# Remove Clogged Catalytic converter?



## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

I would not recommend removing the cat, if you live in a state that does emissions testing. Cost of the repair may suck, but spread out over the next year its cheap.


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## larlar75 (Apr 30, 2015)

spacedout said:


> I would not recommend removing the cat, if you live in a state that does emissions testing. Cost of the repair may suck, but spread out over the next year its cheap.


I'm getting rid of the car early next year, I don't have to get smog done until the end of 2017/ early 2018. I really would rather remove the cats and be able to drive my car and enjoy it until I get my next new car early next year. I just don't want to spend $300+ on a new exhaust manifold if the cat is welded on to it.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Kinda crappy for the next owner to find out. Especially in California.

Sometimes those codes are just an O2 sensor that needs replacing. Cat really shouldn't be bad if the car wasn't misfiring or running with a CEL on for a lean/rich code for an extended time period.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

There should be No reason that you would need to replace a Catalytic Converter this early in your ownership of said Cruzen unless you are dumping oil in the exhaust stream .. 

I suspect that your problems are within the O2 sensors as they may have become worn and need to be replaced .

California's restriction on Emissions are the strictest within the lower 48 and should be adheared to !


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## larlar75 (Apr 30, 2015)

Hey guys thanks for the concern but to clear a few things up, this car is and always will be a lemon due to having over 20 repair bills with some parts being repaired 4 times. The only reason I wasn't able to file was because unfortunately I had a very strict work schedule getting my career to start and had no time to deal with it.

I WILL NOT SELL THE CAR, IT'LL BE PARTED OUT NEXT YEAR. Chevy themselves wanted to buy my car off of me (because the engine) when it had 100,000 miles and I took it in for service they said the engine was in pristine condition and would like to make an offer. I refused because I didn't want some poor soul to deal with my car without a warranty.


The ONLY reason I want to remove the catalytic converter is to be able to drive my car without it refusing to start due to the clog(which is starting to hinder my acceleration and gas mileage by 2mpg) until early next year when I buy my new car, while having a bit of fun too. 
*EDIT* Chevy just replaced the up and down stream O2 sensors last month btw.

I understand the laws in California and I'll gladly pay the fine or anyone else's fine if they get caught which is next to impossible. 

Thank you again for the concern but I just wanted to know if the catalytic converter was on the down pipe and behind the downstream O2 sensor.

*EDIT#2* The car has 130,000 on it btw. I won't make it to 200,000 and it only got this far because I baby the **** out of it fluid and part wise but drive it like a bat out of **** every single day.


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## Christopher_2 (Jul 31, 2012)

Can you get one from a salvage yard? Maybe something off of a 2015 with low mileage?


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## Christopher_2 (Jul 31, 2012)

car-part.com

There are several listed on here for $150.00.


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## larlar75 (Apr 30, 2015)

jblackburn said:


> If sensor 1 is throwing the code, it's usually for the one under the car. That one could be removed and replaced with a straight pipe easily.
> 
> There are 2 cats on the 1.4, one near the exhaust manifold and one under the car. This is a fairly common setup these days, so I expect the 1.8 is similar. If the front one is clogged, which is more likely, you'd need a new downpipe.


Thank you sir, I guess it won't hurt to spend the $60 that my local shop wants to straight pipe the cat under the car, do most people straight pipe both cats or just the one under the car?


Christopher_2 said:


> Can you get one from a salvage yard? Maybe something off of a 2015 with low mileage?


If the 2015 manifold fits my 2012 then yea its a possibility, ill look around and see how hard it is to pull it off of another engine


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

If the 2015 doesn't fit take a look at a 2011-2014 that was "totaled" in a rear end collision. The cats should be fine in this case.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

larlar75 said:


> I understand the laws in California and I'll gladly pay the fine or anyone else's fine if they get caught which is next to impossible.


The fine cost more than replacing the Cat, I've heard anywhere from $1000-$2500 if your caught.


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## larlar75 (Apr 30, 2015)

spacedout said:


> The fine cost more than replacing the Cat, I've heard anywhere from $1000-$2500 if your caught.


I know  that's fine, it's the cost of a set of tires for my cruze.


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

Why not just gut the cat for free?


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## larlar75 (Apr 30, 2015)

Well my biggest problem is getting the CEL to go off after removing the cat.. I had him put it back on and the CEL went off for a few days and then came back on yesterday evening. The car started to bog down but I think that is also paired with my bad coil pack. The car is having issue after issue at 130k miles.. I've spent nearly $1500 in the last 2 months


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

larlar75 said:


> Well my biggest problem is getting the CEL to go off after removing the cat..


Thought you're going to part it out? Otherwise use an O2 sensor spacer.


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## larlar75 (Apr 30, 2015)

I am going to part it out in the beginning of next year but I have to keep it drivable until then. I use this car to get to work because my truck(2500HD) would cost me $40 a day with my 30 mile commute each way in rush hour traffic... I'll spend $500 more for a total of $2000 in repairs and then that's it, I hope it lasts until next year because otherwise I'll let the first person that's interested tear the car down.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> Kinda crappy for the next owner to find out. Especially in California.
> 
> Sometimes those codes are just an O2 sensor that needs replacing. Cat really shouldn't be bad if the car wasn't misfiring or running with a CEL on for a lean/rich code for an extended time period.


I killed a cat @ 67K and fuel trims were good according to all I asked to include servicing dealership.


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## jblackburn (Apr 14, 2012)

Merc6 said:


> I killed a cat @ 67K and fuel trims were good according to all I asked to include servicing dealership.


You've had multiple coil pack issues. Can't imagine that was not a contributing factor.


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## Merc6 (Jun 8, 2013)

jblackburn said:


> You've had multiple coil pack issues. Can't imagine that was not a contributing factor.


I had multiple coil packs in general.


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## MINIAC12 (Jul 24, 2017)

I have a 2012, I am having the P420 code. replaced the cat under the car. When i pulled it off. All of the Catalyist material came out of the cat. It just poured out looked like a pile of rubble replaced it from the dealer installed it myself. Now i am getting the same code again. I am assuming the upper is bad now. Do they even sell these bolt ins ready to go for Cali cars? [h=2][/h]


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

Is there a difference from Cali cats? Pretty sure I have one from my 1.4L parts car.


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## Danielleelawson (Nov 23, 2020)

larlar75 said:


> Well my biggest problem is getting the CEL to go off after removing the cat.. I had him put it back on and the CEL went off for a few days and then came back on yesterday evening. The car started to bog down but I think that is also paired with my bad coil pack. The car is having issue after issue at 130k miles.. I've spent nearly $1500 in the last 2 months


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Was there a question to go with this?


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## Kimmybrasher2020 (Nov 13, 2021)

jblackburn said:


> If sensor 1 is throwing the code, it's usually for the one under the car. That one could be removed and replaced with a straight pipe easily.


I have had all the problems that listed here with my 2011chevy cruise. 1st I had the water leak issue where my AC stopped working. Next I'm told to replace my headers.Then the cat needed replaced and an aftermarket once costed me 1200.00 just for parts. Now it is leaking oil and its starts to bog down like it's clogged. It's throwing the cat code again. I just replaced in March. So I am going to straight pipe mine. I am a female and not knowing alot about motor work I went down the list of codes fixing them one after another. I got on Google and decided to do some research on how to fix my car myself because I'm already out way more money than its worth and a heck of a lot more than I paid for it. It's a 2011 with turbo. Oil is leaking the display light went off the thing bogs down and I'm not going to spend another 5gs on this thing..cats are off ...yep I cut them off myself. And the straight pipe is going in TODAY...IHAVE HAD ALOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS CARAND ALREADY SPENT WAY TO MUCH TO JUST EATIT...


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## Blasirl (Mar 31, 2015)

Kimmybrasher2020 said:


> I have had all the problems that listed here with my 2011chevy cruise. 1st I had the water leak issue where my AC stopped working. Next I'm told to replace my headers.Then the cat needed replaced and an aftermarket once costed me 1200.00 just for parts. Now it is leaking oil and its starts to bog down like it's clogged. It's throwing the cat code again. I just replaced in March. So I am going to straight pipe mine. I am a female and not knowing alot about motor work I went down the list of codes fixing them one after another. I got on Google and decided to do some research on how to fix my car myself because I'm already out way more money than its worth and a heck of a lot more than I paid for it. It's a 2011 with turbo. Oil is leaking the display light went off the thing bogs down and I'm not going to spend another 5gs on this thing..cats are off ...yep I cut them off myself. And the straight pipe is going in TODAY...IHAVE HAD ALOT OF ISSUES WITH THIS CARAND ALREADY SPENT WAY TO MUCH TO JUST EATIT...


Welcome Aboard!

Don't forget to introduce yourself and your Cruze here.


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## atikovi (Dec 27, 2011)

Kimmybrasher2020 said:


> ..cats are off ...yep I cut them off myself. And the straight pipe is going in TODAY.


No emissions inspections?


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