Someone stole my catalytic converter, what is the mustachian response?

[onemorebike]

Last night someone slipped into my driveway and sawed off the catalytic converter from our 2002 Honda Odyssey that has 202,000 miles on it. It was fresh back from the shop with $700 of new work done on it and I had hoped set for another 40-50,000 happy miles. Replacing the CC is likely to cost between $500 (we hire a welder) and $1,700 (my mechanic's quote).  Kelly blue book says the van is worth $1,500 - $2,000 (with a CC :), I'm sure much less without). Should we stay the course and payout to replace the CC or sell the van to highest bid and make the leap to our next (used) car?

For background we are a single car family, with only the most basic insurance. Still checking to see if it is covered but my guess is no. We'd likely buy a used vehicle from the mustache list (or replace the van because the abundance of space has been hard to deny with kids and being primarily used for family trips) at around $5,000.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[Louisville]

Does your state/locality still require a catalytic converter? Does your state/locality do emissions testing?
You might be able to just replace it with a length of pipe, provided that that could provide required back pressure. I did it once on an Acura Legend.
Hard to to the math, but it's also possible that not getting another car would offset any damage done by increased emissions due to having no catalytic converter.
I'm not an expert on any of these things by any means, just some thoughts.

[RWD]

How much of that $500 is labor? You can get a catalytic converter for relatively cheap. I see a MagnaFlow one for $121 that is supposed to fit a 2002 Odyssey:
https://www.magnaflow.com/collections/catalytic-converters

[therethere]

PTF.

[onemorebike]

Does your state/locality still require a catalytic converter? Does your state/locality do emissions testing?
You might be able to just replace it with a length of pipe, provided that that could provide required back pressure. I did it once on an Acura Legend.
Hard to to the math, but it's also possible that not getting another car would offset any damage done by increased emissions due to having no catalytic converter.
I'm not an expert on any of these things by any means, just some thoughts.

I'm in MN, so no emmissions testing. I try to be as ecoconscious as possible though, any idea what the difference is in emissions between the two?

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[Dicey]

That's the problem with the whole Blue Book Valuation System. It's designed to push vehicles into obsolescence. You know your vehicle better than anyone, save possibly your mechanic. What is this car worth to you? If there's nothing else wrong with it, I'd get a new converter. Sure, you can buy another used vehicle, but you're still going to pay tax, license and fees for a new set of unknowns.

DH has a 2002 Ford F-150. He bought it new and it still has < 100k miles on it. Its in excellent condition. We would be in the same boat and for sure we would fix it in a heartbeat, with zero regard for what KBB says. What the truck is worth to us is the only metric that matters. Of course, DH would do the repair himself...

[JLee]

Do you have comprehensive insurance?

[Car Jack]

So the cheapest way out would be to have a welder weld in a "test pipe".  This does a couple things.  It minimizes the cost, it gets the van running again and it prevents future cat theft.  I would think that if you've had one removed and replace it, the thieves are going to return, expecting it'll be fixed.  They'll see a test pipe and be on their way as it's obvious you no longer have anything of value.

Especially in a state without inspections.  Heck, I have to pass emissions (by OBD II being read) and would do this.  The cat efficiency is the last monitor to go live (been there) and in my state, you can pass with 1 monitor not ready.  I've had a car that I ran with the code reader plugged in after a reset and as soon as the monitors got to only one not ready, I pulled in and got my inspection sticker.  40 miles later, on goes the CEL.  I didn't care at that point.

[acepedro45]

Wow, that theft was crazy bold. Thomas Crowne himself couldn't have done it any better...and for what kind of value from a used and stolen cat converter? Maybe $117-250 if this website citing scrap prices for a large foreign cat is to be believed:

www.gcsjunkcars.com/blog/current-scrap-prices-for-catalytic-converters/

You say you are legally in the clear to run straight pipe in MN, but I admire your commitment to controlling emissions and the environment. I hope I'd do the same in your situation.

Is it possible to attach a new $121 catalytic converter yourself using band clamps and that sort of thing and avoiding costly welding labor? I might investigate that (just be sure you test and seal any leaks that might develop). I've done some pretty ghetto exhaust repairs with those items, but the drawback is I feel the need to keep a close eye on things underneath the car going forward. Maybe someone else can opine on how likely you are to have chronic leaks with this approach.

Anything you can do to deter future theft? How long do you think it took to saw out with power tools? Maybe 5-10 minutes underneath someone else's car? I am still shaking my head.

[Here4theGB]

LOL @ the suggestions to run straight pipes in place of the cat.  Your minivan is going to sound like an enraged weed wacker driving down the road pissing everyone in your neighborhood off.  Don't be trashy to save a couple of bucks.

[trollwithamustache]

holy smokes, have you ever been to a country with those little motorcycles that don't have catalytic converters and the air quality feels like you are smoking 10 packs a day?

shop around for the cat, or find a quote to install your 121 dollar unit or strap it in otherwise your neighbors will hate you and they will be right.

