90% of the cars I've seen with a catalyst inefficiency code had bad downstream O2 sensor, NOT a bad catalytic converter (cat). The ones that did have bad converters had bad upstream sensors and were run that way for months and the rich mixture burned out the cat. I always try changing sensors 1st, then the cat, as if you're gonna change the cat, you'll want new sensors anyway to prevent burning it out. One customer was told by the Volvo dealer that he needed a new cat for $1800. 88,000 miles on the car. We changed his upstream and downstream sensors (probably only downstream bad) and he passed emissions for another 10 years without changing the cat! Saved him $1600 and all legal.
+ATH-3157 -elg I think there are a lot of good mechanics out there like you. the bad ones give us a bad name. I don't think the rip off guys are getting rich either as it usually catches up with them. honest mechanics get repeat business! It's a tough field to be in, as you know. physically demanding, customers not wanting to pay for a fair deal, getting screwed on flat rate in the rust belt, being blamed for future breakdowns, intermittent problems that don't show up for the mechanic, everything packed into a tight space....I switched careers, lol, boring office job now!
+Dale Stewart I worked for Sublet firm, within a large firm and my motto was, " do it right the first time. " Let the customer know what he or she was up for, give them a quote, and from there negotiate. I'm retired now and living in Europe, a big move from Australia I must say. I worked on mostly Euro cars and I tell you what, they lose translation from left to right hand drive. The Euro cars mainly Italian had and think still have a lot of electrical issues, but fun to drive when going well.
+Mouse Toad Thank you for your comment sir. This is important info people need to know. You need to diagnose and troubleshoot, rather than "shotgun" -- which many "automotive experts" fail to do, because they want to make money. Many times a $2,000 repair is actually a $100 repair. I hate to see someone on the $2,000 end, having to scrap it for a month or two because a mechanic was greedy and wanted to take advantage of a customer. Thank you for watching.
+ATH-3157 -elg You are a stand up guy-- thank you for being honest and noble. You are a dying breed, so please keep doing what you are doing-- and if you get a chance to train another auto tech (Car brain surgeon), please pass along your moral backbone. Cheers!
Just did this to my 04 Saturn Vue, worked like a charm, passed emissions. I used a scan tool to clear the P0430 after the install of the "MOD", and drove one drive cycle and then had car tested and it passed. Thanks
You, Sir, are a genius! Legality or not - if you're in an area where emissions aren't checked (they don't here), but you want the check engine light off in case another more pressing problem flags it - perfect solution. Well done!
Dude, ignore the haters. Thanks for the informational video for off-road use. A lot of viewers from states that don't require emissions inspections are also watching this. Thanks again!
Just yesterday, my check engine lights came on. Went to the mechanic, he said he would charge $135 to clear it. Saw this video and disconnected the battery (also left the headlights on after disconnecting the battery to drain any residual power), glad to tell you it worked totally. Thanks for this tip. Saved me a bundle.
P0420 is a universal/global fault code on OBDII systems that is specific to your CAT converter "Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold " or something to that effect.It simply means that the CAT is performing below a preset standard for this application,it could be off as little as 1-3% and still give the code.So this is a valid workaround for that problem,if you are not experiencing any other faults.
Bought an 05 4Runner from some clowns who thought they ripped me off. Their ad said "no check engine light and 4wd". Well the truck isn't 4wd, which I didn't prefer anyway and after I bought it the 2nd day, the check engine light plus traction control light crap came on many miles up the road. The car is fine. The code is 0430 and the cat does not need replacing as they probably thought. As far as the other 2 lights...those things come on commonly on old Toyota and Honda SUVs over 100,000 miles. Check it out, but if all is well, do NOT go get ripped off by the dealer. Scotty is the man
The "P" in the code stands for Powertrain, meaning the code has to do with engine and transmission components. A code starting with "B" would indicate a body code and "C" for chassis. I would find out what's causing the P0420 code rather than masking it. Normally, it's just a bad O2 sensor or burned wire.
For those of you who didn't use google, P0420 means "catalyst efficiency below threshold. The downstream O2 sensors are reporting to the PCM (computer) that there is excess oxygen in the exhaust because the cat is not burning it all to reduce emissions. By installing non-foulers in-line with the sensors, it reduces their exposure to the exhaust gases and therefore makes them send lower readings back to the PCM. This rig will not affect the engine in a negative manner.
