Hello All,

I have a 92 4runner, and I climb in and start it and it sounds like, well, awful.
And I look underneath it and I see the Catalytic converter is gone, sawed off from either end. I have read about the Oxygen sensors being taken along with the converter, and I don't know if that is the case here.

I know not to go to a Toyota dealer, and there are a couple good muffler shops in the area (NOT Midas or Meinenke), that have gotten a lot of good customer comments.

What am I looking at in the way of repair costs? What should I expect at the shop? And should I get one of those catclamps so this doesn't happen again?

I forgot to add that I live in the Phoenix Metro area where we have emissions testing and the converter is required.

Thank you

 

Wow...that is the first time I've ever heard of someone stealing a cat off a truck. Emissions control must be pretty strict down there eh? Not that it isn't up here but, that sort of crime isn't heard of lol. I could tell you how much it would cost up here but that won't mean anything for you in your location. Good luck with getting her fixed up.

 

Happens all the time in Vancouver, BC. To a determined thief with tools, I dont think there is much you can really do. Older toyotas are specifically targeted in Vancouver as well.

 

Happens all the time here to. Cranksters sell the cats to recyclers . They hit trucks most because the cats are easy to get to. They use battery powerd sawsalls.

 

I wonder if your insurance might be able to help? Probably not.

Its not uncommon at all unfortunately with the exotic (read:expensive) metals in the converters. Stock converters are more sought after than the aftermarket but tweekers will steal anything so no one is safe.

 

Unfortunately the deductible on the 4Rnr is $1000, both for comp and collision. I raised it because of the age and mileage (198K).

And I think the Ins Co would raise my rates if I file a claim, so it would pretty much be a wash in the long run.

After poking around on the web I am thinking that the repair could go as high as $1500, if they got the Oxygen sensors too. But if I go with (how do you say it?) an aftermarket(?) converter it may be a lot less.

That is why I initially wondered if anyone knew what something like this would cost.

Thank you, all of you for reading my post(s).

 

look here if you have the 3.0, they seem to have some reasonable rates
http://www.discountcatalyticconverte...nts=partfinder

Here's the link for the 2.4
http://www.discountcatalyticconverte...nts=partfinder

This was just a quick google search, I'm not sure how much you're looking at for labor, or how much the O2 sensor will cost, but here's a good starting point. Good luck man, hope it all works out for ya. and yes, Aftermarket is the correct term for anything that isn't OE.

 

I always buy the $60 Magnaflow ones off eBay. Should be fine anywhere but California

 

that happens here in washington alot its the tweakers selling them, they stole my neighbors while at the mall. magnaflow are priced ok and I have had no trouble with them.

 

go to summit racing they have a couple pages of cheap converters and O2 sensors, you could probably get both the O2 sensor and the converter for around $80. but if you arent going to do it yourself then a muffler shop would but i doubt the dealership will put it in.

 

Thats crazy! Sorry for your loss. Never heard of that around where I live but i know a lot of catalytic converters have some valuable metal in them to sell.

 

probably sum crakhed that needed sum money 4 christmas .hope he choked on the dust.

 

Well that's just crap! I'm glad I can keep mine in my garage.

 

when toyota had there recall on the tacomas people would go out and steal the converters off of them. so its pretty common where i live. there worth anywhere form $300 to $500....

 

This happened to my 92 a year or so back. I just bought a universal high flow cat and a 2 foot piece of pipe and clamped it back together. Prolly spent about $120 doing all the work my self.

 

bump an old thread.....pissed, fishing for 3 hours (and limited out on pinks, thank you....) got back to my taco and in the first 1 second of firing it up I immediately realized my cat was stolen.... RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!! oh crap!!!!!!!

I hate tweakers, hopefully carma will take care of 'em one day... drove home sounding like a d-bag for 37 miles.... had a mustang convinced I was trying to race him.... sorry dude, just missing some exhaust components.....

oh, and of course it was 7 pm on a sunday, no auto parts open.... good thing they at least did a clean job of stealing my crap, no damage, took bolts and left gaskets, clean procedure; obviously knew what they were after and how to snag it quick/clean.... dude, I'll give you $20 to not steal my $200 converter, seriously.... tweakers kill me...... go buy some bud light or some gold paint instead......

guess I will armor my cat to discourage platimum/silver junky turds....... or just carry a spare straight pipe that fits.....

 

Someone got the one off my '93 pickup before I bought it, a few weeks ago. I am looking here: http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/se...verter&submit= Cheap on the oldies....

That's about as low as stealin' someone's tools!! LOW. No sympathy for ppl like that. Too bad it was the Taco - probably a lot more $. Maybe there's a way to put a shield over the damn thing, like a heat shield?
Good luck....

 

Cat recyclers are paying $50 for good factory cats here. I have a glasspack where my cat used to be...

 

yeah, thieves can sure ruin your day... just wish I could catch 'em in the act and beat them to death with the cat converter itself, that would be too funny!

new cat or pipe??? think I will just eat it and buy the cheapest one I can find

 

Almost got mine stolen last week too. The only thing that stopped them was my rusted and rounded bolt heads. I'm surprised they didn't just cut it off, but then again, I park right by my brother's bedroom window, so maybe they didn't want to take a chance.

I'm paranoid now!

I'm seriously thinking about having a straight pipe made, and bolting it in place until it's time for a smog, then putting the cat back on there just for smogging. That way, they won't have anything to steal.