Angry

[Rolling_Thunder]

well...     came out from class tonight and started up my truck...      hmmm   exhaust is a little loud -  someone ended up stealing my Cat converter...      I know this has been a problem in most areas but jeez...    take my Cat with 140,000 miles one it...     probably was on its way out anyway.   Still frustrating - kind of humorous that it would be the scum of the earth stealing crap from a College parking lot...       oh well...    guess im off to the dealership tomorrow.

[A383Wing]

yea..happens up here as well....just go aftermarket..way cheaper than dealer

think Magnaflow

[Brock Samson]

much easier to get 'em out from under a truck i hear...   sucks!

[RallyeMike]

Bummer. It's happened to a lot of people I work with. Of course many are big macho construction guys with trucks ..... (easy targets). 15 seconds with cordless Sawzall and the cat is gone.

[learical1]

yea..happens up here as well....just go aftermarket..way cheaper than dealer

think Magnaflow

In California, where Rolling Thunder lives, aftermarket converters must be "CARB" approved to be used.  Many aftermarket converter companies don't have enough volume in sales to warrant paying for the test, so they don't offer the products in California.  It is also against California law to install used converters on cars, so your only choice is usually the dealership.  Unless you want to drive to a neighboring state, pick up the aftermarket converter and risk the $25,000 fine.  I don't know what would happen if you were able to get the vehicle out of state and get the converter installed in say Nevada.  Chances are you'll fail the next prostate exam emissions test.

[skip68]

Yeah that does suck

[xpbprox]

Leeave it like that! Sounds wicked awesome. I had a buddy who took it cat off and replaced it with a bolt in section of pipe, it looked stock so the smog place let him pass. Or you can so it how I did it last time, gave the guy some extra cash...

[Rolling_Thunder]

well Magnaflow makes a CARB legal direct fit unit for a nice $600...     so yeah...      I am going to a dealership in the morning to see their price...      The truck uses 3 cats all together...    not a major thing but I do need it here in CA...    I can't think of a way of preventing it down the road...   the only thing I can think of is welding it in...    but a sawzall would still get it out...  but I would feel better about it at least...    I'll update tomorrow   

[tan top]

aww man sorry to hear this !!  , thats low !! steeling a use cat

[Charger-Bodie]

well Magnaflow makes a CARB legal direct fit unit for a nice $600...     so yeah...      I am going to a dealership in the morning to see their price...      The truck uses 3 cats all together...    not a major thing but I do need it here in CA...    I can't think of a way of preventing it down the road...   the only thing I can think of is welding it in...    but a sawzall would still get it out...  but I would feel better about it at least...    I'll update tomorrow   

Can a skid plate be installed in that area to detur the thieves from the extra work.

[Rolling_Thunder]

well Magnaflow makes a CARB legal direct fit unit for a nice $600...     so yeah...      I am going to a dealership in the morning to see their price...      The truck uses 3 cats all together...    not a major thing but I do need it here in CA...    I can't think of a way of preventing it down the road...   the only thing I can think of is welding it in...    but a sawzall would still get it out...  but I would feel better about it at least...    I'll update tomorrow   

Can a skid plate be installed in that area to detur the thieves from the extra work.

I'm looking into that right now - I just got a quote for a new replacement Cat...     $903.33 - and since I live here in CA it is pretty much a dealer only thing...     Magnaflow makes a replacement but its MSRP is $1,016.00...       So I guess I'll be going through my insurance on this one and installing a steel plate or something to help prevent it from happening again. 

[Old Moparz]

What about getting a used one from a junkyard?   

I remember buying $5 mufflers for $100 cars years ago.

[xpbprox]

What about getting a used one from a junkyard?   

I remember buying $5 mufflers for $100 cars years ago.

That illegal here in California, the cat has to be new and come with some sort of certification.

[Old Moparz]

What about getting a used one from a junkyard?   

I remember buying $5 mufflers for $100 cars years ago.

That illegal here in California, the cat has to be new and come with some sort of certification.

Didn't know that, thanks.   