My husband has a 1997 Nissan Truck and his check engine light stayed on and his friend (mechanic ) has done everything he knows and cant get the light to go out , so my husband cannot get his truck inspected because of the light wont go out ? I watched your video and I am gonna pass this on to his friend , me being a woman bet he wont listen ? but if he brings the truck home I will try this I am pretty smart fixing cars !! thanks for this info .Thanks again. have a Blessed day
I have a nissan Frontier that has/had numerous check engine codes. The light was always on. I researched on found out that Nissan's have a problem with insufficient grounding of the ECM. To check this use a voltmeter and test the voltage from an engine bolt to the negative battery terminal. The voltage should be less then .025 volts (mine was .25V 10x out of spec). If it is bigger your engine/ecm isn't grounded well enough. To fix: add an additional ground wire from and engine bolt to the negative battery terminal. Problem will be solved.
It worked, my car just passed the emissions test. I would have had to pay $1400-$1600 to replace the cat. I instead paid $80 for a floor jack; $45 for a set of jack stands; $10 for an O2 socket; $10 for a set of non-foulers I bought off Ebay (longer 45 MM size, no need to combine two shorter non-foulers). Thanks for your video and a big thanks to everyone on TH-cam who made a video explaining how to do this mod. I watched several videos on this subject. P.S. I used Sea Foam to clean the cat in the past which always worked. Not this time though. This year I also tried CataClean. To no avail. So I tried this mod and it was successful.
wayne murphy hello how made that in Mexico, sorry i dont speak english, but my car hace the same problem nissan sentra 07 cvt. Can u explain in spanish? Thank u nebper@gmail.com
It's called an 02 Sensor socket and it's actually very handy when you have a rusted frozen sensor allowing you to use a breaker bar for leverage to "crack" it.
I did this and it worked. I wish that I had seen this video months ago. Prety simplke job to do. Passed the smog test too, after over 6 months of not being able to. Took less than 15 minutes, start to finish.
You can do what you want with this information. I am providing it as "for off road use" for legal reasons. A lot of aftermarket parts running on the road today are sold as "off road use only". It's the same idea. If you don't like the content, take the 10-15 hours out of your own schedule and shoot, edit and upload your own video. Thanks for watching.
Hey dude! I try fixing my car with hack but I only use one Fouler drove the car for three days and the light came back on . should I try to put two Fouler instead, do you think If I use two it will fix my problem? Thanks for your help
Your a very smart gentleman..... funny how alot of the haters probably have never even seen a scan tool or 02 Sensor. Thanks for your intelligent response.
Keep in mind your also resetting the engine light by unhooking the negative so your check engine lights would go off anyway, but I see it lasted so good job.
+David DeRoche Yeah buddy... I made the mistake of combining the "check engine light" fix along with the "maintenance required light"... so many will say it is the same thing. However you and I both know this is not the case! Thank you for viewing, cheers!
This mod works! I got a 2002 regal ls with 150000 MILES . I reset the P0420 code, did what the video shows, drove around for like 80 miles and it passed smog. Before I went to get it smogged, I went I'm to my local O'Reilly s and borrowed their diagnostic code reader, just to make sure that the car had done a full cycle in all the sensors, thanks for the video!
I appreciate your input. Whether or not this trick should be used is subjective. If the cat is actually clogged, you don't have many choices but to replace it because eventually it will cause damage and one day the car just won't start. IMO, the fouler method can come in handy when the CEL is on due to the cat being slightly less efficient than when it was new--but not clogged, and you can't justify the cost of replacing it.
I've had my check engine light on for about 100,000 miles I got tired of looking at it. My solution costed less than a penny. I simply cut a piece of duct tape and covered the illuminated light.
This is the 2nd O2 sensor which in almost all cars has very little authority over the fuel mixture; it is the 1st O2 sensor which most cars use to set the mixture; the 2nd reacts too slowly (because of the cat) to be optimal for fuel trim. However, in 1st O2 sensor malfunction conditions, many ECUs will give the 2nd O2 sensor some fuel trim authority, instead of dropping to open loop mode. In this fault condition, a false 2nd O2 sensor reading may cause engine damage due to incorrect trim.
