2004 Tacoma pre-runner sh*t box

READ ALL PLEASE IT MIGHT HELP YOU!!!
So I’ve had my truck for about a year now which is a 2004 Toyota Tacoma pre-runner and this is my experience so far what’s happening with it! So my truck I bought for about 11k with 178k miles on it and it runs like a dream kinda…. So In the first couple of months I get a check engine light…. And I think “shit okay what is it” I pull over and plug in my obdII reader and it’s a P0420 code which is a bank1 cat failure. (mind you I live in California so if you have any suggestions for cheap cats or maybe a fix let me know please) so I bought tons of cat cleaner don’t buy it it’s a waist! So i have been putting that off for a while I don’t have to get smog for a while which is good. So couple months go by and my ac knob falls off and gets lost in the abyss of the Tacoma I can’t seem to find it so I’ve spent about 60 bucks getting cheapo replacements which I could’ve just bought the one from the dealer for way less and it would fit (the others did not fit) so as of a month ago my ac doesn’t work it blows the same temp no matter which way the knob turns…. So I tried recharging it 2-3 times spent about 150 bucks still doesn’t work ! Come to find out my ac actuator isn’t working or the gyro so the money I spent on all that ac crap I could’ve gotten a new actuator!
I am a stupid broke 18 year old so please LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES !!! also if you cut the muffler off on the 3.4l it sounds really good like really good….

 

1. Since you live in California, you might wanna put the muffler back on or just like that, you could end up at the smog referee.
2. Just because the OBD reader says P0420 does not mean the cat is bad. Could be a bad O2 sensor or wiring related. You might not be out too much if it's something else.
3. A/C issues are a PITA. It's helpful to know what all the components do and what they should look like. Especially when things leak. Be careful with the can. You could over-pressurize the system and cause more damage.
4. The people here have seen it all. If you need help, there's plenty of it available! Look for mod days near where you live for in person help.

Welcome to TW!

 

1. We have a guy who smogs for us who’s a family friend he won’t ding me I think on the muffler I think… but ya
2.I am getting it on the lift tomorrow I believe to test the sensor with a volt meter if that’s the case I’ll be so happy I only have to put 130 bucks in the exhaust and not 530 lmao
3. Yea I know I was super smart about it I saw it that the actuator is not engaging so I am currently trying to figure how to get it out right now so I can open it up because I am thinking the gyro is fried.
4. Yea I know some people like to give broad explanations of stuff I am on my phone at the moment or I would’ve wrote more detail about everything and thanks it’s been fun here so far I am thinking about picking up a late 70s-early80s 2wd pick up with w 3 in the tree or 4 speed and slam it down and use it as a “fun truck” because this taco has minimal off-road capability since it’s a 2wd pre runner which idk why they made it 2wd but I am not getting paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to make these trucks so they must of did it for some reason and yes I know that it has the same Frame and suspension as a 4x4 and pre runners are mostly 2wd

 

California has a new noise ordinance. If you get pulled over, the cops could decide your vehicle is modified at which point you'll be sent to a referee--not the same as a smog station. Used to be a fix-it ticket. Not anymore.

 

When you buy an 18 year old truck with mileage approaching 200,000 miles you have to know and expect things are going to be wrong with it and go wrong with it. Even with a Toyota, it’s the way things are.
Hate to say it but cutting off the muffler is just a really dumb move. It may sound good to you but to most people it just sounds like a loud obnoxious 6 cylinder, it sounds like a fart machine. In addition if your truck failed smog and your friend passed your vehicle for smog, that is illegal, it is fraud and he could lose his license and be subject to hefty fines.
Finally if you get a 40 or 50 year old truck you can expect way more problems than you have now. And no 2 wheel drive truck is a great off road truck. You can make it work in certain situations but for the most part you need 4wd for off roading.

 

I fought a P0420 for a long time and tried everything but replacing the cats. Replacing the cats is the only thing that fixed it.

