Cat…so that at night at a hotel, you can disconnect it and take it into the hotel room. In morning, go back out and reconnect it. Like how folks take in their bicycle wheel for security.

So what you're saying is we're headed to Shark Tank?

 

[Madtiger]

So what you're saying is we're headed to Shark Tank?

Some have called me a genius…most here call me something else….

 

[chris777]

Firstly, I want to thank everyone for replying to my plea for ideas. Secondly, I apologize for taking so long to get back with you, but there is very little Verizon coverage in the Upper Penninsula, and none in the campground at Porcupine Mountains. Yesterday was a very busy day, so when I did have coverage, I didn’t have time. Keep reading, I have a lot of answers.

We made it do Rhinelander Toyota in Northern Wisconsin yesterday morning. Very nice, very knowledgeable people there. After an hour or so of diagnostics this is what they told me.

1. clearing codes yourself wouldn’t help my situation because they would keep coming back if they still senses something wrong. There was something still wrong.
2. The 9 codes causing me to stay in “limp mode”, or reduced engine power, were doing their job, because a 7.5 am mini fuse, the EFI#2 fuse, under the hood, had blown, so multiple oxygen, heat, and air injection sensors could not function at all. They think the fuse was quite possibly blown when the muffler shop welded in the Bosch oxygen or O2 sensors.
3. they said the muffler shop, Cliff’s Automotive Repair & Exhaust in Traverse city did three things wrong. They damaged the sensors when they welded them in, leaving them only partially effective, they replaced my Land Cruiser exhaust pipe between the two cats on the drivers side, with pipe that looked to be 1/2 maybe 3/5 the diameter of the stock exhaust tube, but most importantly, they were not able to diagnose and find the blown fuse.
4. the vehicle was no longer in reduced engines power mode and the check engine light was out. They said I should be able to get home without any damage to the engine before solving the problem permanently, but suggested I try to get the small diameter pipe replaced. They also said i have not hurt my engine. The upstream sensors were untouched.
5. The vehicle performs normally again! What a relief. But, after a couple of hours of driving, the check engine light has reappeared. So fingers crossed.
6. The most surprising thing they told me was that they could get both cats, both sensors, pigtails, and pipe in 3 to 5 days!!!! I was floored! They found them at Toyota parts warehouse in Chicago! The Toyota dealership I took it to within an hour of discovering my cat stolen, which is IN Chicago, told me 4 to 6 weeks. Toyota Dallas Parts dept, told me the very same thing. Backordered!!!! What is up with that? I have print out of the parts I need and will attempt to order them, but our USAA insurance has seen an estimate from an adjuster and has approved coverage. So can I order the parts myself or do I have to get Toyota to order them with our claim number as promise of payment. Its $4200 in parts plus 6 hours labor. But maybe I have to order them form Rhinelander? and pay for them to ship it to me??? Crazy.

I forgot to mention that because of state laws, most shops don’t want to deal with people in our situation, because unless they can get parts, they can not let our vehicle leave the shop or they face a $20k fine. So that complicated things, as well as trying to keep on schedule. We had family to visit, events to attend, and prized camping reservations made a month in advance we didn’t want to lose.

Anyway, thanks again for your interest and your help.

 

[mep1811]

Good news. Good to know about the fuse. Safe trip home. State emissions laws can really be ridiculous . I had an exhaust leak on my FJ60 that needed a weld. I was in Utah an no shop would touch the truck because it did not have a cat converter. I did find a Toyota shop that fixed it .

 

[777Gage]

I researched skid plates and chose Bud Built for their overall cat coverage. With these vehicles being so high off the ground stock (and in my case lifted) it makes them much easier targets for the cat thieves. We had them stolen off our lifted Sequoia 7 years ago while at the gym, and that was before it became such a mass market item to steal in recent years.

Good to hear you're able to continue your trip and get it all sorted out.

 

[TeCKis300]

Firstly, I want to thank everyone for replying to my plea for ideas. Secondly, I apologize for taking so long to get back with you, but there is very little Verizon coverage in the Upper Penninsula, and none in the campground at Porcupine Mountains. Yesterday was a very busy day, so when I did have coverage, I didn’t have time. Keep reading, I have a lot of answers.

We made it do Rhinelander Toyota in Northern Wisconsin yesterday morning. Very nice, very knowledgeable people there. After an hour or so of diagnostics this is what they told me.