[twodko]

Its been a problem here in NorCal as well. There are options though. I should also mention that NO smog station can let any vehicle "pass" on their say so. Whether its a "test only" station or a full smog test station, the DMV gets only what emissions information the smog machine sends to Sacto........pass or fail.
I've got a 97 half ton 2wd Chebby pickup, v-6 auto. The cat wasn't stolen but the OEM was toast inside. I took the truck to a Johnny Franklin exhaust shop and they replaced the cat with a CARB approved direct replacement unit for my truck. RR plus the cat was a bit over $250. Check around because there are state licensed exhaust shops that install Ca. CARB approved cats for way less than a dealer. My 97 with a v-6 so maybe worked in my favor as to replacement cost. 

[nvrbdn]

it would be cheaper to find the thief and throw him a hundred bucks and get the one back he stole i think if those are the rules in replacing them, then it should be illegal to posess or sell to scrap a used one with out a license.

[Charger_Dart]

it would be cheaper to find the thief and throw him a hundred bucks and get the one back he stole i think if those are the rules in replacing them, then it should be illegal to posess or sell to scrap a used one with out a license.

Well Said 

[xpbprox]

it would be cheaper to find the thief and throw him a hundred bucks and get the one back he stole i think if those are the rules in replacing them, then it should be illegal to posess or sell to scrap a used one with out a license.

It is illegal but the regulation isn't there to regulate. I think they mostly take them so they can recycle the precious metal inside of them not to redistribute them through junk yards and such

[Rolling_Thunder]

that is exactly what they do - sell it for the precious metal...      the problem is the whole CARB approved deal - I have called around to most exhaust shops and they can't replace it due to the truck being too new...      everyone reports me to the dealer...     I can find 49 state legal replacements all over for like $150...    cheapest CARB approved one is the Dealer's $900+  ---   how can CA have CARB and still be in a budget crisis ?  haha                    I'll just have to bite the bullet and but it from the dealer...     no smog problems, no headaches except the bill...     

[Old Moparz]

that is exactly what they do - sell it for the precious metal...      the problem is the whole CARB approved deal - I have called around to most exhaust shops and they can't replace it due to the truck being too new...      everyone reports me to the dealer...     I can find 49 state legal replacements all over for like $150...    cheapest CARB approved one is the Dealer's $900+  ---   how can CA have CARB and still be in a budget crisis ?  haha                    I'll just have to bite the bullet and but it from the dealer...     no smog problems, no headaches except the bill...     

$900?  Ouch!   

After losing the 1st one to a thief I'd be looking for a way to protect the replacement.

[Tilar]

What about getting a used one from a junkyard?   

I remember buying $5 mufflers for $100 cars years ago.

That illegal here in California, the cat has to be new and come with some sort of certification.

Didn't know that, thanks.   

The state of Californication is stealing them and selling them for $100 and making you buy new ones.   

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Ebay?

[bobs66440]

well...     came out from class tonight and started up my truck...      hmmm   exhaust is a little loud -  someone ended up stealing my Cat converter...      I know this has been a problem in most areas but jeez...    take my Cat with 140,000 miles one it...     probably was on its way out anyway.   Still frustrating - kind of humorous that it would be the scum of the earth stealing crap from a College parking lot...       oh well...    guess im off to the dealership tomorrow.

A good reason to lower the car 

[Brock Samson]

you didn't read the post.. 

[A383Wing]

basically, Rolling Thunder is screwed...he has to have California Carb certified cat...Magnaflow sells those as well...a bit more than the other 49 state ones...

I'm emission certified up here...we gotta go through the same thing...if car is a CA car...then it has to have a Carb cat....otherwise it will fail

Ebay, junkyards and private people cannot sell cats...it's against Federal Law and subject to a $10,000 fine or more

and he has to have that cat converter in there..otherwise it will set a code and it will turn on check engine light and then no fuel control for engine

be careful if you put a protective plate under there to stop this from happening again....the cat has to have "breathing" space to keep cool..I have seen cars interior catch on fire because of cat getting too hot and not able to cool

Bryan

[Brock Samson]

 A "Cat" started a brushfire here recently, no word on if the owner had to pay for the Firefighters, but these days it's not uncommon. 

[Dans 68]

Two of my neighbors had their converters stolen from their trucks early one morning last year. Only takes a few minutes with a tube cutter. Those thieves are the lowest form of life....

