Catalytic converter replacement

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by Alyx Castillo, Feb 8, 2022.

  1. Alyx Castillo

    Alyx Castillo New Member

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    Okay so my catalytic converter was stolen off of my 2014 Prius and I don’t exactly have $2000 to put down on a new one so I was wondering does the Prius necessarily have to have the heat recirculation system in order to be drivable? Like is there way I can bypass all of that and just install a catalytic converter with out the heat exchanger and just have the coolant recycling a different way?
     
  2. ASRDogman

    ASRDogman Senior Member

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    That helps to head up the coolant faster, which is supposed to make the engine more efficent.
    What converter would you put in there? Other than one for a Prius?

     
  3. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    The Exhaust Heat Recirculation System is a separate heat exchanger that is part of the Prius front pipe assembly, to the rear of both catalytic converters.

    [​IMG]

    From Toyota, the only thing you can buy is the total front pipe assembly, and then you'll have two brand new catalytic converters and one brand new EHRS and some beautiful long-lasting stainless steel pipe and a $2148.44 hole in your wallet.

    If you go to aftermarket exhaust suppliers (and you're not in a CARB state) you can probably just buy replacements for the catalytic converters, and have an exhaust shop fit them to what's left of the pipe.

    But if the thieves also damaged the EHRS exchanger (or took it with them, along with the catalytic converters), then your aftermarket shopping list might be harder to fulfill. Might end up just getting a length of heater hose and connecting the gozinta to the gozouta down where the thieves cut them off, and calling it a day.
     
  4. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    The exhaust gas preheater does more that just preheat the engine. It heats the entire climate control system. It replaces the thermos found in the Gen 2 Prius. Eliminating it will mean that the system will continually throw an error code and hunt for it.

    Unfortunately, the OP had either a stupid of uncaring thief who either destroyed or took the exhaust heat exchanger, too. A careful or professional thief would have taken the cat only.

    Unfortunately, an OEM replacement is the only option in this case. 655A1FC5-BD89-4DDA-BB89-EC12986D2959.jpg
     
  5. Alyx Castillo

    Alyx Castillo New Member

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    Yeah the theft literally took everything and left me with cut lines and coolant everywhere. What I was thinking was just to see if I could just put in some kind of filter to the lines and let it just cycle through that and put in a gen 2 cat is that possible? Or will that just make problems for the car? I just want a temp fix for the time being till I can get a more professional fix
     
  6. Georgina Rudkus

    Georgina Rudkus Senior Member

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    You could get one of these off of eBay;

    Catalytic Converter 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Toyota Prius 1.8L | eBay

    and run the exhaust to the muffler and loop the coolant lines. You will still get a coolant error.

    Some foreign market Gen 3 Prius models do not use the exhaust preheater. Don't know, if a Toyota dealer would reprogram your ECU for you to eliminate the preheater. It might be illegal in the US.

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