I learned something about Prius catalytic converters today...

That’s the practical situation in California, but not because of a regulation that requires OEM parts, as such. Rather, aftermarket catalytic converters must be approved by CARB for each application, and none has been approved for any Prius car. (See my my January posting about the regulations.)

I’d be very interested to know how well it controls pollutants (CO, HC, NOx) over typical test cycles, and whether it actually allows the car to meet the California AT-PZEV standard, as opposed to just working well enough to meet the less-stringent federal standards and keep the engine control module from detecting a problem.

As I understand it, the tricky thing about catalytic converters in gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles is keeping the converter at an operating temperature high enough for the oxidation and reduction reactions to take place, even though the engine doesn’t run continuously.

 

Cat thefts are pretty common post on this site especially in CA and London.

 

I also recently put an eBay cat on my prius because it had broken pieces on the inside of it. You could hear the rattling all times the car was on. There's no way that it adheres to CARB restrictions, and I drove it on a 5k mile roadtrip and am now in CA. How many miles did it take for your check engine light to come on for it? My engine burns oil like a 20 year old F150 so there's no way it would pass a smog check. I tried replacing the PCV Valve, cleaning the injectors, and replaced the spark plugs. I suspect the piston rings are bad considering none of that fixed it plus it makes an air releasing sound when accelerating. So I'll be replacing that in a couple months, for now I'm not registering it in CA. Also the state can suck it on the OEM part restriction that's definitely not happening.

 

a 2007 corolla catalytic converter will fit on our prius. I did it recently and no check engine light so it passed the smog test.

 

hey logan
thanks for the post. I had my converter stolen last night. I heard someone drilling or something while I was in bed but was too groggy to figure it out. anyway, I didn't see "prius" listed on magnaflow site? I will call them monday but just confirming u got yours there and it's still working out?

cheers J

 

That grows on you.

 

What is $25/cat?

 

Ah... to be so young that catalytic converter knowledge excites you....

 

That wont work for you Kactus it has to the factory original cat because they physically inspect the cat in Ca and it must have the Toyota insignia and a specific part number on each of the 2 cats. Look at my pictures. Factory cat is ungodly expensive like $1500 plus installation and installation is not cheap because the SOB's chop the O2 sensor wires to boot. Those are the dangling wires under the car.

Ca will fail an aftermarket cat.

Go on youtube and search

Prius Stolen

Lots of good info about this issue. Its epidemic in Ca. London too..

 

umm...thanks...I guess

 

sorry dude the cat theft is getting really bad in Ca.

 

Not Prius theft, but my employer had four express vans where the converters were cut off Saturday night. It’s going to be about $1250 a van plus labor to put them back together. The problem is that the cats are on back order due to COVID-19. The other thing is that two of the vans already have 230k+ miles on them. But the converter thieves don’t care.

 

I had no idea that they were valuable and took the cat from my 2006 to the dump!
A few months ago, when I went to the stealer to get a cat for my 2008, the dealer told me about the thefts and asked if mine had been stolen!
The joke was on me when I asked "Wth would steal a cat from underneath a car!?"
(I live in the Santa Cruz Mountains, where life has pretty much frozen in 1978, except for the Internet)
Now, the traction battery needs replacement and my wife wants me to scrap the car.

Anyone in town need an OEM cat with 20 miles on it?

 

I can vouch for this, CA will fail smog if you have an aftermarket cat.
I can also vouch that DIY cat replacement is VERY easy, and you won't end up with a broken O2 sensor.

 

MEEE I can't message you! Ugh Mine is dying.

 

I’m interested! Lol

 

Well, sorry to folks who jave to pass cali emissions...I put aftermarket cats and pipe on my 04 Prius this fall, cost $114. My engine light has not come back on 3,000 miles later. 2 years ago our 200,000 mile Chevy pickup had a plugged cat, we got a $40. generic from Autozone and put that on, engine light has never come back on. About testing cat efficiency by reading the O2 sensors, way too complex! Just compare your cat inlet and outlet temperatures to see the real story.

 

CAT theft is common because a recycler will give you something like $25 for them, while some muffler shops will give you about $250 (no questioned asked.)
It's a myth that Prius converters have more "precious metals" in them. There is simply a higher demand for them because of a confluence of economic conditions like higher gas prices, moronic state laws, and certain policies that affect....."justice involved persons."
In
Ben Franklin "invented" the post office in 1775, and Algore "invented" the internet in the 1980s.
This allows for a more or less thriving market that sometimes spills over into states that do not have moronic state laws.

You have a G3. Those cats are in less demand now because most G3s either have catalytic converters that are still functioning - OR - they've already blown their head gaskets.....
If you do not know how the EGR works in your car....you probably will not have to worry about passing a smog check pretty soon.

The ones you get at the animal shelter.