Great Video, please share more of these hacks, Inspection time here in Texas is a bitch, so many times one cant afford the repairs necessary to pass and its not like you can just stop driving. I opted for owning old classics, instead of the modern cars just for this reason, once the engine light comes on you better pray you can afford the repairs before your tag is out otherwise you get pulled over and ticketed. Real stupid shit if you ask me, ..one rocket launch, satellite launch, nuclear waste spill, oil spill - is thousands of times more destructive to the environment than anything a car can dish out, but its a great money maker for everyone involved except the hardworking car owner. Please share more stuff like this, this is good to know, thumbs up bro!
It seems to be tied in to the date of the initial vehicle registration, in my case its at 3 months after the registration tag date. I wish the emissions testing laws were more lax. id rather just pay a one time yearly fine and be on my way than have to maintain a vehicles engine in top shape over a few gases. Its all part of the bigger picture, bring in business for the Dealerships and Banks, most people rather be stuck in perpetual car payments buying new cars every 2 -3 years than face the repair bills that result from mandatory emissions laws. So much for Freedom huh. Makes me sick!
Ford Winsor SVT I agree-- buying and financing a brand new car is one of the worst investments one can make. Even buying "pre-owned" and financing is slightly smarter. I Financed my current vehicle but I put like 70% down and the total price for the car was a little over 5k so my payments are super low.
This won't necessarily make the car pass inspection, just possibly keep the check engine light from coming on by fooling the computer. All this does is move the oxygen sensor out of the exhaust gas stream to prevent it from reading the actual gas content. He did SAY this was for off road use. I suppose he will trailer the car to the edge of the woods. The auto can still illegally pollute the air, even without the light coming on, kinda like just removing the bulb.
I understand the initial intent to reduce pollution but I think we should all be given a bit more leeway and not have to stress over Inspections as much until oil spills are non existent, nuclear waste stopped from seeping out of expired facilities, fracking by product gasses and water contamination eliminated, depleted uranium and other chemical toxins removed and no longer used in war, until at least these things are taken care of first, the pollution from vehicles is the least of our worries. Consider also the deliberate carcinogens and chemicals used in our food products....Those things should be the real issue. Vehicle inspection is a clever way to keep the sheeple buying newer cars, taking out vehicle loans etc...I'm just saying the tolerances for the emissions test are to narrow, they need to give us some room, not everyone has the $$ to have their vehicle in top shape, I wish we all could but that's is not realistic, its unfair.
It is NOT a filter. It is a spark plug non-fouler, which was originally designed for engines that have issues with high engine oil consumption due to high mileage wear, such as worn piston rings or bad valve seals & guides. It moves a spark plug further from the combustion chamber. The "kit" with 2 non-foulers is available at most auto parts stores. I bought mine from Advance Auto. You will need to make sure you get the correct threaded version for your application. 18mm thread is very common.
That's nice to get past inspection. Just don't fool yourself. It's not fixed and it still has a problem. But thanks for showing me one more thing to check before buying a used vehicle. Just to make sure someone is not dumping their problems on me.
alot of people use these for when they delete the cat...now if your cat is bad and you do this I don't think that's a good idea just being sooner or later it's gonna A catch fire B cause problem to your motor.. I would not do this if your cat is clogged ect...if it's just to pass inspection till you get coin to replace go for it but not for long period of time it will ruin your motor
Thanks, It worked. I seen some videos that said it would not work with some brands of O2 sensors. Mine was a BOSH and one video said it would not work with bosh. Your video was the one i chose over the rest. I did not use a code reader to clear the code. i just did the non fouler trick and drove the 04 ranger for a few days. Light turned itself off after two days. light had been on for 3 months. so i know this works. Im glad i found out about this. I have a 04 ranger with 230K miles that i use for back and fourth to work. i did not want to drop a bunch of $ when the truck was working great. my other option was to drive until i got pulled over. those pesky coppers got to catch me. LOL, now I'm legal.even better.
For those of you who say this isn't going to work.. I have done this on a 2005 Ford Taurus and a 99 Escort and both and still going fine with no CEL for over 10k miles.. Great tip!
