How do you remove the code from a catalytic converter?
Disconnect your cars battery. This will reset the computer and clear the existing error codes. Locate the oxygen sensor that is downstream (closer to the tailpipe) of the catalytic converter. Remove the sensor, and take to your local car parts store.
What happens if you remove the rear oxygen sensor?
If you remove a rear oxygen sensor and pack it with red RTV silicone, that will destroy the oxygen sensor in a way that will trick your car’s computer into thinking the catalyst is okay.
Can a front oxygen sensor be used in a catalytic converter?
The sensor will not work well enough to report that extra oxygen is coming out of the converter, but it will still generate enough voltage to pass the car’s oxygen sensor activity test. Never do this to a front oxygen sensor because it will mess up the fuel system. Well, there it is, one of the best-kept secrets in the smog-loving world.
What is the emissions code for Check Engine?
I want to share some information about what’s happening here with emissions testing, and some ways to get emissions-compliant without shelling out piles of money. So your car or truck is running well, but that “check engine” light is on, with a code P0420 or P0430, and related “catalyst efficiency below threshold” codes.
What to do if your catalytic converter is bad?
If you are going to spend the cash to replace a converter, consider replacing the thermostat at the same time, and putting a can of alumaseal in the radiator, so the new cat has a healthy lifespan. Let’s talk about how your car knows the converter is bad in the first place.
Can a bad catalytic converter cause an oxygen sensor to go bad?
In 99.5% of the cases, this code means that the catalytic converter itself is bad and must be replaced. However, I see questions all the time on auto forums asking if a new oxygen sensor will fix the problem.
When does an O2 sensor set a trouble code?
If it’s not switching rapidly, the ECM will set an O2 sensor related trouble code If the upstream and downstream oxygens sensors are both switching from rich to lean, that’s the sign of a dead catalytic converter. An exhaust system leak really screws up the P0420 testing routing.
If you remove a rear oxygen sensor and pack it with red RTV silicone, that will destroy the oxygen sensor in a way that will trick your car’s computer into thinking the catalyst is okay.
What should the OBDII reading be on a bad catalytic converter?
The ECM would interpret that as a bad catalytic converter. In that case, your OBDII scanner should be reading a lean 0.1v reading from the downstream sensor. You can add propane fuel to the exhaust to force the reading up to prove that the downstream sensor is good.