Toyota Repair: 95 Toyota Previa s/c altrac, high flow cat, peak horsepower

Question
Sir: Dealer tech pulled code PO420 Cat. Converter system efficiency degraded. Needs new cat convertor parts and labor 500.00 part#18450-76120. Jan 07 2005 Vehicle ID#JT3AC23SXS1046263 mileage at that time was 114810 and now is about 145000. Can you recommend a diagnostic tool for this vehicle that is affordable? Thanks, Tom  

Answer
Code readers are pretty dumb. Most cost $40-50 for one that isn't amde of thin chinese plastic.
For another $100, or so. You can buy a complete OBD-II logger for a tablet PC, plam, or laptop.

Weld a high flow cat in Carsound(Magnaflow). Should cost about $100. $75 for the cat, $25 for jim-bob to cut the old off & weld the new in. Probably gain afew peak horsepower out of it also.