Catalytic Converter Help Please!

I have a 2005 Chevy Aveo ls hatchback and i just got a check engine light for the code P0420. Im guessing my catalytic converter is going out or it is clogged up. the pipe is all rusted and the catalytic converter on it now looks kind of like it has a wire mesh/honeycombed look to it. Would it be possible to just replace the pipe and catalytic converter with just a pipe or does my aveo need a little back-pressure? If i was to replace it with a straight pipe then do i really need to O2 sensors? Could i just get a universal catalytic converter or does it have to be made specifically for my vehicle? I dont have much money to be spending being that i have no job and im only 17 so the cheapest route possible would be best unless it will put strain on my aveo and cause it to have more problems in the future. Thank you so much for reading and helping me out in advance!

Hmm... I'm not sure, but I believe the catalytic converter has to be one specific to the aveo. When i first purchased my Aveo the catalytic converter went bad and it would have cost me 700 bucks if I wasn't covered, but you can find some cheaper ones out there if you can find some money somehow. This is the cheapest part i could find (the cheapest website I trust at least) for it:

2004-2006 Chevrolet Aveo Catalytic Converter - Bosal 079-5177 - Natural, 49-state legal - no CA shipments, OE replacement

Good luck man!

there are a few performance threads that talk about headers, and eliminating the cat on here. IF it is clogged and you are saving money, just take it off and hollow it out.. (I DIDN"T SUGGEST THAT ;) ) BUT no matter what you need the o2 sensors to run, if you eliminated the cat the the second on needs a spacer or a fix or you will have a CEL.

whats your mileage? are you sure its not just the o2? IF you are sure the cat is at fault, it might be covered under warranty.. 8 years or 80k correct? cutting it close though.

well it has about 135700 miles on the engine, i dont think its clogged because im still getting good acceleration and i havnt had any performance drops. Im pretty sure the individual o2 sensors have separate codes than the p0420 for the catalytic converter. i live in Illinois so there are no emission regulations or inspections, just laws that you have to have a cat on your car. what do you mean you have to have o2 sensors to run? Thank you both for your quick replys!

The o2 sensors help determine how much fuel the car gets... based on running rich and lean.. thats the primary function.

The second o2 sensor will through a p0420 code if it is still within range of what is an acceptable signal range (ie .1-5 volts) but the signal the o2 sends is not the predetermined drop of the systems expectation of the cats performance...

Okay, thank you! i cleared the code last time and it didnt show up for about a month or two. its only showed up twice and the second time it showed up was as i started my car up.

Where can I find a california certified catalytic converter that doesn't cost $2000.00?

A Magnaflow cat should work. I paid $364.58 for the part and got it from HPExhaust at this link with free shipping I believe:

Direct Fit OEM GRADE OBDII (Exc.CA) [49338] : HP Exhaust, Authorized Magnaflow Retailer

That's what I replaced mine with and also bought two Bosch oxygen sensors and two exhaust flange gaskets to go along with it from autozone.

Oxygen Sensor | 2005 Chevrolet Aveo 4 Cylinders 6 1.6L MFI DOHC | AutoZone.com

The top two results are what I bought, part numbers 13852 and 15561 along with two exhaust flange gaskets part number 61473to seal it up you cant just use the old one.

Felpro/Exhaust Flange Gasket (61473) | AutoZone.com

Make sure to get the o2 sensors though because the old ones could cause your engine to run rich or lean and cause your brand new cat to go bad right away. Its a lot of money, I know, but I haven't had any trouble codes since and I get around 1-2+ MPG better every tank after I did the replacement. One thing you might have to do is have a shop torch the bolts off of the exhaust because I got all 5 out of 6 of mine free eventually even using like an giant cheater bar and just couldn't get the last one off and had to pay $30 to have it torched off lol But if you save your old cat, you can call around and see if you can sell it to a salvage yard for around $40-50 is what I did but they only gave me $25-30 and I took it cause I didn't wanna mess with it lol Good luck and welcome to the forums! Let me know if you have any more questions!

Any problem with smoging it in california? Will they ship to california?

Just so you know, I don't know what year your car is and if it is an Aveo, but the part numbers I have been giving you have been for a 2005 Chevrolet Aveo Hatchback LS. The hatchback LS doesn't really matter when getting parts for the exhaust I don't believe. Most of that parts though are interchangeable for Aveos 2004-2006 I believe but I would search parts for your specific year and everything to make sure you get exactly what you need.

Being that it is OEM I believe it would pass in California. If you call the (877)582-0162 number from the HPExhaust website while they're open they should be able to set you up with a cat if that one isn't approved for California. If nothing else go to

MagnaFlow Catalytic Converters - CALIFORNIA STATE Catalytic Converters For Trucks, Suv's, American Muscle, Diesel, & Sport Compact Vehicles

Enter in your car info and then click on the direct fit number and then click buy online, and then look through the list of banners and click on em to compare prices and shipping rates. Some say that they are free FedEx shipping and others charge. You will just have to find the one that suits you best. But I am pretty sure that all of them ship to anywhere in the USA.

I have a 2006 aveo, and I'm hoping the 2005 cat will fit. Dealer wants 2000.. In Cali. Thanks for the help.

No problem Bud, just give some of those places a call and it shouldn't run you any more than $600-700 max hopefully depending on what you go with.

I have an 09 that has a bad 02 (upstream bank1) and ive been told the front cat was bad aswell... looked for the front cat to find out you have to buy the manifold/cat "all-in-one"....looked it up and it's around $600+... any alternatives or things i should check before i throw that kinda cash? Sorry to kinda throw my problem in with his... but the post was already here =P

I honestly don't know about an 09. You might check your local salvage yards for a used one or just bite the bullet and get one from magnaflow lol. It might be possible to find a cat with comparable size to the one with the manifold and have it cut off of your manifold and install the comparable sized one but I honestly have no idea if that would work or if it'd be cheaper. Do it at your own risk if you do because I haven't heard of that being done but It might be possible :) update us on what you are going to do and if you do try, let us know how it works out or even make a DIY thread if there isn't already one! Good luck:)

If you have less than 80,000 miles your catalytic should be covered under warranty.

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Originally Posted by DTPskills

I have an 09 that has a bad 02 (upstream bank1) and ive been told the front cat was bad aswell...

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Who told you the cat was bad? Do you know what DTC codes have been set? How is the Aveo running - any misfire/hesitation?
DId this vehicle ever have an extended period of misfire in the past? With the lengthy extended warranty, cats are built to last. So it's unusual for one to fail early, and almost never without a good reason for the failure. At the very least take it to another shop for a second opinion.

Emissions suck, if u don't have emissions in southern IL u r lucky, up north its every 2 yrs. I had an older vehicle I registered to La Salle county just to avoid the sniffer test, let us know if ur parts work. On the 09-11 the only options for the header/cat combo is OEM at $1300 or the magna flow at $650- which has had mixed results according to other forums