On the other side of the coin, I sold my 2 upstream cats on Monday after removing them when installing long tube headers. Got $585 for the pair from a local non-ferrous metals recycler. They nearly paid for the headers. I can see why cat theft is so common - nearly $600 for 5 minutes with a swazall is easy money for theives, and lower risk than mugging someone or robbing a liquor store.
Stolen catalytic converters, options? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter WaterGeo
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Do it! I had planned to get ST headers and keep the cats, but they were backordered for months. Doug Thorley had 1 set of LTs in stock so I went that route. Much easier install (100% bolt in) and no CEL using 90° 02 sensor spacers. The butt dyno feels a lot more power too.
BRB, ordering headers and mid-pipes and then selling my cats.
My wife's new car will be a Highlander Hybrid to counteract the environmental damage (when we can find one to buy in her color.....).
How is the smell without cats?
Maybe 10% smellier than stock. I personally would not have noticed it if I didn't know the upstream cats had been removed. I still have the two OEM downstream cats installed on the midpipe and do not plan to remove them. I would not want to run totally catless, for smell and environmental reasons. I would have kept the two upstream cats and used short-tube headers but they have been backordered for around 8 months, while long-tubes were in stock.
If you modify the emissions system it will never pass the emissions visual check. Not a big thing where I live as there is no emissions check for registration. A huge thing if you live in a place with regular emissions checks and you have to put it back to stock to get your registration.
Imagine a scenario, you sold your cats, but now you have to buy new ones. Wait, none are available for a year ? Walking is good exercise.
You want to sell the car? It better be stock. Or scrap.
By the way, I'm sure there is a fine for modifying emissions.
Imagine a scenario, you sold your cats, but now you have to buy new ones. Wait, none are available for a year ? Walking is good exercise.
You want to sell the car? It better be stock. Or scrap.
By the way, I'm sure there is a fine for modifying emissions.
Vast areas of the USA do not have any emissions inspections/testing/observations at all. In areas that do have inspections, they are typically mandated by the USEPA due to the area being in nonattainment for air quality standards. Levels of inspection are based on how bad the nonattainment is and may be stricter if implemented by the state (like CA....). If you live in one of those areas, you absolutely cannot remove your cats and expect to drive your Lexus. I don't live in one of those areas. But I'd gladly trade my LT headers for ST headers with cats if we had emission inspections that kept those diesel bros from rolling coal everywhere.
I live in a city where they don't check emissions and also defund the police so it doesn't matter if I install cats, they will be gone in 60 seconds one night.
Police aren't quite defunded here but cats are still disappearing! At least my skidplates are halfway protecting the downstream cats. Our Subaru also has a skidplate that protects the cat and my Mazda is too low to the ground to easily slice it off.
- Thread starter
- #32
Hey @Jimboluis, I'm sorry to hear that your catalytic converter was stolen! I have used MyLParts.com to dig around on parts diagrams and find what I'm looking for and then search for the replacement part on Rockauto. I'm not sure what year your GX is, but here is the link to the exhaust components for a 2007.
Exhaust Components for 2007 Lexus GX470 | MyLexusParts
www.mylparts.com
It looks like you are looking for parts 3, 18, 19 and 22 on the linked diagram, but i'm not sure. good hunting!
For what it is worth, as a general update on this thread, the magnaflow cats appear to be performing well and once I replaced BOTH the secondary O2 sensors, I have stopped getting codes for the past ~1000 miles.
I am sending my kid off to college in her 04 GX470 and it pains me to think the cats will get stolen. My Asfir skids won't cover the cats so I painted them with bright orange engine paint and on the lower one on the drivers side I am going to etch the VIN on it. May or may not help but here in Phoenix you can't buy a cat that is painted bright or that has a VIN. Who knows!Hey @Jimboluis, I'm sorry to hear that your catalytic converter was stolen! I have used MyLParts.com to dig around on parts diagrams and find what I'm looking for and then search for the replacement part on Rockauto. I'm not sure what year your GX is, but here is the link to the exhaust components for a 2007.
Exhaust Components for 2007 Lexus GX470 | MyLexusParts
It looks like you are looking for parts 3, 18, 19 and 22 on the linked diagram, but i'm not sure. good hunting!
For what it is worth, as a general update on this thread, the magnaflow cats appear to be performing well and once I replaced BOTH the secondary O2 sensors, I have stopped getting codes for the past ~1000 miles.
MrTorgue
Grizzly Clint
Good idea with the paint and VIN. You should etch “stolen if cut off” next to the VIN.
A big interstate ring of cat thieves was just busted in Oregon last month.
my GX came from Sacramento with a decent chain wrapped around the cat. It kind of through me off when I was inspecting it, but makes sense.
my GX came from Sacramento with a decent chain wrapped around the cat. It kind of through me off when I was inspecting it, but makes sense.
