Toyota Granvia exhaust problem

diddi1, Aug 24, 3:51am
My Granvia has just developed one hell of a noisy rattle which I think mis coming from the catalyic (!) converter. Anyway it's a small mufflery-looking thing between the manifold and the muffler and it sounds like it's dropped its guts. It looks like it would be relatively easy for someone with a few more clues than me to cut out and just replace with a length of exhaust pipe though there appears to be a wired fitting on it. Would everything still operate as it should without it or is it a necessary part of the system and if it has to be replaced are they an expensive item!

stepman69, Aug 24, 2:45pm
Yes, you can substitute the cat for a section of pipe (otherwise known as a 'test pipe'). It's not illegal in NZ. Many people do this to squeeze a few extra HP from their engines due to the restrictive nature of a cat (you can buy 'high-flow' cats, but they're expensive). If the wired fitting is at the downstream end of the cat, it's either a heat sensor (which monitors the efficiency of the cat, in terms of exhaust gas temperature) or a downstream oxygen sensor. If it's a heat sensor, you don't have to worry about reinstalling it. If it's a downstream oxygen sensor, to avoid a 'check engine' light (CEL), you'll need to refit it by welding a new o2 sensor bung onto your test pipe & use a spacer (spark plug anti-foulers work) between the o2 sensor bung & o2 sensor. If the wired fitting is at the upstream end of the cat, then it's an upstream o2 sensor & you'll need to refit it to your test pipe.