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My CAT got stolen last week...stupid jerks...

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by 2GenPrius, Feb 15, 2021.

  1. 2GenPrius

    2GenPrius Member

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    I can attest to removal of the cat only took them about 3 minutes. Interestingly enough, I got video footage of the vehicles and perps involved, I turned those into law enforcement to do their thing. I hope they nail the mofos, I am out $500 due to deductible. I can't share any details about them or their vehicles until the 5-0 does their thing competently.

    I've been reading threads about the aftermarket Canadian cats...how some of them might not meet visual inspection, yet also how they are also not as emission efficient as the original...yet can someone here with miles on one in California shed some light for me? I really really need something, I really dont have the money for the deductible right now. Got wiped out early this year, and the stimulus wont come fast enough before not driving my car will kill it.

    Thanks all.
     
  2. alftoy

    alftoy Senior Member

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  3. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    Well you can drive the car without a cat in a pinch.
    Depending on how neat the perps were when they excised YOUR cat, you can easily fit a temporary pipe in the gap (secure the o2 wires that are probably dangling) or even use a down-turned tip and point the exhaust down away from the heat shield....and of course since there IS a heat shield you can just drive the car sans muffler.

    The Check Engine Light will stay illuminated but it will NOT hurt the car.
    TRUST ME
    People in states that don't have smog take their cats out all the time.....sometimes even before they fail.
    There are even ways to eliminate the CEL, but I do not recommend you go down that road.
    It's not an ecologically sound thing to do long term.

    Good Luck!
     
  4. 2GenPrius

    2GenPrius Member

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    Yes, I know there are recent threads, I've seen them.

    My question was posed for those that have been driving with those aftermarket cats with lots of miles now...and to see if they encounter any issues at all.


    Thanks. I read that if you don't take out the clipped wires (its just a socket from under passenger side carpet), it can short and damage the ECU, leading to more problems. I did limp/drive the car to the nearest insurance inspection place to me, and it was hell because smaller cars rely on the exhaust backpressure to move the car forward at lower gears/speed.
     
  5. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    ^ That's why you will want to graft a straight pipe into your exhaust system if it's going to be more than a few days driving sans muffler.

    @ECU....
    I'm a little curious about this.
    Short to what?
    From what?

    I mention this because not being a California resident, I've never seen a cat theft in real life, but I AM an electronics tech in real life.

    So.....I'm thinking that if there are two wires going to the O2 Sensor (according to what I'm reading...and again....I've never looked) then one is going to be a ground wire maybe running through a biasing resistor, and the other is going to be a sense wire, probably diode protected......
    BUT here's the thing.......O2 sensors are voltage GENERATORS.
    Basically, they're an electrochemical cell.....producing probably under a volt throughout their range of measurement.
    I'm thinking that....given the location of the wires, and their function it would be criminally stupid if "shorting them to ground" would zorch the ECM.

    I'm thinking instead that shorting those wires to ground may instead lead to more air pollution, but only because power boats are not regulated for air quality as stringently as private automobiles are....even out on the left coast.

    Easy way to tell in real life would be to take a multimeter and see what's really going on with those wires when the car is booted up and the engine is running.... ;)

    It would be a shame to get ripped off by cat thieves and then again at the dealership.....
     
  6. 2GenPrius

    2GenPrius Member

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    I already ordered a Canadian cat, decided that I'm selling as-is once its on there for someone to drive it out of California at that point. I just can't leave it. I'm also slightly curious about the emissions standards and if the MPGs will improve. My car did burn oil, so curious to see if the MPGs will climb up with an unrestricted cat. If that's true, maybe some food for thought for those in Sacto.

    For the o2 Sensor, I am not entirely sure as I read that comment on one of the other threads, yet I do know there is a warming component (mini heater) for two of the wires, while the other two wires are actually measuring the sensor readout.

    I'm not trying to knock anyone yet actually knowing vs. speculating is very important. I was reaching out to see if anyone has a CA car and went generic for miles and it didn't affect anything. I did order an OEM O2 for a pretty good discount, so at least there is that.
     
