I posted that on the Prius Techical Stuff Yahoo group, but I'll post here too - reply wherever you like... I just bought a salvaged cat converter - the whole 9 yards of it (almost). This web site that I found thanks to the forum members here has good photos of it: http://www.artsauto motive.com/ PriusConverter. htm Not sure what that aftermarket conversion would cost, but I figure it will not be less than $200 since I can't weld it myself and a shop would need to do it. My part comes at $350 in supposedly good condition and low miles (under 30K) with the downstream sensor included. Of course, shipping for this 6 foot monster is another $100 to where I live and the Toyota OEM gaskets and nuts/bolts I anticipate I will need will add another $30 or so at least. Any "gotchas" when swapping the thing on my '02 Prius? Any other thoughts? Not sure how I did on price, but my goal was to get the whole thing in one piece (not have to weld and fit will be 100% OK), and have another up to 100K miles life left in it... Will post some photos when the part is delivered and as I do the swap. Having recently had to remove and reinstall the entire exhaust from my 120K miles '00 Camry (in order to replace a failed auto transmission) I have a good idea of what to expect in terms of rust and hard to get off nuts - The exhaust on my 120K miler '02 Prius looks in somewhat worse shape but that should not matter as the whole thing is coming off the car - all it should matter is to be able to remove the front two (or three?) bolts with springs that hold it to the exhaust manifold without having to drill them out ...
About recycling the old converter Another question - does anyone have information on how to recycle the original cat converter? The person who is selling me the salvaged one says that the inside of the converter can be sold for recycling for about as much as I paid for the entire part. I guess it is easier for him to ship it to me than to dismantle it if what he says is true about the price of these on the recycling market... Do these recyclers buy from private parties like myself? Do I need to take out and send them only the converter insides? What would they pay for it? Thanks! EDIT -----> Well, a brief internet search reveals that I should expect $40-$80 dollars for the cat converter from recyclers who buy them. At least that's what I saw listed on some of their web sites and what thieves seem to be getting for their stolen converters according to the LA Times - Not much but will cover the non-reusable parts I would need (gaskets and bolts/nuts/springs)... If anyone thinks I can do better than say $50, let me know...
How did this go? Any problems- did the vacuum thing work ok? Would you do it over again this way if you could go back in time? Thanks, Joe
Here is the writeup: Toyota Prius Catalytic Converter and Muffler - Exhaust Replacement for DTC Code P0420 Photo Gallery by Mihail Popov at pbase.com Still working, now I'm at close to 160K miles on the car. Unfortunately, the car is apparentl.y very sensitive - when I have my car rack on top and a kayak or two on it, I still get the P0420 on the highway. If I remove the rack, apparently the aerodynamics of the car is so much better that I do not get the code. I'm just living with it now - no point in trying to 100% fix that as long as it works fine without the rack. Before I did the replacement, I was getting the code even without the rack....
Thanks for the update. It sounds like the aftermarket catalytic converter will do an acceptable job except when the engine is under heavy load and emitting a larger flow of exhaust gases.
How about a solution like this: Catalytic Converters - Auto Parts Warehouse which is a link to a catconv that claims to be an exact fit with no cutting or welding. which is BS, right? It the original is a one-piece, ten feet long, how could any replacement claim "no cutting"? I guess the big question here is how to put a new $#$%^&ing muffler on these weird little cars for less than a grand. I know, a catconv is not a muffler, but read between the lines here... this maintenance should not cost this much!!