Hi there , i'm working in exhausts and emission controls fixations more than 5 years ago and to tell you that , this video possibly could solve 20% of p 0420 conditions , what if you have problem with injectors or fuel pump or ECM , or clogged cat ?? that wont work, to simplify p0420 , its a reading between 2 sensors on a same exhaust line monitored by ecm , upon the demanding frequency of rear sensors the ecm will adjust fuel ratio to air on each combustion cycle ,but if you have electrical ground issue your sensors might stop
you are wrong , exhaust leak will issue " system too lean " p0420 is far from your point , its like 2 gates and 5 players must pass those 2 gates , but there many dangerous on the way between the 2 gates , so in normal conditions the 5 pass 1st gate and only 2 reach the 2nd gate , if the 5 players passed 1st gate and then they passed the 2nd gate all 5 of them means the way between the gates is useless and the game is over
@ yeah buddy there are many steps before you come out with conclusion , do you have any idea about usage of multimeter for o2 sensor to inspect heating elements and where is the supply and ground ? your way how did you described it looks like you are just a labor in small exhaust workshop have no idea about ecu feeds inputs out puts regulations and ratio auto adjustment
@@SamFidal STFU. You're the type of shade tree know- it-all who will certainly have you broke down on the side of the road somewhere....at night, at midnight, alone, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
It is confirmed by me! this technique really worked in my Toyota Camry 02. However, make sure you use one or two per O2 Heated Sensor (Downstream Sensors). Part #'s are (42002 or 42009) Spark Plug Non-Foulers. The Parts # may vary per vehicle, I used (42002) (ask be4 you buy). Also use 1/2 inch drill bit ONLY. anything bigger or smaller will not work. I live in Florida. We do not have inspections here but it is good to get rid off the ENGINE LIGHT in case other codes show up. Have a nice day.:-)
I appreciate your point of view V8. This video in essence is a documented "experiment" of mine. It is purely informational; intended for off road use. With that said, it has been proven to work time and time again. In a perfect world, your mechanic will know exactly what to do, and which part needs replacing. Unfortunately even dealerships will resort to the "shotgun" method, replacing every possible culprit--only to be left with the code remaining, and a huge repair bill.
I know alot of people have done this with good results after installing high flow cats etc. I've never worked on Nissans but I would assume this should work just as well. It's definitely worth a shot! Thx for watching !
One last thing... you do NOT want to do this mod to either/any of the upstream o2 sensors. The UPSTREAM o2 sensors are the only o2 sensors that DO have a direct effect on the fuel trim (air/fuel mixture ratio) of your vehicle's engine. You'd be better off with unplugged o2 sensors, because although your CEL (check engine light) will be on, your engine will remain in "open-loop" mode, meaning that your fuel injection is controlled by a pre-mapped fuel mixture program in your vehicle's computer.
Ok that maintenance required light was on because It's a reminder for the oil to be changed and the code u erased p0420 means the cat is either stopped up or no longer working correctly and has to be replaced even if u changed both oxygen sensors the problem will still persist because it has insufficien flow so this rigged up u did will not fix the problem
Actually, depending on how the computer is programed, this will "fix" the problem. I have seen this done on a 96 Chevy V8 with a hollow cat, and it has worked for the last 75,000 miles. It depends on the vehicle. New vehicles, especially high end, are so sensitive that this doesn't work. If the computer is simply using the downstream sensor to check the CAT, and it's looking for a flat O2 level, then this trick works. Some vehicles (not sure complete list but I know it includes some Cadillac, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz) actually use data from that sensor to fine tune Air/Fuel Ratio. My buddy tried this on 07 Cadi V8, and it worked intermittently. I bumped into a C230 in a shop, had one in it, but was still throwing P0420. Yes, for off road use only, as this is legally tampering with an emissions device. It's a violation of the EPA Clean Air Act.
ummm.... you realize the sensor that the code is caused by a sensor reading the cat is bad, it's possible the sensor is also bad, just like when your coolant sensor fails and it is always pegged cold or your fuel level sensor fails and pegs empty, doesn't mean it's right. So it can be the sensor to. and no kidding it's rigged up, it's so he doesn't spend 1200$ on junky emissions crap!
If you're running a test pipe, yes this does fix the problem. It prevents limp mode and some misfire issues because it keeps trying to adjust lean or rich between the two sensors. Obviously you can do a downstream O2 delete but this is better if you plan on getting a high-flow cat in the future and wanna keep that sensor without burning it up.
Oh we definitely do maintenance on our cars. Oil changes of course, but he have a good, honest mechanic who will let us know when other things are due. He checks our car periodically (for free!)
