Another Victim - Cat Stolen Last Night

[danthemanx07]

Well. "I never though it would happen to me." I guess after lifting the 4runner, it was just too easy of a target. I was quite surprised this morning when I cranked it up, and pretty pissed when I looked under.

I must have read through 30 threads this morning about this same problem, so I think I have my plan of attack down to this:

Pick up a 2.5" od exhaust pipe and a 2.5" to 2" od connector and clamp it all in place for the time being.

Order a universal cat from ebay and a URD 02 simulator and try my hand at welding the new cat in come August.

I am studying for the bar this summer and really don't have the time right now to do much more than that. I would get it fixed, but best price I have gotten is $260 for a generic cat that is likely going to throw codes and will still have to be fixed with a simulator.

My big question is: will I do any damage to the engine running with no cat on to get to a parts store or two?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

No, you won't do any damage running without a cat, it may affect your fuel trim a bit, but that's it in terms of any "damage"

 

[danthemanx07]

No, you won't do any damage running without a cat, it may affect your fuel trim a bit, but that's it in terms of any "damage"

Thanks for the quick reply. I am glad to hear it. Haha... It will just sound like nascar is coming to town when I roll by...

 

[Climber]

Well same happened to me and while I'm not sure about the 98 my 99 has 2 o2 sensors. One before and one after the cat and while welding in a straight pipe was tempting I didn't want to risk damaging the second o2 sensor and I would have had a check engine light for sure. I just went down to my nearest auto parts store and picked up a generic cat for 90$ and bought some fittings and welded in that bad boy. That was 3 weeks ago and one 1400 mile round trip to colorado and no signs of damage and not check engine light, yet...

 

[danthemanx07]

Fixed!

Got it fixed!

It isn't pretty but it was cheap and easy. Here is what I used:

-2" OD exhaust pipe
-2" ID pipe connector
-2" OD to 2 1/4" OD pipe adapter
-3 - 2" clamps
-1 - 2 1/4" clamp

No more than $60 total.

It'll get me through until I can get the pipe welded in or until I decide to put a cat back in. I'll figure that one out down the road. Here it is:

 

[hrt4me]

where in NOLA did that happen?

I passed the LA bar back in 1997 and used to live Uptown and then out in River Ridge/Harahan...

 

[nissanh]

There are no smog emission tests in Louisiana, correct? If so, just weld a pipe.
Strange.... why some one will steal a cat in Louisiana. There is no demand for these in Louisiana! Check ebay, some one probably selling it on ebay and location should say LA. I have a CA emission truck in Louisiana and now I am WORRIED about my cat too!!!

 

[danthemanx07]

where in NOLA did that happen?

I passed the LA bar back in 1997 and used to live Uptown and then out in River Ridge/Harahan...

Nice. La bar is not joke. 3rd hardest in the country now.

Uptown Riverbend area, near intersection of St. Charles and Carrollton. You know New Orleans though, $3 million dollar houses with Section 8 2 blocks away...

There are no smog emission tests in Louisiana, correct? If so, just weld a pipe.
Strange.... why some one will steal a cat in Louisiana. There is no demand for these in Louisiana! Check ebay, some one probably selling it on ebay and location should say LA. I have a CA emission truck in Louisiana and now I am WORRIED about my cat too!!!

I have a pipe clamped in for now. I have a welder at my parent's place that should do the trick. I'll be trying my hand at that in August. From what I understand, the cat is worth maybe $50 at a local junk yard and Toyotas fetch the higher end of the value spectrum. I had never heard of it either until I started searching... Apparently it is/has been a big problem elsewhere for their scrap value.

 

[sportscarfan]

The cat might be worth more than that....recently I have spent some of my free time demolishing a lean-to shed against my garage and apparently over the years I had acquired 6 Honda/Acura stock cats. They are small (compared to the 4runner) and at SellYourCatsDirect.com I got $50ea for them. Shipping to PA is free. Small plug for the company since they make it so easy...

I've been meaning to weld on some armor under there to make it much more difficult to steal...probably will go up on the priority list since the 4runner will no longer have a garage spot next week.

 

[hrt4me]

Nice. La bar is not joke. 3rd hardest in the country now.

Uptown Riverbend area, near intersection of St. Charles and Carrollton. You know New Orleans though, $3 million dollar houses with Section 8 2 blocks away...

I lived on Jeannette Street at the dead end and only once had a window broken and stereo stolen from my sedan; then the week after I moved out to the end of Earhart Expy, some girl was kidnapped one night and raped right there on the dead end street.

The LA bar was a bit challenging for me because I had to learn many of the civil law concepts for the first time during the bar review course at Tulane, and so those were not really reviews for me; do they still hold the bar exam at the Superdome over the course of a week?

 

[danthemanx07]

The cat might be worth more than that....recently I have spent some of my free time demolishing a lean-to shed against my garage and apparently over the years I had acquired 6 Honda/Acura stock cats. They are small (compared to the 4runner) and at SellYourCatsDirect.com I got $50ea for them. Shipping to PA is free. Small plug for the company since they make it so easy...

I've been meaning to weld on some armor under there to make it much more difficult to steal...probably will go up on the priority list since the 4runner will no longer have a garage spot next week.

Man. That's easy as pie for the guys jacking them...

I lived on Jeannette Street at the dead end and only once had a window broken and stereo stolen from my sedan; then the week after I moved out to the end of Earhart Expy, some girl was kidnapped one night and raped right there on the dead end street.

The LA bar was a bit challenging for me because I had to learn many of the civil law concepts for the first time during the bar review course at Tulane, and so those were not really reviews for me; do they still hold the bar exam at the Superdome over the course of a week?

Sounds like New Orleans for sure man. I guess it is likely the same in other cities, but makes you wonder if there isn't something special going on in a state that has more people in jail than any other country in the world.

It is tough without that disadvantage. Kudos for passing as an non-civilian. The non-resident passage rate has gotten exceptionally low. Hell, even the resident rate has gotten exceptionally low. 40% this past February. :target: