Truck Maintenance

[ua_guy]

If it were mine and I was in California, I'd probably look at if I actually needed to buy a CARB-compliant converter. I think it's mostly about warranty and sale restrictions. I just did a quick search on Rock Auto for a 2.4L Dodge Journey and a regular EPA-compliant converter from reputable aftermarket brands (Walker?) is a couple hundred bucks. The CARB-certified one is almost $2k and it's a "Dodge" (mopar) OE model.

If you're not buying the converter in CA (like if a shop in Nevada buys it) I'd wonder how that would work.

I replaced a cat on one of my cars once. I don't have an ability to weld, and I wasn't able to get the joints tight enough with a clamp to eliminate exhaust leak. So ultimately it had to go to a shop to get welded. Cheaper than having a shop do the actual install though.

[QuarterMillionMan]

It's good to have a gear-head here in the form of ua-guy here with good mechanical advice. Yes, I'm looking at Magnaflow which is about $2000 for a CARB certified catalytic converter. Add $500 - $1000 for installation and it'll be way cheaper than $4000 or $5000. I'll start locally for the repairs and branch further out if needed to Mexico, Arizona, or Nevada. In my younger days I would tackle it as a DIY. The inlet flange has 4 bolts, the outlet slips into the existing exhaust and held together with a muffler clamp but my apartment doesn't allow repairs on premises.

[ua_guy]

Dealer charged $250 for the diagnostic, the verdict is the catalytic converter needs to be replaced at a total cost of $5000. I declined. Pepboys was cheaper at $4000. This is a nightmare of epic proportions.

The diagnostic seems steep, but that could be the fact that I'm getting old and dealer service charges have just gone up that much. That does suck though, sorry.

There are many creative ways to get your car fixed legally, out of state or across the border. I'm sure you could more than recover the cost of your efforts compared to a $4k or $5k repair bill by having a dealer in California do the repairs. You shouldn't have to, but this new CA law around cat converters has thrown a proverbial wrench into everything... At the end of the day you have to pass Smog every two years. As long as your car has a CARB-compliant cat on it, it shouldn't matter where it was purchased or installed.

[kork13]

Dealer charged $250 for the diagnostic, the verdict is the catalytic converter needs to be replaced at a total cost of $5000. I declined. Pepboys was cheaper at $4000. This is a nightmare of epic proportions.

Yikes... That's horrific, I'm sorry. Exactly the kind of thing an emergency fund is meant for, if you're not able to cashflow it out of income or readily-available savings. But regardless of how easily you can/can't afford it, something like that? I'd rather just not HAVE to afford it.... ugh...

[QuarterMillionMan]

Dealer charged $250 for the diagnostic, the verdict is the catalytic converter needs to be replaced at a total cost of $5000. I declined. Pepboys was cheaper at $4000. This is a nightmare of epic proportions.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Dealer service department will need to keep my car overnight for more tests tomorrow.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Good idea ua_guy, every Monday and about to leave home right now but won't have time today but I'll consider it. Not sure why I didn't think of it but I like that idea, thanks.

[ua_guy]

Dodge Journey 2.4L Flex Pipe Catalytic Converter 2009-2018 10H642231 | eBay
I wanted to buy this $103 new catalytic converter fits my vehicle but at the bottom it says not legal in California. Big gobmint says in California catalytic converters can only be bought from the dealers, hence a new catalytic converter from the dealer is $3500, a mark up of 350x's. I went to my local muffler shop and asked if they could get an after market catalytic converter and they said they have to get it from the dealer at the same quote of $3500 plus $500 labor for the same Pepboy's quote. My last resort is I scheduled a diagnostic for Tuesday at my dealer, hoping Pepboys got the diagnostic wrong and let's say the dealer says maybe just the O2 sensors need replacing but I'm not holding breath or maybe the dealer can replace it at a lower price than $4000. Or as a really really last resort driving to either Arizona or Las Vegas and seeing if they can get an after market and doing it at half the price. Leave it to big gobmint to create a monoply where only the dealer can sell new catalytic converters, sheesh.

That's a crappy law you guys have in CA but it was designed to crack down on cat theft. Like so many things, good intentions, bad execution. Auto recyclers have to keep very specific records of any they take in or sell, and it appears they've completely removed any aftermarket for the parts.

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/new-california-laws-crack-down-catalytic-converter-thefts/

I'd totally go get it done in another state (needs to be a CARB compliant model converter, still, so you pass Smog). Or Mexico. Don't you spend a lot of time just over the border?

[disneysteve]

That's what I don't like about poison and sticky traps. A shovel blade or the heel of your shoe can be used to dispatch them in short order.

We had trouble with mice in my old office. We got the electric traps. Baited with peanut butter and they worked like a charm. Mouse went in and got zapped and was done. No muss, no fuss. We caught quite a few that way.

[myrdale]

Over 1 month of trying and I finally got one. It was rolling around on the floor from eating the Tomcat rat bait which smells like cotton candy. Used the gallon bleach bottle to crush its head. Still got more but was worth the $50 I spent in baits, traps, etc.

That's what I don't like about poison and sticky traps. A shovel blade or the heel of your shoe can be used to dispatch them in short order.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Over 1 month of trying and I finally got one. It was rolling around on the floor from eating the Tomcat rat bait which smells like cotton candy. Used the gallon bleach bottle to crush its head. Still got more but was worth the $50 I spent in baits, traps, etc.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Dodge Journey 2.4L Flex Pipe Catalytic Converter 2009-2018 10H642231 | eBay
I wanted to buy this $103 new catalytic converter fits my vehicle but at the bottom it says not legal in California. Big gobmint says in California catalytic converters can only be bought from the dealers, hence a new catalytic converter from the dealer is $3500, a mark up of 350x's. I went to my local muffler shop and asked if they could get an after market catalytic converter and they said they have to get it from the dealer at the same quote of $3500 plus $500 labor for the same Pepboy's quote. My last resort is I scheduled a diagnostic for Tuesday at my dealer, hoping Pepboys got the diagnostic wrong and let's say the dealer says maybe just the O2 sensors need replacing but I'm not holding breath or maybe the dealer can replace it at a lower price than $4000. Or as a really really last resort driving to either Arizona or Las Vegas and seeing if they can get an after market and doing it at half the price. Leave it to big gobmint to create a monoply where only the dealer can sell new catalytic converters, sheesh.

[kork13]

Engine light returned so I took it to Pepboys $100 for diagnostic testing, the problem is a defective catatytic converter $3385, plus an O2 sensor $114, plus labor, etc. I declined having to pay $4000. My next plan is to purchase one from Amazon or Ebay for an after-market new catalytic converter for $600 - $800, and take it to a muffler shop and pay $250 - $500 for labor and take my chances. Engine lights are a nightmare.

Just run yourself down to the shady part of town, there's probably some guys ripping them off other cars (for the metals/alloys within) that could probably sell you one on the cheap.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Engine light returned so I took it to Pepboys $100 for diagnostic testing, the problem is a defective catatytic converter $3385, plus an O2 sensor $114, plus labor, etc. I declined having to pay $4000. My next plan is to purchase one from Amazon or Ebay for an after-market new catalytic converter for $600 - $800, and take it to a muffler shop and pay $250 - $500 for labor and take my chances. Engine lights are a nightmare.

[myrdale]

With traps, make sure you place them along walls and in corners. My general understanding is mice do not see very well and will frequently run along the edge of a wall vs running across a room.

Peanut butter is where it is at for bait.

I've only used Victor traps, but the ones you have there should work just as well.

I don't put any stock in repellents.