If the downstream o2 sensor is bad, it's pretty easy to test. You just look at the live data on your scan tool and watch to see if the o2 sensor is functioning as it should, ranging up and down, typically in a much slower (aka: lazy) fashion, as compared to the upstream o2 sensors. Your voltages should be much lower as well, ranging from .02V to 1.0V. Typically, they will range from .03V to .07V when functioning properly, however every manufacturer's vehicle may be a little different.
YUP!!! This worked on my 2000 Honda Civic. But I bought a 90 degree Angled spacer from eBay for 20$. Spent half an hour under my car, replaced, reset codes, drove around for a few days(to and from work) and went for a smog and passed!! CEL light still off.
Just wanted to tell you thanks so much worked like a charm.It took a month to get my truck to pass n.y.s. inspection.Everyone this works.I have half b-4 Cat Magna flow Exhaust.
This worked on my 2005 Chrysler Pacifica! Thanks. However, when I took it to the smog guy he easily noticed it protruding from the cat. He said it was illegal and had to be removed before it would pass. So it turns the light off and it will pass the computer part of the test but if the smog guy sees it in the visual inspection you will fail:( I live in California and they are required to do a visual inspection.
wow that really sucks that you in cali that have actual smog guys. there really lax here in ny.. if it passes the computer and all normal stuff is good then it passes. the reason we have all these emission regulations is bc of cali. kinda ruined it for everyone..lol..luckily here in ny 97 and under ha e no emission reg and '00 can pass with 2 codes reading and '01 can pass with 1 code reading. I hate inspection time..lol..Thanks California! !!!!
+bigg boy315 Yup, KaliFornia DOES suck. I had a cat replaced under the smog assist program. Took it to smog station a couple years later and they said because the model number embossed on the cat was too deteriorated that they could not continue the test. I immediately took it to the original station that installed it. They had no choice but to pass it because they were the ones who INSTALLED it. Anyway, they now have new regulations requiring a metal raised lettering plate. The system is corrupt!
On my 03 altima i didn't have to do any drilling. And I only used one spacer. I screwed the spacer into the downstream cat and then screwed the 02 sensor into that. I didn't disconnect the battery either, although I agree that's always a good thing to do when working with electronics. Then I cleared the code using my reader. No 420 code for over a thousand miles so far.
untrue, it leans it out a tad & ONLY use this trick on after Cat 02 sensor, it won't hurt a thing in fact it Helps a bit both in Gas mileage & performance, its an old trick.
Downstream sensors do nothing more than report emissions data to the ECU. The upstream sensors control your air/fuel mix which determines how rich or lean your engine runs. Obviously your upstream sensors need to be working well to keep your engine running well and this mod is only for downstream sensors.
Following up on my last comment (exceeded limit) it was intended to be informative for people viewing this video hoping to fix their cars. This trick will work as a temporary fix to get your inspection done but the code usually always comes back after a while and allowing the catalyst problem to exist will only make it worse in the long run. I found the video itself very informative and the guy did a good job documenting and explaining this process. Just wanted to make it clear this isnt a fix.
Seafoam cleaning of the vacuum system corrected my 420 code. I recommend 1) knowing how to properly introduce cleaner into the vacuum system 2) Use a small amount for the 1st cleaning and progressively introduce more at each follow-up cleaning. 3) only use if you are sure the catalytic converter is still intact and not fractured or completely clogged. A 420 code can be triggered by a converter that is only a few % below perfect operating efficiency.
This modification may remove the check engine light but your vehicle will not pass the inspection because NOx is still coming through the exhaust pipe.
Tariq Khan For states that do emissions testing via tailpipe. Many only rely on OBD readiness meters. Also, I know for a fact that Michigan and Florida don't have any safety inspection whatsoever.
+fisqual Yes sir!!! Can't stress this enough. Especially if they use salt on the roads where you live! Fucking nightmare otherwise (especially lug nuts with no anti-seize... !!! ) Thanks for watching!