I got aftermarket Magnaflows installed out the door for $600 (CA legal ones), but this was in 2016. I'm sure they are much more expensive now, but still cheaper than OEM.

OEM cats are the best quality and will last the longest, but they are spendy as hell. Make sure you don't have any exhaust leaks before the O2 sensor or that will make them think the catalyst isn't working and will also trip that code.

 

Well I know that illegal and if my emissions standards aren’t met and if he wanted to pass me I wouldn’t let him because I am a hippy of some sorts but some kid at my school shoved a bunch of garbage in my exhaust pipe like you’d be surprised how much shit this kid got in there but I am working on getting a switch system so it will have the no muffler section then the muffler section which is will prolly have a shorty flow master or the stock one on it I’ve have a switch panel that I can hook it up to but it’s something I’ve been wanting to fix for a while as a whole I just got a job at a metal shop so I’m going to learn how to weld and stuff and I am just going to fab up my own exhaust. And yea I know that’s the tuff thing about liking old or older trucks I say I hate my truck but I love it

 

If you can find the link please send it to me

 

Also yea thank you I am going to try to get it on a lift today if not then tomorrow I am battling this for to long lmao

 

I just went to the local exhaust shop and asked them about CARB legal Magnaflows, which they were able to order and install. Everything I've read has indicated that Magnaflow makes the best aftermarket cats.

 

Yea so like I mention I’m going to put a cut switch valve on my exhaust so if I am ever in the sticks or somewhere where I can have the exhaust loud I can turn it on

 

Okay sick thanks man all the muffler shops expect an arm and a leg to do shit so imma attempt to do it my self pray for me

 

Flowmaster (Holley) also has some fed legal cats universal fit. Have to welded in but they get the job done.
the drone must be insane without a muffler. The 3.4 sounds awful chopped/ straight piped

 

I just did a muffler delete both cats are on right now

 

Just to add, have a 2006 camry in need of a cat (integrated into exhaust manifold) and only available is OE Toyota. About $800. Constantly would throw the failed cat code and for the last several years I would clear it, wait for the readiness monitors to clear and then smog it immediately. That worked until this year. No matter how many times I cleared it, it would never reset. Was about to order a new cat from McGeorge and came across this.

$25 Cataclean Fuel & Exhaust System Cleaner – Pass Emissions Tests – Clear Check Engine Lights – Restores Catalytic Converters, DPF Filters and Cleans Fuel Systems, 16oz (120007)

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BVXM92

To my surprise, it worked. Passed smog, all good. Been a couple of months now and the check engine light still hasn't come back.

 

You've got good advice regarding smog and all that good stuff.

But to say you can't offroad with a Prerunner?

You're nuts.

 

Do they not check for emissions monitor readiness in your area? unfortunately here in LA county you can't pass just by clearing the code, because when you clear the code you also reset the emissions monitors and they'll tell you to come back when the monitors are set/green. When the emissions monitors are ready, the code comes back and then you're screwed cause there's a code

I know some counties have less strict regulations and only look for codes, and don't necessarily check for the monitors to be ready

I used that Cataclean stuff as well to help my monitors set because they took forever after I replaced my battery. Smog shop wouldn't do the test until my monitors were green, drove over 1000 miles to no avail until I used a couple bottles of that stuff over a week period and they finally set

 

Of course brother, state regulates test criteria. When I said code was cleared and readiness monitors were clear - I meant they were all green and had passed the ECUs internal check. As soon as they were green, I went in to test. Passed and code still hasn't come back. Again, YMMV. I fully expect that CEL to come back at any time letting me know the CAT is failing. So far, still good.

 

ah ok I see, so there must've been enough life left in the cat to get it stay content for a bit. I think that's actually where mine's at right now given how long it took for the monitors to set. Come next smog check in 2 years I won't be surprised if P0420 is back to haunt me and my bank account