How long do catalytic converters last?

[OldButStillJeeping]

Not long in my neighborhood. Coyotes live in the big shitty still.

Anyway, my '05 TJ I replaced all four O2 sensors 2 years ago with the recommended NTK sensors. Now, as in... literally today, my jeep failed smog due to O2 sensors. Pre cat or after cat. Unknown.

But my Jeep is 14 years old. Is it the sensors or the cats?

I'm looking at Magnaflow 458027, because I live in California.
Any thoughts ftom you knowkedable TJ folks would be helpfull.

 

[04 LJ]

Not long in my neighborhood. Coyotes live in the big shitty still.

Anyway, my '05 TJ I replaced all four O2 sensors 2 years ago with the recommended NTK sensors. Now, as in... literally today, my jeep failed smog due to O2 sensors. Pre cat or after cat. Unknown.

But my Jeep is 14 years old. Is it the sensors or the cats?

I'm looking at Magnaflow 458027, because I live in California.
Any thoughts ftom you knowkedable TJ folks would be helpfull.

That’s so stupid. You shouldn’t have to have that age vehicle emissions tested. Of freakin course it’s going to make more emissions that todays vehicles. Here in NC, I don’t even have to get the 04 inspected. It’s not required. My .02.

 

[billiebob]

Of freakin course it’s going to make more emissions that todays vehicles.

The emissions testing is to the standard from the year the vehicle was produced. About the only vehicles exempt are those older than 1970.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

That’s so stupid. You shouldn’t have to have that age vehicle emissions tested. Of freakin course it’s going to make more emissions that todays vehicles. Here in NC, I don’t even have to get the 04 inspected. It’s not required. My .02.

Exactly. When I retire in 4 years we'll be moving to a free state.

 

[Wildman]

I have seen cats last for 10-15 years and then I had the one in my Jeep only last 3 years before it clogged up so bad my Jeep wouldn't run. But I have having issues with the engine running to rich. So all I can say is it depends.

 

[04 LJ]

The emissions testing is to the standard from the year the vehicle was produced. About the only vehicles exempt are those older than 1970.

In NC anything 9 years old is exempt from emissions and anything 14? (I need to double check #) is exempt from emissions and safety. I just renewed my registration and the card has NO INSPECTION REQUIRED printed in big, bold red ink.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

The emissions testing is to the standard from the year the vehicle was produced. About the only vehicles exempt are those older than 1970.

I think it's pre 1974 here in CA.
Point being these older vehicles die off due crashes and just becoming too expensive to repair for their value. Unfortunately in this scenario, Jeeps have a high resale value... if they pass smog.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

In NC anything 9 years old is exempt from emissions and anything 14? (I need to double check #) is exempt from emissions and safety. I just renewed my registration and the card has NO INSPECTION REQUIRED printed in big, bold red ink.

Thats awesome!!

 

[Nimbley]

I have to smog my 77 K-10 here in AZ. It’s a nightmare because it was non emission as built since it’s a 4 wheel drive. They run it on the Dyno under load. I have to retune it every year to get through and then tune it back to run decent after it passes. On top of that I have to watch the guy running it to make sure he goes into 4th gear to test. The truck was never meant to meet this standard and I put about 1000 miles or less a year on it. It’s registered as an historic vehicle and had collectors insurance but the Arizona DMV doesn’t care about that stuff. I’m convinced that the emissions test is mostly to generate revenue than anything else.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

BTW, I saw Chris's, seriously in depth write up regarding O2 sensors. Good stuff there. Thank you Chris.
That's why I went with NTK sensors.

My issue is whether or not my cats are toast. I think they are.

It's a $1,000 question for me.

 

[Wildman]

I might be wrong but when I was stationed in California I had a Corvette and wanted to replace the cats and I seem to remember the smog station telling me unless a shop said they were bad you couldn't change them?
Why do you think they are bad? Are the rattling? Smelling funny?

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

I might be wrong but when I was stationed in California I had a Corvette and wanted to replace the cats and I seem to remember the smog station telling me unless a shop said they were bad you couldn't change them?
Why do you think they are bad? Are the rattling? Smelling funny?

I think they are bad because the jeep is 14 y/o with 113,000 miles on it. And because I've replaced everything else except the cats and it fails smog for one reason or another every two years since 2017.

I had a Toyota truck, its exhaust started smelling like rotten eggs. It was the cat. But...

My TJ doesn't smell, rattle, or otherwise. It's just a finiky little bitch with smog.

Damn, I love this little jeep but it and the state I live in, is reaching my limit of patience.

 

[Wildman]

I feel your pain. A lot of my family is from the Santa Maria area. That is where I was born but only lived there until I was 3. I couldn't move back to CA. I was station at Ft. Ord right before it closed and was glad to leave when I did. Good luck on it and hope you get it figured out.

 

[KCsTJ]

As far as I can tell and i have looked closely, my 22 year old 97 SE 2.5L with 170k miles still has its original cat and muffler.

 

[Jed57]

I’ve been dreading that inevitable situation, replacing exhaust system. Was wondering if a solution would be to find a 60s motor to drop in and leave all that ridiculousness off!!

 

[toximus]

My issue is whether or not my cats are toast. I think they are.

Have you looked inside at them?

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

Have you looked inside at them?

No, with the tummy tuck and skids on my jeep its a major project to even see the rear cat, let alone look into it. It's tucked in so tight btwn the TC skid and tub, that I have maybe 1" clearance btwn skid and tub floor.
Going to have to drop the skids, hang the trans and TC on jack stands, and pull the one piece exhaust unit out from exhaust manifold to muffler.
If I go to that extent, I'll probably replace it all.
Incidently...
My jeep is idling high, about 1,000 rpm. I'm guessing that it's because the cats are clogged and the computer is compensating the idle speed to keep it from stalling and shutting off.

 

[OldButStillJeeping]

I’ve been dreading that inevitable situation, replacing exhaust system. Was wondering if a solution would be to find a 60s motor to drop in and leave all that ridiculousness off!!

If you live in a better state than I do. That's the ticket right there!
Small block V8!

 

[Wildman]

If you live in a better state than I do. That's the ticket right there!
Small block V8!

There are smog legal swaps you can do on a TJ. Mine is smog legal or it was. Where I live at in WA we don't have smog checks. Only in the big cities and surrounding areas. Rumor has it that they are going to stop doing smog tests but I don't see them doing that.

 

[John Addington]

Ask around for a reputable exhaust shop. I found shop that said they would test my Cats for no charge. They drilled a hole in the pipe and tested the back pressure starting at the downstream cat. Mine was 3 LBS of back pressure. He said that would be enough to affect my performance. He cut that Cat out and noticed it was clogged with loose debris. We later found out a pre Cat had came apart and sent the pieces downstream. The plan was to replace the lower cat then re test the back flow pressure at the upper cats to see how they measured. I replaced the rear Cat and the pre cat closest to the firewall, which my guy said was common to fail. My LJ has 86k miles and runs great now.