Stolen catalytic converter

Not completely, but there is a warning on the link you gave:

 

No friend with a garage you can borrow? I had to resort to that many years ago in the dead of an Ohio winter to replace the engine thermostat on my car. It was still cold, but at least I was out of the wind.

 

Sounds like your shop is using defective cats? The cat I linked to is the one @TMR-JWAP has emissions tested and it works perfect with no error codes and comes with paper work for a very generous warranty. Your shop oughta stop buying junk cats and disabling customer's 02 sensor to hide the defective product you're installing.

 

Can you please explain how adjusting the distance from the pipe disables the O2 sensor as opposed to recalibrating?

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/254889633661?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=254889633661&targetid=1645685073528&device=c&mktype=&googleloc=9008275&poi=&campaignid=16730423415&mkgroupid=135815925780&rlsatarget=pla-1645685073528&abcId=9300841&merchantid=118847061&gclid=Cj0KCQjw08aYBhDlARIsAA_gb0djsQovJz0G0C0we5eAN_BLScfSwLfU8b9sfxmyQFaUrEKSl4OcfnIaAuEfEALw_wcB

i used that, installed it myself, it throws no error

 

Mine was stolen 3 weeks ago. My Toyota dealer charged $3430 parts and labor to replace the catalytic converter. The parts cost $2871 including catalytic converter, oxygen sensor, two seals front and back, 2 bolts and 2 springs. The approved labor is $559 with 4.3 hours at $130 per hour.

This $3430 is the insurance negotiated price. Originally dealer asked for $3800. My deductible is $500 so I put everything OEM.

I wouldn’t go with the $150 one that most people without insurance are using here for two reasons. It is EPA and not CARB compliant so not legal in CA, CO, NY. Also, very likely it will throw a P0420 in a few weeks or months and it will not pass inspection or emissions a second time. In other words, it is a short term solution. Better to use a $700 Magnaflow which will last longer.

 

He's saying that a properly working converter doesn't need to have the downstream O2 sensor "recalibrated" by any (cheat) device.

The extension puts the tip of the sensor in a dead-end pocket of exhaust gas, so it doesn't respond to actual conditions very quickly. I assume that the slower response can fool the ECM into passing the P0420 monitor.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Thanks. Could be. I don't know enough about the system to be sure. But it's not an issue in Florida anyway.

 

Did you get a cat shield?

 

I just installed the 3 piece cat shield on mine even though I have the 100 dollar E Bay cat. I doubt many criminals are checking part numbers and I can't afford to get my cat stolen when I'm driving thousands of miles away from home. Pretty easy installation the kit was 250 on Amazon and covers the front and rear of the cat.

 

Yep. The MillerCat complete system that I bought a few months ago to safeguard my relatively new OEM catalytic converter that the prior owner insurance company replaced after theft is about all that I can think of doing. If they try anything with that, there’s not much else I could have done.

 

If anyone wants to go to all the time and trouble to drill out all those rivets I guess they earned the $100. I'm betting they take one look and move on.

 

That’s what I think too about the deterrence effect.

Yep, that’s what I think too about the deterrence effect. They may then just vandalize the car out of spite but nothing I can do to prevent that. Maybe then my insurance will cover a new paint job that will fix the clear coat issues. I don’t park overnight on public streets only sometimes in hotel parking lots.

 

I converted mine into a camper and I am going out west again this year. If I want to go on a hike somewhere I don't want to be worried that when I get back my cat will be gone. When i'm 3k miles away from home it's a much bigger issue than if it happened here so it's well worth the $250 for piece of mind.

 

I wonder if the Prius model years is a typo: last year of gen 2 being 2009.

 

No shield. Maybe in the future. However, here is an example of someone posted a photo on an online marketplace that even with a shield they stole his catalytic converter without taking out the shield.

What I did, is that I painted my new catalytic converter with black stripes using high temp paint and also etched both converters with numbers using the CATGUARD labels thru my local police department.

I hope this will deter theft. I still keep my comprehensive insurance.

 

He didn't have the 3 piece cat guard that covers the cat in front and back.