It works. had P0430 code for 2 yrs have to smog first time. cost to replace the CAT is $1500, CA only. raw data from all the 02 sensors, secondary sensor, Bank 2 out of spec. This sensor has no effect on engine control air/fuel mixture, only monitors the efficency of the CAT. $10 and 1/2 our later, long drive the next day, all clear. Took to the smog station, passed. they hooked to the computer, and did a sniff test. well under the max allowed emission levels. 07 toyota w/ 193k miles.
got an A8. straight piped it and the light for rear o2 came on. then the p0420. Euro trick these bungs. may install this weekend. installing an X pipe to change flow seeing as it changed after we widened the exhaust. I'm a mechanic. I approve this video. it works. unless its a two cat system in some cases. Too bad more people don't know about this little fix.
Colin Hendricks yea , Mitsubishi 2001 gallant..theres a cheap one, but only lasts 9 months..can u believe THat!? Man, America is so good at making it hard to just breathe fucking air Money for pissing.
+jetpaq that's some bullshit right there I wouldn't believe "9 months". You get a set of tools with extensions and mix acetone and automatic transmission fluid to use as a bolt breaker and bolt on a new downpipe. Now I went with catless for performance reasons. Cost me 150$ and then some for the acetone and atf to put a downpipe on my car.
Awesome fix and it works, 2005 Pontiac threw same code and issues, did this all went away..took about 100 miles driving to reset all sensors and car passed inspection in NY. Thanks
done it for the last 2 years. works fine on Chevy Tahoe(2003). i do have a bluetooth odb2 reader that i can clear a code with torque pro however the cel will pop back up with in 20 minutes.. unplugging the battery last a few hundred miles. i need to change the purge solenoid and charcoal canister on it.. i'll get around to it now that its actually effecting gas mileage in a negative way. im use to 16-17mpg and now its getting like 12mpg.. though i do have 4 alternators too so that takes a toll
You didn't watch the whole vid. I added an annotation at the end showing the CEL did not return after 5k + miles. I addressed both the CEL and the MRL seperately in this video.Thanks for watching.
Passed in my state, no smog here but they use expensive OBD2 equipment; only 93 octane used in 175k miles. If I hear the muffler start sputtering and skipping @ idle/ or any obvious signs of cat cloggage (loss of power, etc..) I will replace it, but as of now no such symptoms. Thx for watching.
Rosa Hodge Lol. It's not alot of work. Changing the cat is alot of work... say hello to frozen exhaust bolts, blow torches and bloody knuckles. This job is a breeze in comparison :)
Great job! My honda Ridgeline gave a P0420 on bank 1 so I put an anti-fouler on the top of the cat which is bolted directly to the motor (it has an upper and lower). I cleared the code & drove it for 20 miles and got another CEL for P0420 below threshold. This time I put an anti-fouler on the lower one, hopefully that did it the trick. Truck has 145,000 miles.
Wow......you have cleared nothing p420 code means your upstream sensor is reading the same as the downstream sensor. .... what dose this mean .....the cat is damaged/worn out by adding the " buffer" you pulled the sensor out of the exhaust steam you still have a bad cat shit like yhis don't fly where I from but yoy got almost a million views
It also means that taking it to mechanics like you will make you a bunch of money which you could possibly get for doing a cat converter change. Which it probably does not need. Watch the Scotty Kilmer idea of how to clean a cat converter.
A p420 code means that the two sensors are reading the same. Meaning the cat is no longer working correctly or the engine's exhaust is high in hydrocarbon ( unburnt fuel) and the cat can't process the hydrocarbons. This is why there is two sensors one before the cat and one after to measure the difference. If you live in an area where they don't smog/emissions test more power to you go ahead and remove the cat altogether the engine will breathe so much better.
GreaseMonkeyInc ...You are absolutely correct. It's just the cheapskates that don't want to fix the real problem (replace the cat after isolating and fixing the real issue that caused it - unmetered air intake, crack in exhaust manifold or other exhaust plumbing, injector stuck open, oil consumption...etc - that think all mechanics are theives. Perhaps we should return the favor and go to their place of employment and request their services then tell them they're full of it. Kudos to you!! The only time I've ever seen spark plug foulers used was at used car lots to conceal the truth. Wait till the clogged cat ends up burning a valve lol...And by the way, did you notice that the jackass that posted this never mentioned drilling out the center of the plug defoulers? What a joke!!
mrdan24 I live in a place where that is not an issue. But after removing the cat the check engine light will still stay on. What do you suggest to turn it off. ?
