2005 Corolla - Help
- Thread starter jelb2010
- Start date
Being welded, it will be tough to replace unless you have a torch.
To verify, look under the car.
I recommend staying away from aftermarket, "performance", catalytic convertors. It's not unusual for the quality to be very lacking, i.e. made in China. Over-scavenging the exhaust can also reduce fuel economy, throttle response and power, especially for an economy car.
How was it determined the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced?
To verify, look under the car.
I recommend staying away from aftermarket, "performance", catalytic convertors. It's not unusual for the quality to be very lacking, i.e. made in China. Over-scavenging the exhaust can also reduce fuel economy, throttle response and power, especially for an economy car.
How was it determined the catalytic convertor needed to be replaced?
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To extrapolate, these high-flow exhaust system components are fine for a race car that is seeing 5,000 RPM's + constantly and wants to take the checkered flag, but realistically, is that the world your Corolla lives in? If your car is driven like that, beaten on and put away wet, trying to win the checkered flag in a race, pushing the RPM's to the red line, then yes exhaust components for high RPM, high flow use can be of help.
However, if your Corolla lives in a world where 99.9% of other vehicles do, that is driven for daily transportation to work and back, to the grocery store, etc., then these high flow exhaust parts can actually do harm in the form of reduced fuel economy, reduced throttle response and power. At the RPM's that street driven vehicles see every day, it rarely ever exceeds 5,000 RPM's, especially when toodling around town. A reduction in exhaust system back pressure that these high flow exhaust parts provide can correspondingly reduce low-mid range RPM torque, which reduces fuel economy and throttle response. That's not what anyone wants in a daily driven street car of course. If the vehicle is a race car that is constantly being pushed to the limit with 5,000 + rpm blasts, then yes the high flow exhaust parts will increase high RPM power, at the expense of low-mid RPM torque, throttle response and fuel economy.
It's a trade-off. Low-mid RPM range torque, throttle response and fuel economy or high RPM power with a trade-off of reduced low-mid RPM range torque, throttle response and fuel economy.
Be careful what we do with the exhaust systems on our Corolla's. For a street driven application, the stock exhaust system parts provide the best throttle response, fuel economy and practicality.
There's no free lunch. Have to honestly ask yourself what you want in your car and go from there.
I hope this helps you out.
However, if your Corolla lives in a world where 99.9% of other vehicles do, that is driven for daily transportation to work and back, to the grocery store, etc., then these high flow exhaust parts can actually do harm in the form of reduced fuel economy, reduced throttle response and power. At the RPM's that street driven vehicles see every day, it rarely ever exceeds 5,000 RPM's, especially when toodling around town. A reduction in exhaust system back pressure that these high flow exhaust parts provide can correspondingly reduce low-mid range RPM torque, which reduces fuel economy and throttle response. That's not what anyone wants in a daily driven street car of course. If the vehicle is a race car that is constantly being pushed to the limit with 5,000 + rpm blasts, then yes the high flow exhaust parts will increase high RPM power, at the expense of low-mid RPM torque, throttle response and fuel economy.
It's a trade-off. Low-mid RPM range torque, throttle response and fuel economy or high RPM power with a trade-off of reduced low-mid RPM range torque, throttle response and fuel economy.
Be careful what we do with the exhaust systems on our Corolla's. For a street driven application, the stock exhaust system parts provide the best throttle response, fuel economy and practicality.
There's no free lunch. Have to honestly ask yourself what you want in your car and go from there.
I hope this helps you out.
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My pleasure. We're here to help. :thumbsup:
By the way, even if the catalytic convertor is not welded on, but uses exhaust c-clamps instead, the parts are going to be rusted together and be virtually impossible to remove with mere hand tools. A cutting torch is really needed here.
How was it diagnosed that the catalytic convertor was bad?
By the way, even if the catalytic convertor is not welded on, but uses exhaust c-clamps instead, the parts are going to be rusted together and be virtually impossible to remove with mere hand tools. A cutting torch is really needed here.
How was it diagnosed that the catalytic convertor was bad?
fishycomics raises a good point. In states that have annual safety/emissions inspections, replacing the catalytic convertor, (per law), must be done by an automotive technician and not a do-it-yourselfer in their own driveway.
fishycomics - Getting the c-clamps off isn't the main problem, (although with just hand tools it can be a pain in the neck), but actually getting the exhaust pipes separated can be extremely difficult.
fishycomics - Getting the c-clamps off isn't the main problem, (although with just hand tools it can be a pain in the neck), but actually getting the exhaust pipes separated can be extremely difficult.
the check engine light came on and I took it to Advance Auto Parts. The guy read me the code and said it was the catalytic converter. On a good note though.......I DON'T HAVE TO REPLACE THE CAT CONVERTER. I was doing some research online and came across this stuff called Cataclean Converter. I used a bottle and the check engine light went off.