32 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHAm I doing any damage by...
Reported or suspected cause
exhaust shield was touching the muffler
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
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Reported cause
Rattle turned out to be exhaust shield was touching the muffler.
Adjust accordingly, meaning either leaning out the mixture
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
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Unsuccessful attempts
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Suggestion
It just seems logical that a bad cat will trip certain values programmed into the DME and it will adjust accordingly, meaning either leaning out the mixture on that bank or making other adjustments to compensate.
Leading evidence: 'exhaust shield was touching the muffler' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'exhaust shield was touching the muffler' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Adjust accordingly, meaning either leaning out the mixture' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I have a pair of those installed with my catless X-pipe.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I've been battling the dreaded P0420 ever since I replaced my rattling OEM cats with a Fabspeed system.
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Performed · outcome unconfirmed
I have not seen one car that ran spacers throw a code yet.
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Adjust accordingly, meaning either leaning out the mixture
No successful repair reported for this finding.
0
Reported fixes
0
Unsuccessful attempts
1
Discussions
Read evidence and context
Discussions that contain suggestions
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Suggestion
It just seems logical that a bad cat will trip certain values programmed into the DME and it will adjust accordingly, meaning either leaning out the mixture on that bank or making other adjustments to compensate.
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Suggestion
Somewhat depends on the code, but here is my understanding: the DME (engine management computer) is constantly taking readings from the O2 sensors before and after the cats and adjusting the air/fuel mixture for each individual bank of the engine, as well as spark and camshaft adjustments.
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Suggestion
It operates by measuring the difference in oxygen between the exhaust gas and the external air, and generates a voltage or changes its resistance depending on the difference between the two.
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Rennlist: 1 discussions
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Am I doing any damage by driving with a bad cat converter?
When I say bad I mean has the rattle and throws code after being cleared and driven 50 miles or so.
I thought I had a deal with a rennlister for a set of used cats but he no longer answers e-mails or PMs.
So I am back looking for a set of used cats for 03 cab tip.
RBC
Somewhat depends on the code, but here is my understanding: the DME (engine management computer) is constantly taking readings from the O2 sensors before and after the cats and adjusting the air/fuel mixture for each individual bank of the engine, as well as spark and camshaft adjustments. It is all very dynamic and also varies with engine speed, load and vehicle speed. It just seems logical that a bad cat will trip certain values programmed into the DME and it will adjust accordingly, meaning either leaning out the mixture on that bank or making other adjustments to compensate. To me, not a good scenario. Not saying don't drive it because it is going to explode. Just get it fixed asap.
Magnaflow sells bolt-on/exact fit cats for under $500 each (after discount). To get the 5yr/50K mile warranty, install must be done by a shop. Will pass visual and sniff test when smog time comes. Best of luck.
P.S. make sure you buy from an authorized dealer for warranty reasons as well.
So prevalent it has its own website
http://www.p0420.com/
Given the rattle and code (says Bank 1 so drivers side/left side of engine), might as well plan on replacing both cats and moving on.
Well, as I mentioned in my reply pm to you, you can have mine. It has 85K miles and no rattle or check engine light. I removed it due to some exhaust rattle. Thought it was the cats and replaced them with low mileage used cats. Rattle turned out to be exhaust shield was touching the muffler. I basically replaced a set of good catalyst.
Make an offer, I have no set price, just trying to help...
You pay actual shipping.
If RBC doesn't want the cats, offer stands for any rennlisters who needs them. If not, I am going to keep them as spare.
I think I will try swapping downstream sensors to see if code follows. But I am sure my bank 2 cat is bad because of rattle when warms up and can bang on it with my fist and hear rattle.
Use these:
http://www.fabspeed.com/universal-o2...ic-converters/
(There are cheaper alternatives out there).
I have a pair of those installed with my catless X-pipe. No codes.
Fixed this - spacers are no guarantee that you will not throw a code - and can often result in different codes...since the 02 sensor will not be in the exhaust stream, it will be running at the wrong temperature and may gripe about it.
How's your sense of smell? I could not stand running catless because of the stink of unburned hydrocarbons; other people tell me they can't detect a difference.
If you've ever been stuck on the freeway behind a pre-75 car (or a car from Mexico) and started reeling from the fumes, you may not enjoy running catless - but again, other people don't seem to mind.
Also, you may experience more backfires (rumbles) when shifting; one some cars, this sounds awesome, and on other cars it sounds like you're driving a POS.
Be careful that the EPA doesn't get on your a$$ like they did with the company that made the "off road use ONLY" O2 sensor emulators. They were bankrupted by what the EPA made them do. Your product does the same thing so might want to rethink selling it.
That is patently incorrect. The sensor element is a ceramic cylinder plated inside and out with porous platinum electrodes; the whole assembly is protected by a metal gauze. It operates by measuring the difference in oxygen between the exhaust gas and the external air, and generates a voltage or changes its resistance depending on the difference between the two.
Modern sensors are electrically heated to help bring the sensor up to proper operating temperature. The probe typically has four wires attached to it: two for the lambda output, and two for the heater power, although some automakers use the metal case as ground for the sensor element signal, resulting in three wires. Earlier non-electrically-heated sensors had one or two wires.
Adding a spacer to one of the sensors on each exhaust bank simulates the presence of having the catalyst in place. Without a spacer, the upstream and downstream values are the same, and the car interprets that the catalyst is missing or has failed.
If you use a spacer that results in a value from the sensor that is improbable, the ECU will complain. Earlier cars were easier to trick; as cars onboard more of the emissions software, the sensors get more sophisticated and the range of acceptable values decreases.
On a totally unrelated note: If I was going to build a scale-model nitro-powered 996, I'd use those Fabspeed cat simulators as my scale-size cats.
...and if I vaped, I'd gut one and add it to my rig.