Hey Moccina. Thanks for the video. You made it cleared that it was an EXPERIMENT so people should not be so hard on you . This video and some of the other comments made me go and learned more about downstream o2 sensors. I would not do this to my car, and I can't blame a family on a tight budget for trying this out on their old car so they can pay the rent or the kid's clothes. Thanks again for sharing.
Actually I have an 01 buick regal and that unit does light up the maintenance required or service engine soon so it just depends on the make model and the ECU, ..
I tried this trick on my 2006 Suzuki Reno. After using 2 adapters, the light came back on after 100 miles. So I knew it as working better. I added anoter adapter and the light stayed out. After a 500 mile trip, still no light. The farther away the sensor is away from the exhaust stream, the better. It passed emissions. This really works.
just did this on a 03 tahoe yesterday but only used 1 spark plug non-fouler behind the driver side catalytic converter check engine light didn't come back up and got my inspection thanks for the video
ahhh it was on my aunts car but around 02-04. I think replacing the gasket was the final fix b/c it had been compromised on previous repair attempts. Trying to remember that particular engine's design... but I did have to clean out a significant amount of carbon buildup inside the EGR/intake manifold passages. Carb cleaner and a wire brush/pipe cleaners work great for this, plenty of vids on how-to also. PS-Check/replace your timing belt!!! My aunt's engine died at 98k due to that belt failing
When running lean, you will increase combustion temps in the engine! This can lead to overheating issues, detonation (which damages the engine), piston melting (if bad enough) and so on. Running lean effects the insulating boundary layer of the cylinder and this dramatically increases heat transfer to cylinder walls and piston crown. This is what melts pistons. Fuel that you are removing (by doing this "fix") is what helps absorb some of the heat in your engine.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS!! Whether you figured this out, or heard it from someone, I owe whoever first thought of this a ridiculous amount of money. $10 instead of $700 for a new cat plus who knows what else. Works great on my 03 Lancer ES, 2L, 4 cyclinder on the downstream sensor (sorry environment, I will fix it properly when I can afford it).
+Corey Hill F**king awesome bro! I'm glad I could help. Please subscribe if you have not already. I will start making vids this summer again if you are interested. Cheers!
I was grateful that when doing the video that u didn't waste my time by showing ever turn of a wench. 15 mins of setting up jacks ect. Just show me what to do, you did that. It allows me more time to view other videos. thanks
If you are handy with electronics, you can build an O2 simulator circuit that clocks a 0 to .9 volt signal every 3.3 seconds to the ECM to fool it into thinking that a working cat is in place using an LM555 timer IC. The parts to make it can be had for less than $10 from your local Radio Shack. With a wiring diagram of your car, you can inject the signal directly at the computer and keep it hidden and integrated.
This works perfect where you have replaced the stock manifolds(headers) also where you have eliminated the stock exhaust altogether,You can take this one step further by fabricating a mount with two holes in it and plug both your O2 sensors into nonfoulers then mount them on the plate,effectively bypassing(cheating)the sensors themselves,when you have an open exhaust the sensors are worthless anyway,but at least with this trick it keeps your CEL off and prevents the ECM from defaulting.
I had a helluva time trying to get a Santa Fe to be rid of P0401's a few years ago. Replaced the EGR valve and spent the better part of an afternoon cleaning the intake manifold only to have the code return shortly. Turns out it was a bad gasket that could have been replaced in less than 5 minutes for $5. Passed inspection finally, engine seized & car was in a junkyard 2 weeks later :P
You could try to defoul both secondary sensors but I can't say for sure because I'm not familiar with your setup. Try to find a forum that is specific to your vehicle and that will help a great deal. Good luck !
Thank you for your comment. I have been driving the car like this for about 20k miles w/ no issue. The engine has 175k+ miles. She running like a dream.
My state does emission testing by OBD only, and if you were to get it inspected it would pass. They don't do smog here like CA etc. does at the tailpipe so I couldn't tell you for sure.
Regardless of what others said, I think you are smart. You moved the O2 sensor away so it wouldn't detect any fault.If the O2 signal is within .45 volt range ( Most likely it was ) then the engine should be doing fine.
A "dead cat", typically means that the catalytic converter is flowing too freely, has been gutted, or is just not even there at all. LOL Good over-simplified explanation ChumpusRex. Perfect for those that just haven't got a clue what they are talking about, like V8KindOfGuy.
