4.3 Exhaust. How Many Catalytic Converters

[catseye27]

Car serviced and MOT today. Been advised that my middle box is starting to blow, will need replacing before next MOT. Quoted approx £1500 for complete new system. Seems expensive. Does this middle box contain a Cat? How many Cats on the year 2007 2.2 diesel?

Also been advised play in the rack and pinion. Another £1200.

The RAV4 certainly does what we want from our car but is damn expensive to keep on the road. Always had Ford before. Never, i repeat, never had any issues. Bought the RAV4 at 4 years old, done 29,000 miles, one owner full Toyota history. Now 7 years old, 46,000 miles. Had new engine, (Toyota paid) new front discs and pads, new steering intermediate shaft and on this service new rear anti-roll bar bushes and links.

If i could afford a change would definitely not buy a Toyota again.

[gjnorthall]

The Toyota exhaust centre section is expensive - well over £1000 which is just silly - it comprises of a small secondary cat (which rarely fails) and a very large silencer which is starting to fail regularly. You can buy the silencer section aftermarket for around £75!! Won't last as long as the original Toyota box but at 10% of the price ........ The rear section is also available aftermarket so essentially a full system fitted is around £200.

The steering rack on this car isn't known to be troublesome so I'd investigate further to establish the nature of the play. An MOT tester will not investigate at length and it could be something as simple as a worn track-rod end. Presumably £1200 is genuine Toyota if you really did need to replace the rack, but a service exchange rack from a reputable power steering company company would be more like £250!! (give Western Power Steering a call - they're very helpful)

[catseye27]

Thanks gjnorthall.

When i collect my car will enquire more in detail about the steering issue but i am sure that Toyota mentioned the rack system at fault when i was telephoned.

[dever]

Car serviced and MOT today. Been advised that my middle box is starting to blow, will need replacing before next MOT. Quoted approx £1500 for complete new system. Seems expensive. Does this middle box contain a Cat? How many Cats on the year 2007 2.2 diesel?

Also been advised play in the rack and pinion. Another £1200.

The RAV4 certainly does what we want from our car but is damn expensive to keep on the road. Always had Ford before. Never, i repeat, never had any issues. Bought the RAV4 at 4 years old, done 29,000 miles, one owner full Toyota history. Now 7 years old, 46,000 miles. Had new engine, (Toyota paid) new front discs and pads, new steering intermediate shaft and on this service new rear anti-roll bar bushes and links.

If i could afford a change would definitely not buy a Toyota again.

I have the same car and the same experience and even greater costs. The same opinion, never again Toyota

[152bobby]

Forget dealer fitted exhausts and try a full stainless steel exhaust with a lifetime guarantee...try www.longlife.co.uk you may be surprised at the price.

Fit it and forget it forever and is a good selling point when/if you part with your car.

[gjnorthall]

You should be able to get a full stainless system for around £300. However there have been a couple of reports on the forum about the exhaust note being different / louder. Many fabricators can fit different silencers - normal, sporty etc. Anyone care to feedback their experience with stainless systems?

[152bobby]

I had a full dual stainless steel system fitted to my Lexus RX a few years ago (before I traded it in for my current Rav). I used www.longlife.co.uk

Their website describes in detail how it is done.

They will put your car up on the ramp, show you what they are taking off and show you where the new system will go.

You can chose the shape of your exhaust pipes (that you see sticking out at the rear), any shape I guess, but most people chose round or oval.

You can also chose the sound that will come out as well. I went for normal, you can have mild or sporty, but be sure you know what you are going to get, because if you go for a sporty one, you will hear it inside the car.

Also be sure to insist (when possible) that they don't cut anything out of your rear panel and also ensure how much the rear pipe (s) stick out that the back, as I had to take mine back and get it altered, due to it sticking out too much and burning my legs when leaning against it.

To be honest, this is the way to go, if you are holding onto your vehicle for a few years or longer.

Fit it and forget it with stainless steel exhausts.

As mentioned I have uses longlife who have fitting centres throughout the UK, but I also used a independent company in Walsall

www.mijexhaust.com who were far better.

[Madasafish]

Try one of the FastFit places..No one with any sense buys exhausts from dealers unless they have £££££s to blow.

As for stainless exhausts, maintain the original one and it will last indefinitely,

My 11 year old diesel Yaris is on its original exhaust which looks spotless. Wirebrushing, rust proofer and heatproof aluminium paint every three years costs peanuts and keeps it as new..

(Yes I'm OCD on rust)

[gjnorthall]

Not that easy I'm afraid. None of the mainline aftermarket exhaust manufacturers have introduced the 4.3 exhaust system yet so you'll be met with blank looks at your local fast fit centre.

[ALake]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Rav-4-III-2-0-VVT-I-Centre-Exhaust-Muffler-/351046592451?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item51bc01e7c3

I'm sure I've read somewhere that Bosal do a replacement as well - you just have to cut the existing system after the second small cat and this box goes onto that.

I know thats for a petrol, but are the exhaust different at that point?

[gjnorthall]

The petrol and diesel are different. ETS in Germany do the mid and back section for the diesel - the advertise from time to time on eBay and as aftermarket exhausts go - they seem reasonable quality and are similar to the original in terms of exhaust note. Walker sell the system for the 2.4 petrol in the US (this will fit the 2.0 petrol) but although Bosal have had the exhaust for the petrol in their catalogue for a while - it's still not available. All these systems require the old exhaust to be cut off behind the small front cat - the new system is swaged to suit.