[JLee]

If you elect to avoid replacing the catalytic converter, pollution will likely increase more than 10-fold. Just FYI.

https://ipa-news.net/index/pgm-applications/automotive/catalytic-converters/by-how-much-do-they-reduce-pollution.html?PHPSESSID=acb2126856476547fca35b4d8215fc9e

[onemorebike]

If you elect to avoid replacing the catalytic converter, pollution will likely increase more than 10-fold. Just FYI.

https://ipa-news.net/index/pgm-applications/automotive/catalytic-converters/by-how-much-do-they-reduce-pollution.html?PHPSESSID=acb2126856476547fca35b4d8215fc9e

Thanks for input, I had no idea what the CC was doing. Looks like we'll be paying to weld in a new one. :(

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[onemorebike]

Wow, that theft was crazy bold. Thomas Crowne himself couldn't have done it any better...and for what kind of value from a used and stolen cat converter? Maybe $117-250 if this website citing scrap prices for a large foreign cat is to be believed:

www.gcsjunkcars.com/blog/current-scrap-prices-for-catalytic-converters/

You say you are legally in the clear to run straight pipe in MN, but I admire your commitment to controlling emissions and the environment. I hope I'd do the same in your situation.

Is it possible to attach a new $121 catalytic converter yourself using band clamps and that sort of thing and avoiding costly welding labor? I might investigate that (just be sure you test and seal any leaks that might develop). I've done some pretty ghetto exhaust repairs with those items, but the drawback is I feel the need to keep a close eye on things underneath the car going forward. Maybe someone else can opine on how likely you are to have chronic leaks with this approach.

Anything you can do to deter future theft? How long do you think it took to saw out with power tools? Maybe 5-10 minutes underneath someone else's car? I am still shaking my head.

Unreal, isn't it? I ran into a police officer today and was talking about it with him. Apparently this is a thing now with rashes of thefts across our metro. Seems it only takes about a minute to cut one out with a portable saw.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

[JLee]

Wow, that theft was crazy bold. Thomas Crowne himself couldn't have done it any better...and for what kind of value from a used and stolen cat converter? Maybe $117-250 if this website citing scrap prices for a large foreign cat is to be believed:

www.gcsjunkcars.com/blog/current-scrap-prices-for-catalytic-converters/

You say you are legally in the clear to run straight pipe in MN, but I admire your commitment to controlling emissions and the environment. I hope I'd do the same in your situation.

Is it possible to attach a new $121 catalytic converter yourself using band clamps and that sort of thing and avoiding costly welding labor? I might investigate that (just be sure you test and seal any leaks that might develop). I've done some pretty ghetto exhaust repairs with those items, but the drawback is I feel the need to keep a close eye on things underneath the car going forward. Maybe someone else can opine on how likely you are to have chronic leaks with this approach.

Anything you can do to deter future theft? How long do you think it took to saw out with power tools? Maybe 5-10 minutes underneath someone else's car? I am still shaking my head.

Unreal, isn't it? I ran into a police officer today and was talking about it with him. Apparently this is a thing now with rashes of thefts across our metro. Seems it only takes about a minute to cut one out with a portable saw.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

It's been a thing for ages -- I was a police officer in northern NH over a decade ago and it was happening there as well.

[HipGnosis]

Rock auto has one for $139.
https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/honda,2002,odyssey,3.5l+v6,1429297,exhaust+&+emission,catalytic+converter,5808
Looks to be a bolt on item, but the thieves probably sawed off the bolt-on parts...  so you'll need a muffler shop to weld them back on or just weld the new CC on.

[Sibley]

That at least used to be a not-uncommon problem in Detroit. I know my parent's lost at least on cat converter to thieves. They're expensive partially because of the materials inside them. But yes, I would suck it up and get it replaced.

[AccidentialMustache]

Beyond ecological, the cc will reduce pollutants your family are breathing, likely both NO and CO, both of which are no bueno. Doesn't help starting your car leaving in the morning, but does clean up your output as you arrive home.

Can you stuff the vehicle in a garage or otherwise make the underside less convenient for thieves in the future? (eg, do you have a high spot you can park the catalytic over so there's less access available)

[BussoV6]

Palladium prices are up 80% in the last year or so. Expect autocat thefts to rise further.

[Simpli-Fi]

As well as the costs of CCs.

I hate working on exhausts
Typical cat is 4 bolts
Maybe an oxygen sensor or two...those can be $75-175.  They monitor the performance and illuminate the CEL when the cat fails.  Fancier cars, these will tune A:F ratio to burn less fuel.

Being an older car hopefully you can unbolt the two flanges, drop the two cut sections, and replace entire new section with new gaskets.

I'd be worried about repeat crime.

There are smaller non OEM cats that a welder could fit.

[KarefulKactus15]

Probably unpopular opinion....

The van has 202k miles, your Honda tranny is gonna die in the next 25k miles or so. Is what it is.

Option one - go to muffler shop and have a dummy pipe welded in.  Not great for the environment but your a low mileage driver...aren't you? 

Option 2 - go to a highly rated well reviewed muffler shop and have them quote a a third party catalytic universal pipe to be welded in.  If it's on the bottom of the van this should be easy.


Just don't put alot of money into this. I love Honda, but I don't believe their minivan trannys from that year are known for longevity.   

[KarefulKactus15]

Also hopefully your oxygen sensors weren't stolen, those littler guys are expensive. 

The front one is probably still there, but the one on the back of the cat was probably stolen :/