Catalytic Converter Price

The portion of your exhaust from where it bolts to the exhaust manifold (at the engine) to just in front of the resonator can be sold for $1300+.

This section has 2 cats, one marked GD3 and one marked EA6. The one closer to the engine is kind of tucked out of sight, then there is an O2 sensor screwed into the pipe, then the second cat, then the resonator. Then the pipe passes over the rear axle beam and goes to the muffler.

Are you sure its the cat that's rusting and not the resonator? The cat is less than a foot long. The resonator is about 2 feet log. I've never seen a cat rust out, but I don't spend much time in Wisconsin either.

 

Catalytic converter casings are made of the industry standard 410 "Martensic" stainless steel which has less chromium as 304 "Austensic" stainless steels. All stainless steel will corrode and even rust when operating temperatures are elevated to 1600 degrees F. Also, if you had oil burning or other impurities that were impinged into the stream of the catalytic converter, the temperature may have been elevated higher. Thus, corrosion is enhanced and becomes more severe.

 

Make sure they give you the old cats and verify they are original with the GD3/EA6 stamps on them. Message me at the number that shows up if you click on my user name and I can provide you with contact information for a recycler in texas who will provide you with a current quote. He'll likely want a closeup photo of each cat with the number showing.

 

Well, they are definitely not OEM Toyota Prius models. That explains the rust also. I have yet to see a OEM Gen 2 cat with rust, even the Canadian 2007 I had as a parts car had very little rust on the front half of the exhaust. Have you owned it since new or was this a recent purchase?

This is a complete OEM front half and photos of the stamps.

 

Catalytic converter casings are made of 410 grade "Martensic" stainless steel. both the OEM ones and the Canadian made ones.

While 410 stainless steel can rust at high temperatures, as the result of degradation of the chromic oxide layer, it does not rust as bad as the one shown in the photos.

 

Probably the price of scrap steel, given that a fully functional aftermarket cat could be had delivered from Canada for $125.