Dan

[xpbprox]

Two of my neighbors had their converters stolen from their trucks early one morning last year. Only takes a few minutes with a tube cutter. Those thieves are the lowest form of life....

Dan

Yup, they sure are! I always park my truck behiend a locked gate when I park it at home. The door have already been pryed out by someone trying to steal it.

[Rolling_Thunder]

yep - I ordered the part and waiting for it to show up...       CA is such a royal PITA. I am so moving to AZ when I graduate  haha   or wherever else the military sends me...       There is plenty of room under the truck for cooling the cat...     just need to figure out how to make a huge plate to cage it...        Part should be here tomorrow and I'll figure it out then. I plan on welding it in and then covering it.   They make belly pans but none of them extend far enough to cover the whole Cat - so someone could easily cut the pipe down past the cat...      I'll figure something out though...     ain''t going to let assholes win again.

[bobs66440]

It's pretty sad that you even have to go through all that...

[BigBlackDodge]

There should be some sort of serial numbers (on the inside and out) on the cats that tie back to VIN's. A Police report would then record these numbers and keep a log of what's been stolen. The salvage yards would then run the numbers in a computer to see if they're stolen before handing out the cash to these scumballs....or have some sort of grace period while things check out.




BBD

[Kern Dog]

In 2008 when gas prices soared past $ 4.50 here in CA, there were stories of asswipes drilling holes in gas tanks to drain and steal fuel. GREAT ! Cause hundreds of dollars of damage for $50 worth of fuel.

[Rolling_Thunder]

yep -  I would think that if simple legislation was passed that Cats will not have a cash value at recycling centers it would solve anything...    why steal something you can't get paid for ?   The precious metal inside is valuable but if the problem is that big then legislation should come into effect.   Then just penalize and fine any yard found to be accepting cats (impose some staggering $100,000 fine or something) - stop taxing honest people and start being more firm on criminals...     They tell you to etch your VIN into a cat no a days...    but still...    doesnt keep it from getting stolen.

But then again - who am I ?   I'm just someone who has to pay more money when the government does nothing...     

[TK73]

One flaw... can get money outta honest people, can't get it outta criminals...

[PocketThunder]

Can you weld a couple pieces of chain to the cat and the frame of the truck?  Then the exhaust can still vibrate and the thieves cant just pull it off in seconds, they would have to cut thru the chain also.   

[Charger-Bodie]

Can you weld a couple pieces of chain to the cat and the frame of the truck?  Then the exhaust can still vibrate and the thieves cant just pull it off in seconds, they would have to cut thru the chain also.   

Thats actually a pretty good idea. If aanyone has ever tried to sawzall something that will vibrate instead of cut, Its no fun.

[Rolling_Thunder]

My idea exactly...      That chain will make some noise rattling around under there hahah   

[A383Wing]

chain will also rattle while driving also....

[Old Moparz]

chain will also rattle while driving also....

Maybe the vibration caused by slack in the chain can be eliminated by adding a spring.

[Rolling_Thunder]

I just got some rubber hose and wrapped it around the chain...    not even noticeable     

[Old Moparz]

I just got some rubber hose and wrapped it around the chain...    not even noticeable     

I'd be concerned that the exhaust heat would transfer to the chain, then melt the rubber hose. 

[xpbprox]

I just got some rubber hose and wrapped it around the chain...    not even noticeable     

I'd be concerned that the exhaust heat would transfer to the chain, then melt the rubber hose. 

I don't think it would mess with it too bad. People run the CCV in to the exhaust right at the headers with rubber hose, and it seems fine

[mpdlawdog]

20 cars at a local car lot got hit the other night...you would think the fuc sticks at the scrap yard would realise what they are doing and stop buying them.  Its clear to me that if someone brings in 15 cats they didnt get them legally.   

[HANDM]

Around here, you need to have a cat attached to a car to scrap it, the dude at the yard said I could just throw any cats into the back seat of any car and then scrap them with the car even if the scrapped vehicle didn't come with any.... 

Seems like they are trying to eliminate the lure, but not all that hard

[A383Wing]

up here, scrap yards cannot buy or sell used cats....against federal law....only state assigned places can take the cats that we replace at our shop..and all have to have proper paperwork filled out for each cat