Ebay cats for California?

It's about that time. Shopping for cat's for my 2006 Pre Runner in California. I just replaced all the sensors, cleaned the MAF, filter, Cataclean, still getting 420, 430 codes after 20 miles or so. What's weird is, the code came up faster with the new parts. Any suggestions for the least expensive? I saw some on Ebay for 280 ish for a whole kit. Seems kind of cheap, and doesn't say Cal compliant, but are sold in California.

Also, do I just need the front 2, or the rear, as well, these are just heat boxes??, not an actual Cat, right?

Thanks

 

IMO anything less than OEM you risk a check engine light. I've had good luck with Magnaflow but only on domestic trucks

Have you checked for exhaust leaks? A fresh air leak near or upstream of the O2 sensors can confuse the pcm

 

Go OEM for cats, especially in CA. Don't risk counterfeit CARB compliance tags or cats that just don't work.

 

If you wanna save money you can try to use spark plug anti foulers to space the rear sensors away from the gasses - might work and they are dirt cheap compared to cats.

Correct, the rear cats are not monitored by the ECM and cannot set a code, but you’ll fail visual inspection without them.

 

CA requires CARB.

 

In California, there is no shop that would want something like this, spacer, anywhere near them. It's one of the first things they check. The consequences are too extreme.

 

This is my next step, I want to make sure I exhaust (no pun) all minor possibilities first. I'm only getting the 0420 bank 1 now, everything else cleared, it's been a couple hundred miles so far. The 0420 pops on anywhere between 14 and 30 miles.

I'm guessing if it is a leak, it would have to be on the bank 1 side only? Manifold gasket or donut. What else should I check. And a good way to check for leaks. It idles smooth, no physical symptoms of a vacuum leak, and I don't hear any obvious exhaust leak.

 

visual inspection is done however its done. my truck passed smog fine without the rear/secondary cats, just gotta take it somewhere where they dont know your vehicle very well.. and yes the sticker shows how many cats the vehicle should have but even then, shops get it wrong alot.

if your truck is lifted you just do as i did, literally point over the top of the front tire at the factory cat which can be plainly seen =D

 

Look for black soot. I take the metal probe tip out of my stethoscope and use the regular tube to listen around. Other guys have had luck using shop vac to blow air into the tailpipe and then spray soapy water around looking for bubbles

 

.2 oz of palladium costs nearly $200 today. Those Ebay cats are either stolen or made of tinfoil. Do the right thing and get legit cats.

 

have used them before. a lot of them are the same as the cali ones just not stamped. I installed some, covered them in dirt and it passed fine. also having skid plates helps cover them

 

I used a leaf blower taped to the pipe. I found 2 leaks on the side in question. One is after the sensors, last flange with the springs closest to the muffler. The other is at the first connection after the cat, between the sensors. It's a small leak, but it did bubble up after a few seconds, about an inch across the top. I didn't find any at the manifold, but it's hard to see some spots. So I bought a new seal, will cross my fingers. I couldn't find the torque specs for the exhaust anywhere on the web. Anyone happen to know, or have a link. For all the bolts, manifold to muffler.

Thanks,

 

Man, it took a couple days, but I found it. I did an int search and found a link to a T World post with torque specs.

 

Didn't help. What's weird is, everything I do to improve it, the light kicks on sooner. This time it was only 12 miles. I checked the cat from the pipe side and looked clear. It was grey, but not clogged and nothing broken. Couldn't see the inlet side. I guess even if they're not clogged, cats go bad?

 

Absolutely they can go bad. if you can pull yours off and dump them out, you might find all the inards have fallen out

 

Actually clean the cats out.

with a cold truck,

jack up the front of the truck as high as you safely can.

remove up and downstream sensors.

spray a can of parts cleaner or brake cleaner, etc. into the cat.

now, the crud will go downhill and end up in the muffler or drain out of the tail pipe.
use an air hose to dry out the honeycomb.

be ready for some smoke when you start up.

there is a lot of buildup in the honeycombs and the only effective way to clean it out is to actually clean it out.
the add to gas tank stuff doesn't do much.

i have pulled cats off of many many vehicles, soaked them in cleaner overnight and that is the best way.

cats do go bad for good, if they were damaged or overheated enough to melt the precious honeycomb coatings.

most of the time, they are just fouled with exhaust build up.

the off brand cats have so little precious metals that they foul up quickly and need to be cleaned constantly. the price of the good cats are high because of these metals.

 

this

try and shake the cat, it should never rattle. if you hear metal clanking around, the metals melted or broke and are rattling around.