Should I get new Catalytic Converters? Need advice..

[sigepbiker]

Hope I'm not too late to help sway you, but I suggest as well starting with the O2 sensors. That's what I did to solve my CEL.

I posted somewhere on here the part numbers and then ordered them off Rockauto.com for ~$350.

I'll update this when I find that post.

EDIT: Found it - O2 Sensor part numbers

 

[andy2lock]

Hope I'm not too late to help sway you, but I suggest as well starting with the O2 sensors. That's what I did to solve my CEL.

I posted somewhere on here the part numbers and then ordered them off Rockauto.com for ~$350.

I'll update this when I find that post.

EDIT: Found it - O2 Sensor part numbers

Thank you very much for that!

Are these parts # the same for my toyota?
And if so, which type do you suggest i order, Walker / Denso / Airtex ?

 

[sigepbiker]

Nope. Sorry. You didn't say anywhere that you had a 2004 and the parts I listed are only for a 2005.

Here's a link to the 2004 O2 Sensors on Rockauto.com

 

[andy2lock]

Nope. Sorry. You didn't say anywhere that you had a 2004 and the parts I listed are only for a 2005.

Here's a link to the 2004 O2 Sensors on Rockauto.com

Great, thanks!
As far as brand goes, what is your advice?

 

[sigepbiker]

BOSCH or DENSO I know are good brands. I don't know much about NTK, but I feel like I've heard of them before.

I think most of Toyota parts are rebranded DENSO, so I bought DENSO when I replaced mined.

 

[andy2lock]

UPDATE 1 :

Hello again!
So I was able to purchase the 4 sensors and replace them at a local shop for a total of $450.

I was expecting an improvement in fuel economy, but now after using 1 tank in city, we are at 17.5 MPG..?

There hasn't been any check engine light on yet, so I am driving and waiting to see if the problem is resolved. Before replacing sensors, the check engine light would come on about 2 weeks after I reset the code.

Keeping fingers crossed.

 

[GeoffWillis]

My 2 Cents worth

I just picked my 4Runner yesterday from having the driver side Cat replaced (Timing belt and water pump as well). I had to do the passenger side last March, so I know those dreaded P0420 codes! The worst part is that (According to a tread on this site...) the traction control is disabled anytime the check engine light is on, so I wanted to address this and not put it off too long. I too agonized over just doing the O2 sensors and hoping that would suffice, but I am fortunate to have mechanics I really trust (They've maintained it for all 217,000 miles) and they said they've seen a lot of these go bad and to just fix it now. Mine is a V8, but they mentioned that the V6 is even worse.

I do however wonder about the price. I'm looking at my receipt now and each side cost about $1250, so your's seems rather high. Ultimately I chose to do the cats vs O2 sensor because its my daily driver, and I need it to be reliable, and I'm somewhat compulsive about caring for my vehicle. That, and I didn't want to have to send it back to the shop if replacing the O2 sensors didn't work. For what its worth, be prepared for a shock should you ever need a master cylinder, the part alone was over $2900!
Good luck,
Geoff

 

[RedSled]

$2900.00 American?

 

[Atlanta_man]

there's a thread from a few days ago that describes a way to do the MC for $500
(cuts the dealer out of the loop)

 

[andy2lock]

I just picked my 4Runner yesterday from having the driver side Cat replaced (Timing belt and water pump as well). I had to do the passenger side last March, so I know those dreaded P0420 codes! The worst part is that (According to a tread on this site...) the traction control is disabled anytime the check engine light is on, so I wanted to address this and not put it off too long. I too agonized over just doing the O2 sensors and hoping that would suffice, but I am fortunate to have mechanics I really trust (They've maintained it for all 217,000 miles) and they said they've seen a lot of these go bad and to just fix it now. Mine is a V8, but they mentioned that the V6 is even worse.

I do however wonder about the price. I'm looking at my receipt now and each side cost about $1250, so your's seems rather high. Ultimately I chose to do the cats vs O2 sensor because its my daily driver, and I need it to be reliable, and I'm somewhat compulsive about caring for my vehicle. That, and I didn't want to have to send it back to the shop if replacing the O2 sensors didn't work. For what its worth, be prepared for a shock should you ever need a master cylinder, the part alone was over $2900!
Good luck,
Geoff

Yeah the traction control light is currently on, so the VSC is off in our 4runner at the moment.

Did you replace 2 cat parts on each side? (4 parts total for the catalytic converter)

 

[zonianbrat]

I have the 0420 code in currently but I have a bluetooth code reader that allows me to reset the cel if I so chose. I generally do not because with vsc and trac off I can have fun in the snow and mud. I reset the code with my phone if I am ever on the highway or in slick conditions with the kids in the vehicle. Wish you could just do this but you live in Cali.

Geoffwillis--I too was quoted the 2900 dollars for the MC assembly!! I literally told the lady at the shop that she must be smoking crack if she thinks I would ever pay that much for a "part" on a 2004 model vehicle. She was offended by my remark. I then proceeded to tell her I could have the entire engine rebuilt and re-installed for that much! She then said not here you could'nt. I let her know very sternly how stupid she sounded and asked her if her husband had to tie her shoes every morning. Probably a good thing I lived close to their shop cause I quickly got over there and picked up the 4 runner before they could do anything to it. Sorry for the rant but that shop irritated me more than once. Anyway I found a guy who got me a used unit with a year long warranty on it for 600 dollars to my door. Then paid a better shop to install it since I didnt have the tech-scan tool thingy to properly bleed the system.