Toyota 4-runner owners beware!

[loony1]

This morning i walked outside to my 98 4-runner and waved to my l.e.o. accross the street. I got in and started it up, and WOW, it was louder than my HD. Well, i got out and realized my catalytic converter was gone, looked like someone took a hot knife through butter. Anyway, after calling 7 different exaust companies, they all told me the same thing "yep the late model toyotas are hot right now". Anyway, anyone driving an older toyota pickup or 4-runner beware. Of course pic for obligatory..

 

[rmabrey]

This happened to someone else on here not to long ago. I believe they just clamped in a straight pipe since we don't have emissions testing in Indiana. Sorry to hear the dirtbags got yours

 

[vitamink]

Cat's are worth a lot of money, tundras have 2. Go to a muffler shop and weld in a straight pipe. You'll get better performance and lower exhaust temps.

 

[vitamink]

wow..same time

 

[loony1]

This happened to someone else on here not to long ago. I believe they just clamped in a straight pipe since we don't have emissions testing in Indiana. Sorry to hear the dirtbags got yours

lol, i wouldn't think of doing something like that...diy

 

[lawrra]

Cat's are worth a lot of money, tundras have 2. Go to a muffler shop and weld in a straight pipe. You'll get better performance and lower exhaust temps.

If I recall, that is illegal. If it had a cat from the factory it has to have one.

 

[Clif45]

It's common up here in Lake County, but unfortunately we DO have emissions testing so it would have to be replaced. Our plumber had all the cats cut off of his 3 vans in one night. A few other people have had them snatched that I know as well. There is a lot of precious metals inside them and they sell for a decent amount of money at the scrapyard. The problem is that its expensive for you to fix...

 

[rmabrey]

If I recall, that is illegal. If it had a cat from the factory it has to have one.

I think it is.

 

[ReSSurrected]

If I recall, that is illegal. If it had a cat from the factory it has to have one.

True. A muffler shop can be hit with a $50,000 per converter fine.

The "old" law said that as long as the shop was making an "improvement", it was legal. Under this law a shop could not legally cut out your converter and weld a pipe in, but if you brought it to them "already missing the converter", they would be "improving" the condition of the system by welding a pipe in for you.

It got to be such a problem that they finally rewrote the law to say that the exhaust system must meet the minimum legal standard, else face the fine.

 

[lawrra]

I think it is.

Yep.

Tampering is the removal, rendering inoperative, causing to be removed, or making less operative any motor vehicle emission control device, except for the purpose of motor vehicle disposal or salvage operations. Acts of tampering include removing a catalytic converter from a vehicle and installing a straight pipe, removing the inside of a catalytic converter ("cleaning" it out), removing an air pump or disabling an air pump by removing the air pump belt, or installing a non-standard thermostatic air cleaner. Under state law, it is illegal to sell, lease, rent, or operate a motor vehicle in a tampered condition. Individuals as well as car dealerships, muffler shops, and repair facilities are prohibited from tampering with a motor vehicle. The motor vehicle tampering program focuses upon reducing the amount of mobile source emissions that contribute to ozone formation.

Link: IDEM: Air Compliance Assistance

 

[rmabrey]

What i want to know is why are scrap yards still taking them?

 

[vitamink]

it is illegal, but in the same way that farting in an elevator is illegal. If you don't have emissions testing then there's no way to tell. To stay legit you should get one, but if you want to gain a little horsepower and save some money that's up to you. Do what you're big enough to get away with, just know if you get caught it's a fine and possibly a tow.

Most catalytic converters have platinum inside so crackheads turn a big profit for them. Any vehicle that is up off the ground is more likely to get hit.

 

[vitamink]

What i want to know is why are scrap yards still taking them?

And that's the million dollar question right there. Who the hell knows? Why will a scrapyard take aluminum siding and all the copper pipe that has obviously been removed by jethro with the cracky shakes? I've never been able to figure that out.

 

[loony1]

What i want to know is why are scrap yards still taking them?

and it is ironic that it is the same brand and model, WTF. Just like anything illegal, there will always be a middle man.

 

[lawrra]

it is illegal, but in the same way that farting in an elevator is illegal. If you don't have emissions testing then there's no way to tell. To stay legit you should get one, but if you want to gain a little horsepower and save some money that's up to you. Do what you're big enough to get away with, just know if you get caught it's a fine and possibly a tow.

Most catalytic converters have platinum inside so crackheads turn a big profit for them. Any vehicle that is up off the ground is more likely to get hit.

 

[Colt556]

What i want to know is why are scrap yards still taking them?

They have no markings so they are untraceable. Salvagers are "Supposed" to get ID from ppl selling cats, esp if they have a few of them, But the scrap yards are out to make a buck so they don't care. Get a Test Pipe and you're good to go. Last summer there was a rash of thefts from dealers lots here in Indy and Btown. They finally caught the guys I think. The media coverage pretty much told everyone how easy it was to do and how much they can get for them and the thefts increased! Go figure....

 

[woundedyak]

They tear the cat apart for the rhodium and platinum. Walk into a scrap yard with a few boxes of sorted metal. The dude behind the scale making 8.00 an hour is going to ask questions. Why Toyota and Mercedes still do it this way is beyond me

 

[tyler34]

get a carsound cat on ebay(they make magnaflow) for $60 and save $$$ over a muffler shop.

 

[6birds]

Both of my trucks are pretty tall (34's and 35's), so you can damn near walk under the truck to get them. Skidplates are your friend, and lucky for me, my cats are under the skidplates.

If you're going to keep the truck, you may want to look into an aftermarket exhaust and get a little more power out of the truck.

 

[SavageEagle]

My neighbor was working in Richmond, IN tearing down a factory that got shut down and unknowingly watched 3 guys steal 4 cats from one guy in broad daylight a couple weeks ago. He just figured they owned the trucks since it was DAY TIME.

These thieves are getting bold. Keep a sharp eye out and get a motion sensor light with a camera.