Cat Defender Gen 3 converter shield modified for Prius v.

I recently completed an install of the Cat Defender converter shield on my 2012 Prius v.

To clear the wider heat exchanger, I had to cut away a 4x3/4 inch strip of the shield at the rear passenger side shown in red in the photo.

Instead of using the supplied aluminum rivets and screws, I used the rivet nut method that Miller Cat specified. I further modified Miller Cat's method and used stainless neoprene sealing washers, instead of fender washers and split lock washers with M6x1.0x16mm T27 security Torx screws.

I filled the excess holes with epoxy glued on cut off aluminum large head rivets supplied with Cat Defender to fool would be thieves.

I did not install the rear shield.

 

Got to protect your assets from the "two legged vermin."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06HvMEVKdwg

It's like protecting your wiring from mice. Insurance is not always the answer.

 

They reduced the amount of precious metals in the Gen 4. The attached photo shows how large the Gen 4 cat is.

The Gen 3 is a lot easier to remove than the Gen 2, but as the supply of Gen 2 diminishes, they will go after the Gen 3 cats. Removing a Gen 3 cat requires four cuts in the correct places, and the thief will be sprayed with coolant from the heat exchanger, which can be boiling hot.


The piece with the greatest amount of precious metal is the one between the exhaust manifold and the rear oxygen sensor. They steal both on the Gen 2 and Gen 3, because they are really compact and easy to transport.

 

I checked out the price of a Prius v cat from Toyota. It is the most expensive of ALL Prius models, higher than all other Prius models.

2012-2017 Toyota Prius V Exhaust Pipe 17410-37553 | McGeorge Toyota Parts

2010-2015 Toyota Prius Exhaust Pipe 17410-37160 | McGeorge Toyota Parts

https://parts.mcgeorgetoyota.com/oem-parts/toyota-pipe-assembly-exhaust-1741037b70?c=Zz1leGhhdXN0JnM9Y2F0YWx5dGljLWNvbnZlcnRlciZsPTE5Jm49QXNzZW1ibGllcyBQYWdlJmE9dG95b3RhJm89cHJpdXMmeT0yMDE2JnQ9dGhyZWUmZT0xLThsLWw0LWVsZWN0cmljLWdhcw%3D%3D

I'm glad I added the shield and other protection methods.