Our 2005 Prius needs a new catalytic converter. The car shows a P0420 code, and an emissions test is required for it to pass the state inspection. Luckily, the inspection isn't due until August, so we have a little time. On another thread, I received some very helpful advice to purchase the Autosaver88 catalytic converter which is sold on Amazon. I saw some reviews, though, that said fitment was a problem on some Prii. For those cars, the pipe on the Autosaver88 cat didn't fit over the pipe on the car and therefore wouldn't allow the cat to be clamped on. It required welding instead. In our case, we won't have time to mess with anything once we remove the OEM cat. I need to get the car on the road again very quickly, so I really need the clamp-on installation to work because I don't know how to weld. I won't really have time to mess with having to wait for a shop to weld it for me. So for folks here, have any of you all had difficulty clamping the Autosaver88 cat to to your gen 2 Prius? If so, what year car do you drive (in the hopes that this problem can be predicted based on the model year of the car). Or is there another way to predict which cars will have difficulty with the Autosaver88 cat? For example, I had read a post here that said something about Priuses that were made in Japan having an issue with aftermarket cats (but I thought all Prii were made in Japan?) Thanks in advance for your help!
If you noticed that Autosaver 88 Youtube video, that was a 2007 Prius which should be the same as your cat pipe size. Maybe get a caliper and measure the OD of the resonator pipe and the ID of the Amazon cat. I looked at the reviews and majority had no problem with fit. Make sure to keep your old donut gasket from the front of the old cat, seems the new cat donut is not as thick and may leak, so use your old one. The one size comment was actually a guy that works in a muffler shop just commenting in general about leaks and welding. That comment regards Prius made in Japan having an issue was an auto parts store clerk having trouble finding a part, not to be construed as fact.
Some replacement cats fit well, some do not... This one seems to be the nicest of the inexpensive versions and most likely to provide a direct fit with no welding needed: Catalytic Converter For 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Toyota Prius 1.5L EPA OBD2 | eBay
I had mine welded in place and second muffler resonator cut out too. I could not make supplied spring bolts and donut work. The cat was fine and did slip and could've been clamped . No use clamping here.
This comment was on Georgina's youtube video, the pipe was the same diameter, he just cut a slit on the cat pipe end and slipped it over the resonator pipe and used the clamp with some muffler cement. "I bought the $143 Amazon cat but the two exhaust pipes were the same diameter so I cut a slit in the end of the cat, spread it apart a little, pushed the cat pipe over the muffler pipe and assembled it with the clamp and muffler putty ( probably didn't need it). I used the old bolts, they overcome any alignment problems. Great vid"
OK, so I'm hearing you all that I don't need to worry about it. I'm going to order one. Thanks for easing my fears.
I actually bought a cheap buzz box welder because I did a cat replacement for someone and the cat he bought didn't seal and had an exhaust leak. Haven't had to use the welder yet, but whatever it takes to spare myself the shame of not doing the job right and him going to someone else to get it finished.
