Removing Cat.Conv.

[robinhawk7]

Single mom who needs some car help. My car broke down on 95, suddenly lost power. I need to have my catalytic converter replaced-now. My much-loved Neon has 140K on it and that's on a rebuild! I am looking to buy a new Neon next year, but don't have $600 to sink into it now on a new cat.con. I know I can take the cat. con. off and put a pipe in its place--since it was just inspected last month!-- and buy a little time. My car should be driveable for a few more months through the winter to get by until spring, right? Will I be using a lot more fuel?

[rice_eater]

You will have a Check engine light (code 72 for failed cat. converter if you leave the downstream O2 sensor, code 21 for failed O2 sensor circuit if you remove the DS O2 as well) and your car will be louder. You also will not be able to have this done at any garage or shop... they will tell you no way. It is illegal for them to do so and they can get fined big money.

Catalytic converters are not that expensive... See link:
http://modernperformance.com/dcx/95-99_exhausts-headers.shtml

$166 shipped for a direct replacement (4th item down)
$87 shipped for a universal Catco (last item on page)
$67 shipped for Magnaflow w/o O2 bung (2nd to last item on page)
$72 shipped for Magnaflow w/ O2 bung (2nd to last item on page)

I'm assuming you have a '95-'99 neon, but if you would be kind enough to tell us what year your car is, we wouldnt need to assume. ;)

Also, how do you know you need a new cat? Are you sure that's what caused the breakdown?

[robinhawk7]

I have a 2000 Neon. My dad and I bought it 2 years old with major body work, fixed it up, since the engine was young. It's been completely reliable until now, but it does have 140 K on it. My daughter and I just love this car. It just passed inspection last month. I was on i-95 in Maryland and suddenly lost power, couldn't go more than 15 mph or so. Had it towed to a shop, they told me about needing to replace the cat. conv. I had just gotten out of the hospital (from a 4-month stay) that morning! Just do not have this kind of cash now. The mechanic is saying I need a 4-stage converter, that a cheaper universal one is not okay. My dad and I have put on universals before, just need to weld it. I think I may be being cheated. Just needed some advice. I wanted to put the "patch pipe" on just to be able to drive it the 6 hours to my dad's place, where he has a 5-bay auto restoration business, to put the cat. conv. on properly and save some money. Thanks for the help!

[dodgeneonACR98]

I purchased a header,exhaust pipe,cat conv,and the muffler for less than 500$. I know thats got to be a dealer price you have there. Is it?

Any good name brand cats will work. I used Flowmaster some use Dynomax. Theres no real reason to buy OEM. Maybe even look into Mopar Performance cats from Dodge. If it's Mopar Performance built it's not considerd OEM and there you get a great deal of price diff. Sometimes like in my case with my computer, you can save up to 700$.
I purchased a Mopar Performance PCM and just for giggles I priced a stock OEM replacement. The Mopar was 286$ after tax and the OEM replacement was almost 1000$!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's your car tho do what you must, we all do! LOL Good Luck!

[HoodooGuru]

Drive it to Australia for a holiday & I will fix it for free for ya! LOL

[rice_eater]

The mechanic is saying I need a 4-stage converter, that a cheaper universal one is not okay. My dad and I have put on universals before, just need to weld it. I think I may be being cheated.
The mechanic is feeding you monkey pebbles. You don't "need" a 4-stage converter, even if thats what it had from the factory. Any converter will do (technically it will run just fine without one, just be louder, have a check engine light on, and be illegal). Next he'll be telling you to top off your blinker fluid and lubricate the muffler bearing... :crazy:

In fact, I'm not even convinced it is your cat. Is the check engine light on? It should be for a failed cat... You can flip the key on-off-on-off-on within 5 seconds (don't start the car, just flip the key to the "on" position) and if you have a digital odometer it will display error codes (a 4 digit code with a P in front of it... Pxxxx). If the odometer is not digital (I don't know what the 2000's have) then the check engine light will flash out a series of numeric two digit codes (example, flash-short pause-flash-flash-long pause is code 12, which means power to the PCM has been disconnected within the last 50 key cycles). Try the keydance, and let us know what you get for codes.

[dodgeneonACR98]

In fact, I'm not even convinced it is your cat. Is the check engine light on? It should be for a failed cat... Good point!

[tattoojack]

unless you have emissions testing, the cat is really not needed (federally illegal to remove) i have used many universals and passed emissions every time, even with shoddy welding. barely passed each time, but passed. and that may have been due to other problems, not the cat.