code p0420..? Bad catalytic convertor?

I have 160,000 miles on my 4cyl, std cab, 4x4? Orginal cats. Spitting code p0420. Wondering what the best replacement front cat to go with? That's not too much $.. Any ideas?

thanks,,
Shawn
RI

 

use the search for o2 sensors

 

Gut it!! Just be sure to catch all the ctalytic material and you can sell it, then just get the o2 simulator from URD, $104 and your done with the whole job.

 

thanks for the reply.. Sounds interesting.. Did you use it on your truck? Also.. i see its for the rear sensor..? how about the front one? Also see its for v6.. I have a 4 cycl.

 

Which sensor is bad? i have both cats gutted on mine but only throws a code for the rear or bank 2 because it is post cat, i havent got it yet but if you search everyone i know has had good results, i know tacomaforlife has it and he said its good and antoher guy has been PM'n me about his and said it deffinatly helped, and he ahs a 4cyl so yes it wil work on yours as well!

 

Yes, I searched for my truck info and posted only on the rear sensor since I had my camera with me when I did the rear O2 repair.
The sensors are similar though.

 

i think my front sensor , bank 1, and maybe the front cat is faulty. Will the o2 simulator correct the front senor fault also? anyone know..?

 

If you have a upstream O2 problem(open sensor,lazy,or bad heater)the downstream will not correct it.The primary(upstream) O2 sensor should vary votage from 0-.9volts and the secondary(downstream)should stay at a constant near .6 volts to indicate the catalytic converter is working.When the catalytic converter goes bad and stops working the secondary O2 sensor will be almost identical to the primary if looking at the waveform on a scope.The O2 eliminator fools the PCM into thinking a catalytic converter is there and working properly.The primary needs to work properly for the PCM to control fuel trim and injector duration.Hope this helps!

 

So, I can gut the front and it won't toss a code in my 3.4l?

 

If theres an O2 sensor before any catalytic converter and you gut it,you need to have an O2 eliminator wired in the secondary position to simulate a good cataytic converter or else the MIL will come on(malfunction indicator lamp).

 

i have both mine gutted and only the code for the rear sensor according to ultragauge and genysis. so im thinkin just the simulator should fix my CEL and help out with my gas a bit for the rear sensor

 

You probaby only have 1 secondary O2 sensor then.And yes in that case the eliminator will fix it.

 

yes one sensor before the first cat and one sensor after the second cat.

the way i see it the first sensor or bank 1 reads/senses teh fuel mixture coming through the exhaust and then the second or bank 2 sensor senses how much change was made after the cats then reacts and sends signal to the ECU accordingly to run richer or leaner.

 

so front 02 sensor (bank 1) needs to be working correctly to correct the Cel.. even if you use the o2 simulator in the rear.
? So basically if the front 02 sensor is working corretly and both cats are bad and "cleaned out" or even leak's after the front 02 sensor.. and you use the o2 simulator in the rear you should not throw a cel...?
thanks for everyones help....

 

Where can I get one of these "simulators" at?? I'm going to try Google and see what I can find
EDIT******* Found it.. COOL! I think I might try this!
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1s...lp-installing-urd-rear-o2-simulator-3-4l.html

 

im quite confused trying to read this, but from what it looks like to me your saying that bank1 is what throws a code which i believe to be incorrect, its the second sensor that will throw the code, because it is either a hard fault code which means the sensors F'ed or that its a intermittent fault which is a cat problem [usually clogged] and that tells the sensor that not enough fuel is passing through which causes it to tell the computer to dump more fuel thus causing an increase in gas consumption! which is why most people just gut them b/c they are expensive as hell, or you just get the sim. the only time id replace the cat itself is if you have to have SMOG tests which in SC i dont so i run no cats, just a muffler dumped over the axle.


I know the rear sensor for our trucks are around 150 bucks off URD and at autozone they are 125 if i remember correctly when i priced it for a buddy for his 04, and 75 from autozone for the universla, so to me 104 for a sim and callin it a day is well worth it, plus you shouldnt ever have to replace it!

Hope this book helps somewhat

 

URDUSA.COM

heres a link to the sim page itself:

http://www.urdusa.com/p1230100014/U...t_info.html?osCsid=an6s851a41fpf0n8578mi85hr1

 

Here is a link to what it will sound like with no cats and what i assume is a TRD muffler since my truck is TRD, may be the same as everyone elses, also have the DP mod done, and mines 3.4 so OP yours may sound different, but wouldnt hurt to try, you literally cant even hear mine from inside or at idle, or even reving it sitting still you cant tell much difference in sound. but it sounds good as hell pullin away and goin down the road from what ive been told.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1s...n-tacoma-exhaust-audio-video.html#post2858445

 

So, if I took both my cats off (don't need them here in Ohio) and get the URD sim, it will not show a code for bank 1? The website u posted said that it plugs into the back..Wouldn't it still show a code for bank 1 if that O2 sensor is bad?? I had a code for my front O2 Sensor a few days ago and I think air was leaking in around the gasket for the sensor because it was falling apart.. So I made a gasket for it and after a tank of gas it went off...but I'm still getting shitty mpg!!

 

well in your case the sensor is bad and needs to be replaced what i would do is hook it up to a tool and watch the voltage it is showing to determane if its bad, if it reads no voltage then yes its bad but if its reading then try getting a new gasket made for it specifically and see if that helps, it cant be to muchh its just a lil metal one. but now i see that the light went off so, doy ou have either of yours gutted yet?

Yes the URD sim only works for the rear sensor i dont believe they have one for the front because its a pre-cat so its just reading what is coming stright out of the motor and the second sensor is supposed to sense how much less emissions are lost due to the cats catching it. and when the cats are gutted then its going to sense to much emissions so the sim just sits in-line with the wirign from o2 to computer and when signal from the o2 hits the sim, the sim changes that signal to what would be the normal reading so the computer thinks everything is all jolly!