1. clearing codes yourself wouldn’t help my situation because they would keep coming back if they still senses something wrong. There was something still wrong.
2. The 9 codes causing me to stay in “limp mode”, or reduced engine power, were doing their job, because a 7.5 am mini fuse, the EFI#2 fuse, under the hood, had blown, so multiple oxygen, heat, and air injection sensors could not function at all. They think the fuse was quite possibly blown when the muffler shop welded in the Bosch oxygen or O2 sensors.
3. they said the muffler shop, Cliff’s Automotive Repair & Exhaust in Traverse city did three things wrong. They damaged the sensors when they welded them in, leaving them only partially effective, they replaced my Land Cruiser exhaust pipe between the two cats on the drivers side, with pipe that looked to be 1/2 maybe 3/5 the diameter of the stock exhaust tube, but most importantly, they were not able to diagnose and find the blown fuse.
4. the vehicle was no longer in reduced engines power mode and the check engine light was out. They said I should be able to get home without any damage to the engine before solving the problem permanently, but suggested I try to get the small diameter pipe replaced. They also said i have not hurt my engine. The upstream sensors were untouched.
5. The vehicle performs normally again! What a relief. But, after a couple of hours of driving, the check engine light has reappeared. So fingers crossed.
6. The most surprising thing they told me was that they could get both cats, both sensors, pigtails, and pipe in 3 to 5 days!!!! I was floored! They found them at Toyota parts warehouse in Chicago! The Toyota dealership I took it to within an hour of discovering my cat stolen, which is IN Chicago, told me 4 to 6 weeks. Toyota Dallas Parts dept, told me the very same thing. Backordered!!!! What is up with that? I have print out of the parts I need and will attempt to order them, but our USAA insurance has seen an estimate from an adjuster and has approved coverage. So can I order the parts myself or do I have to get Toyota to order them with our claim number as promise of payment. Its $4200 in parts plus 6 hours labor. But maybe I have to order them form Rhinelander? and pay for them to ship it to me??? Crazy.

I forgot to mention that because of state laws, most shops don’t want to deal with people in our situation, because unless they can get parts, they can not let our vehicle leave the shop or they face a $20k fine. So that complicated things, as well as trying to keep on schedule. We had family to visit, events to attend, and prized camping reservations made a month in advance we didn’t want to lose.

Anyway, thanks again for your interest and your help.

View attachment 3042780View attachment 3042781View attachment 3042783

Whew! Glad you where able to thread that needle and find a way. Great job and I'm taking some mental notes if this were ever to come to pass.

I'm in the one of those lovely states where emission laws would make it near impossible to make a temporary fix with aftermarket parts that are not CARB approved. No reasonable shop should touch it.

Your remaining CEL that crops up after some time is likely related to cat efficiency with the aftermarket parts, so no worries on that effecting anything other than a nuisance.

 

[FrazzledHunter]

I researched skid plates and chose Bud Built for their overall cat coverage. With these vehicles being so high off the ground stock (and in my case lifted) it makes them much easier targets for the cat thieves. We had them stolen off our lifted Sequoia 7 years ago while at the gym, and that was before it became such a mass market item to steal in recent years.

Good to hear you're able to continue your trip and get it all sorted out.

How well do the Bud Built skids play with the OEM skids? In other words could I keep the OEM engine skids and just get the Bud Built transmission & transfer case skids? Yeah, I'm a cheapskate.

 

[2021 LC200]

Sorry to see this happen.

See the measures/solution I went for per link below.

A bit of work and money, obviously a determined thief can still get to my cats. I think he/she... would move on though.

Obviously heard from say "cynics" an angle grinder can cut through all of this quickly. Reality is that most battery angle grinders do not have a big diameter disc to cut bottom and keep going all the way to cut through the top and the cat strap on the top.

I am happy other than a bit of work and some smell for a couple of weeks from the straps gluing themselves to the exhaust/cats (only an issue upon getting out of the vehicle after a drive, so not a biggie). When I hear your story and see the disruption and cost it is causing though it is obvious the path I went on or otherwise to make it difficult is worth consideration.

Protecting catalytic converter from theft?

Get a 1911 or replace your local DA's and Judges?

forum.ih8mud.com

 

[highfructose]

Due to this thread, I decided to try making a cat cover/skid plate out of a road/construction sign.

If anyone is able to source a 48”x36” piece of aluminum or steel, it’s not terribly difficult to make one to cover them…I would have made the flare towards the rear slightly wider if I did it again…and I may…if I come across another free piece of material.

An aluminum roadwork sign is about 1/10” thick aluminum…so about as thick as the thinnest steel bud built…not super robust, but, lightweight and better than the plastic splash guard that was on the engine previously…and obviously stronger than the total lack of splash/skid guard over the cats/transmission.

 

[bloc]

That black residue is soot from exhaust leaks, likely from incomplete welds. And I get it, it's really hard to weld around the top. But could explain the cat efficiency suggestion Teckis made.

Also I back up the shop saying you need to get rid of the smaller pipe. If that's only on one bank that side will see less air mass and need less fuel than the other side. The truck should be able to pick up on this and adjust fuel per cylinder bank but there's a limit to how far it can adjust, and it's still far from ideal.

And the shop WELDED the O2 sensors in?!@?!!