  7. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Ug...Our daughter has our 2010 liftback in Minneapolis, MN. She is a senior at the University of Minnesota and needs the car for her internship. Previously she got by without a vehicle during the school year. Unfortunately, she has to park on the street. Needless to say, I'm a bit worried about the cat getting stolen. :eek:
     
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  8. 2GenPrius

    2GenPrius Member

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    Take the car for a visit to a muffler shop and have them weld the catalytic converter up with rebar, that and getting the special bolts that bolt up to the manifold.

    Only one caveat to that: when the thieves see a cat shield or counter-theft stuff on the bottom, they are more likely to vandalize the vehicle like breaking glass, bashing the panels and slashing the tires. How do I know? One of my friends got the honors for trying to protect his investment. These thieves are animals.
     
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  9. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Damn....I was thinking about getting a cat shield!
     
  10. 2GenPrius

    2GenPrius Member

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    I'd still put a shield on it, though might want to invest in an alarm that detects tampering so they can get caught in the act. Get a good 4K dash cam to capture scumbag license plates or faces. Mine is 1080p yet according to the cops, its enough for them to do what they need to catch these scumbags.
     
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  11. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Too bad we can get a 'Tazer car alarm system'...lol. I suppose we we would get sued if something like that existed. (y)
     
  12. 2GenPrius

    2GenPrius Member

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    I actually wish there was some sort of anti-theft device that swings out and knocks the lift and crushes the car on top of them.
     
  13. Raytheeagle

    Raytheeagle Senior Member

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    There are solutions :):

    AEA5BC21-CCB9-4A63-9FB7-DB352A9FD674.jpeg

    That's for a Gen3;).

    Although @The Critic reports there is some resonating with metal to metal contact :cool:.

    I told him to turn the radio up:ROFLMAO::LOL::ROFLMAO::LOL:.

    But protect that Barcelona Red Prius(y).
     
  14. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    The oxygen sensor has four wires- two for the sensor; a signal circuit and signal return,- and two for the sensor heater; a 12V ignition feed, and a ground side control inside the ecu.

    When the sensor is "hacked" off, if the heater feed wire is shorted to the ground side control then the mosfet in the ecu will fry (there is no overcurrent protection on any of the Gen2 ecu drivers).

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  15. 2GenPrius

    2GenPrius Member

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    @ETC(SS) , there's your answer. I knew it was 4 wires on the cat with two for the actual sensor and 2 for the heater, just didn't know where the ends terminated for the heating component.
     
  16. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    OK.
    So it's not a good idea to short a heater wire to ground or each other.
    I guess that's part of the "criminally stoopid" design.
    The good news is that you can get a new ECU for about $50 and they're easy to swap out.

    TL;DR

    Protect the wires.
    Get a second opinion if somebody says that "You need a new_____"
    (Except the cat.... ;) )

    There's a sub-forum here for people selling cars....or you might be able to donate the car to charity - depending on your economic situ.

    @Sacto.
    That's a different conversation....;)
     
  17. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Thieves are stupid. They even stole an aftermarket cat from my son's car because they're too dumb to recognize what they're looking at....The State (SC's newspaper) just had a front page article about cat thefts in the Columbia and surrounding areas. If they can't recognize that a 'clamped' cat is aftermarket, God help those who welded theirs in place. At least it was easy to replace with another clamp on style, especially since they seem to be nice enough to leave the bolts and springs laying on the ground. They were even nice enough to cut the wires to the O2 sensor instead of ripping them out.

    Aftermarket CutOut.jpg
     
  18. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

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    I can see it now...

    "HEY....I have a $1,000 PRIUS muffler!!"

    ....."No....you have a $100 Rock Auto muffler....."
     
  19. TMR-JWAP

    TMR-JWAP Senior Member

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    Yes, I humor myself about it by imagining all his thief friends or his 'fence' scrap dealer laughing at him for being so stupid or his 'boss' beating him with a baseball bat in a plastic lined room.
     
  20. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    No- most criminals are stoopid. Can't really expect Toyota to "hey, why don't we design the car so that if somebody hacks the wiring harness while stealing the cat and shorts the power straight to the ECU driver it won't blow the mosfet". Well, maybe they could but that would likely make the ECU cost lots more $$$.