Is there platinum in all catalytic converters, or just some of them?

[Big Time]

There was a news story about cat's being stolen with a sawzall because they can be melted down into a few hundred dollars worth of platinum.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Yeah. They can also be sold to exhaust shops. Me and my father take all the cats from our parts rigs to an exhaust shop, we've made nearly 200 bucks.

 

[kunar]

wow, ive got cats for about 3 different trucks in my garage...

 

[alaskan155]

are you serious i junk like 4 o them last year, 2 from 91 f150 a 2 from 89 bronco II

 

[JamesC]

Gm converters seem to be the most valuable, I got 40 for my Cat off of my truck and every GM cat I have sold has been 80-100 dollars. After market converters usually you only get 10 dollars for tho.

 

[Mutant Pony]

Platinum (and other precious metals) have a special effect when heated, they ignite hydrocarbons on contact. This converts HCs to less harmful elements. If your engine is running rich or you have antifreeze getting into the exhaust it will melt the ceramic base for the inside of the converter. Platinum is the only precious metal that can take that kind of heat. So yes, All cats have platinum.
Scrap prices are at an all time high. If you have old cats laying around, take them in. I've seen some go as high as $200 a piece. It is not legal to install a used converter so, scrap 'em!
There have been stories of whole fleets of vehicle having there cats stolen overnight. I forsee legislation stating you need a VIN number to sell a used cat.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Dang. I would be pissed if I start my Ranger up one morning to hear it sound like a ricer. And then to discover my CAT has been hacked off.

Theres a cop I see every so often, lingering around a housing site. He's there to make sure people don't steal the copper wiring and other construstion supplies.

 

[metalmacguyver]

Yeah man, cats are worth money. Ones from imports are worth the most. (So I have heard.) GMs are also good money. I got $40 each for two off of a 1992 mercury sable that was junked and $60 for one off of a 1991 Buick that I also junked.


I read a while back on pirate about toyotas in CA that were getting ripped off. It was more the lifted trucks cause they are much easier to get under. I think of it as a reason to get a huge skid plate put on it.

 

[Destroyer000]

we just had a bunch of cats around my area stolen. my dad was telling me about it yesterday

 

[Mark_88]

I heard that cats taste like chicken and the cooks from Chinese restaurants run around at night and grab stray cats and then they cook them and serve them as chicken...

 

[4x4RangerGuy]

I think I read a similar article in Newsweek. Damn thieves.

I know at my old shop the owner would let me take all the used cats and cash them in as a side bonus (we did a lot of exhaust work). I typically made anywhere between $50-$150.

Definitely cash those things in.

 

[MountainRanger]

Well at the junkyard i work at when we sell ours we get anywhere from $40-$200 per converter and a bonus if we have more than 100 converters
Man do i hate cuttin them things out...

 

[Kona]

4 Chinese restaurants around here..now I am hungry for kitty chow mien .

 

[odie1969]

4 Chinese restaurants around here..now I am hungry for kitty chow mien .

ya around here cats go for about $7.50 a pound served with rice and sauce.