Catalytic Converter question

[Brent]

Alright, my car is a 1993 Celica GT with over 160,000 miles on it. Never has had a catalytic converter replacement. When I got it inspected last year it failed each time, even after having a clean oil change and tune up and using some fuel cleaner stuff. Each time it was because of the Hydro Carbons being to high I believe.

Now, it is time to get another inspection here in March, so, will replacing the Catalytic Converter fix this problem? Should I just go ahead and do it anyway? And what about the muffler or tail pipe?

Also, how much do you think the part and labor would be for something like this? Is Midas Muffler a good place to take it to to get done?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

[blebs]

Personally Brent, I'd steer well clear of Midas and perhaps choose another local Mom and Pop shop to do the job. I may be mistaken, but I think your cat convert. will have to be replaced with OEM and it's an expensive booger. I'd say call around or drive around and get some estimates. I couldn't even guess and be ball park accurate.

[fastchevy]

Very well could be the converter, but as always it could be a combination of variables..probably the largest culprit (not including the converter) is the oxygen sensor. I'd do the converter though, more than likely that IS the problem since it's main purpose is to reduce nitrous oxides into nitrogen and oxygen (water) which is why many exhaust parts rust from the inside out.

[UnitedWeStand]

Originally posted by Brent
Alright, my car is a 1993 Celica GT with over 160,000 miles on it. Never has had a catalytic converter replacement. When I got it inspected last year it failed each time, even after having a clean oil change and tune up and using some fuel cleaner stuff. Each time it was because of the Hydro Carbons being to high I believe.

Now, it is time to get another inspection here in March, so, will replacing the Catalytic Converter fix this problem? Should I just go ahead and do it anyway? And what about the muffler or tail pipe?

Also, how much do you think the part and labor would be for something like this? Is Midas Muffler a good place to take it to to get done?

Thanks for any help you can provide.

93 Celica...? whats wrong with getting a newer car brent?
I'm not gonna steer you wrong though.
Catalytic Convertor costs vary from 100$ to 300$ labor at Midas is reletively cheap, I only deal with them people.. Tuffy, Discount, and Quality as well as Pep boys have screwed over a few of my associates on several occasions. the labor usually won't be more than a 100$.
200-400 dollars total.
Thats nearly the cost of 6 mo of car insurance.
But think of it on the bright side.. you gotta put a bandaid on this one to keep it going, but that Toyota will keep going and going and going and going.

Good Luck

[ghost]

It is against federal law to remove any emissions-related device on a motor vehicle if it is operating properly, even if your intention is to replace it with the same part. It has to fail first and most shops won't touch the emissions equipment if there's no reason to, especially national chain shops.

Now, that said, you said that it failed last year. How did it eventually pass? How do they handle that where you live? Pay a fine? Fix it until it passes?

There could be many different reasons for excessive hydrocarbons (a.k.a., unburned fuel passing into the exhaust system), including a bad ignition system, faulty EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system and an old, non-functional catalytic converter.

[Brent]

Originally posted by blebs99
Personally Brent, I'd steer well clear of Midas and perhaps choose another local Mom and Pop shop to do the job. I may be mistaken, but I think your cat convert. will have to be replaced with OEM and it's an expensive booger. I'd say call around or drive around and get some estimates. I couldn't even guess and be ball park accurate.

hrm, ok thanks

I'll prolly call Midas first and get a quote on the parts and labor, then do my shopping and get quotes from other places.

[Brent]

Originally posted by fastchevy
Very well could be the converter, but as always it could be a combination of variables..probably the largest culprit (not including the converter) is the oxygen sensor. I'd do the converter though, more than likely that IS the problem since it's main purpose is to reduce nitrous oxides into nitrogen and oxygen (water) which is why many exhaust parts rust from the inside out.

i heard about replacing the oxygen sensor, how expensive is that usually?

[Brent]

Originally posted by UnitedWeStand
93 Celica...? whats wrong with getting a newer car brent?
I'm not gonna steer you wrong though.
Catalytic Convertor costs vary from 100$ to 300$ labor at Midas is reletively cheap, I only deal with them people.. Tuffy, Discount, and Quality as well as Pep boys have screwed over a few of my associates on several occasions. the labor usually won't be more than a 100$.
200-400 dollars total.
Thats nearly the cost of 6 mo of car insurance.
But think of it on the bright side.. you gotta put a bandaid on this one to keep it going, but that Toyota will keep going and going and going and going.

Good Luck

whats wrong with getting a newer car?

A little something called money and not having enough of it

yeah, thats one think i like about my car, really low maintance, it lasts a long time, just gotta do the regular stuff, of course it does have a lot of miles on it, but if you keep these things in check it'll go well over 200,000 miles

[Brent]

Originally posted by ghost
It is against federal law to remove any emissions-related device on a motor vehicle if it is operating properly, even if your intention is to replace it with the same part. It has to fail first and most shops won't touch the emissions equipment if there's no reason to, especially national chain shops.

Now, that said, you said that it failed last year. How did it eventually pass? How do they handle that where you live? Pay a fine? Fix it until it passes?

There could be many different reasons for excessive hydrocarbons (a.k.a., unburned fuel passing into the exhaust system), including a bad ignition system, faulty EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) system and an old, non-functional catalytic converter.

I'm pretty sure mine is clogged up though, but if I take it somewhere can't they tell me that, if it needs to be replaced? If they don't replace it I can always try somewhere else i guess.

How did I pass inspection last year? My wonderful step-brother, who can do inspections and figured out to get it goin really hot revin high and basically work it so that it passed on the test equipment, don't ask for details, i really don't know that much about it, only that he got it to pass when 3 other places failed it. But it will be a year in March, and time for another Inspection, and I know it won't pass.

So if I need a new catalytic converter, I wanna get it, I want the car to last.

[blebs]

I don't know if it's just the Midas shops around here, but they try to replace things that don't even need replacing. Virtually installing a brand new everything when brand new everything wasn't needed.

[TonyT]

Take it to a shop and have em do a diagnostiic on their computer, it will scan the car and tell exactly what's wrong with emissions.

[RoundEye]

If it needs replacing get an aftermarket high-flow design, it won't do much for performance in your case, but they are usually a lot cheaper then OEM cats.

Usually if they are clogged up, you will either get an exhaust leak or you will have poor acceleration. Go to the interstate and when you are merging onto the highway, stomp it, if the car pulls nice and hard to redline in first and second gear more then likely the cat is flowing properly and the problem is someplace else.

I think Autozone will do a free computer scan for you and a lot of times emission problems will generate a code.

[TonyT]

You could also try this:
1. fill the gas tank.
2. add a 16 - 32 oz bottle of rubbing alcohol.

That's the 'secret ingrediant' in that stuff they sell that's supposed to guarantee emission passed.

[poptom]

You really need to have a proper diagnostic done. There are just too many things that can cause such a problem. I think the excessive hydrocarbons may have ruined the converter.

A quote from Midas means nothing. It's when they get under the car and wiggle things and squeeze the exhaust pipe wth pliers and who knows what that the cost will go through the roof.

--Tom

[fastchevy]

Yeah that can do a simple 2 minute test to see if it's clogged. It's a backpressure test. The will drill a very small hole right before the coverter and connect a gauge to it. This gauge will determine the amount of backpressure there is in your exhaust. Then they will drill another small hole after the cat to make sure the bottleneck isn't on down..say in the muffler. Then they just spot weld the tiny hole back up.