I think you got lucky. In your case the CEL took a while to come back and was in ready mode for inspection. Many times the CEL will come back immediately after it hits ready mode. Thx for your comment.
Holding down the trip button does not reset the check engine light. Unplugging the battery for several minutes does that. The maintenance required light, which is what holding down the trip button prior to turning the key on resets, is for general maintenance (oil changes, etc).
@megagemini58 check vacuum leak near throttle body and/or intake manifold(PVC valve hose) also check your motor mounts, could be a loose bolt on the mount causing a vibration.
90% of the cars I've seen with a catalyst inefficiency code had bad downstream O2 sensor, NOT a bad catalytic converter (cat). The ones that did have bad converters had bad upstream sensors and were run that way for months and the rich mixture burned out the cat. I always try changing sensors 1st, then the cat, as if you're gonna change the cat, you'll want new sensors anyway to prevent burning it out. One customer was told by the Volvo dealer that he needed a new cat for $1800. 88,000 miles on the car. We changed his upstream and downstream sensors (probably only downstream bad) and he passed emissions for another 10 years without changing the cat! Saved him $1600 and all legal.
+Mouse Toad As an ex mechanic I did not and do not have the heart to rip people off, maybe that's why I'm not rich.
+ATH-3157 -elg I think there are a lot of good mechanics out there like you. the bad ones give us a bad name. I don't think the rip off guys are getting rich either as it usually catches up with them. honest mechanics get repeat business! It's a tough field to be in, as you know. physically demanding, customers not wanting to pay for a fair deal, getting screwed on flat rate in the rust belt, being blamed for future breakdowns, intermittent problems that don't show up for the mechanic, everything packed into a tight space....I switched careers, lol, boring office job now!
+Dale Stewart
I worked for Sublet firm, within a large firm and my motto was, " do it right the first time. " Let the customer know what he or she was up for, give them a quote, and from there negotiate. I'm retired now and living in Europe, a big move from Australia I must say. I worked on mostly Euro cars and I tell you what, they lose translation from left to right hand drive. The Euro cars mainly Italian had and think still have a lot of electrical issues, but fun to drive when going well.
+Mouse Toad Thank you for your comment sir. This is important info people need to know. You need to diagnose and troubleshoot, rather than "shotgun" -- which many "automotive experts" fail to do, because they want to make money. Many times a $2,000 repair is actually a $100 repair. I hate to see someone on the $2,000 end, having to scrap it for a month or two because a mechanic was greedy and wanted to take advantage of a customer. Thank you for watching.
+ATH-3157 -elg You are a stand up guy-- thank you for being honest and noble. You are a dying breed, so please keep doing what you are doing-- and if you get a chance to train another auto tech (Car brain surgeon), please pass along your moral backbone. Cheers!
Just did this to my 04 Saturn Vue, worked like a charm, passed emissions. I used a scan tool to clear the P0430 after the install of the "MOD", and drove one drive cycle and then had car tested and it passed. Thanks
+Jim Sawtelle EXCELLENT! I am glad this worked for you. As off road use only, enjoy your car !! Thank you for viewing! :)
You, Sir, are a genius! Legality or not - if you're in an area where emissions aren't checked (they don't here), but you want the check engine light off in case another more pressing problem flags it - perfect solution. Well done!
Dude, ignore the haters. Thanks for the informational video for off-road use. A lot of viewers from states that don't require emissions inspections are also watching this. Thanks again!
Just yesterday, my check engine lights came on. Went to the mechanic, he said he would charge $135 to clear it. Saw this video and disconnected the battery (also left the headlights on after disconnecting the battery to drain any residual power), glad to tell you it worked totally. Thanks for this tip. Saved me a bundle.
P0420 is a universal/global fault code on OBDII systems that is specific to your CAT converter "Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold " or something to that effect.It simply means that the CAT is performing below a preset standard for this application,it could be off as little as 1-3% and still give the code.So this is a valid workaround for that problem,if you are not experiencing any other faults.
Bought an 05 4Runner from some clowns who thought they ripped me off. Their ad said "no check engine light and 4wd". Well the truck isn't 4wd, which I didn't prefer anyway and after I bought it the 2nd day, the check engine light plus traction control light crap came on many miles up the road. The car is fine. The code is 0430 and the cat does not need replacing as they probably thought. As far as the other 2 lights...those things come on commonly on old Toyota and Honda SUVs over 100,000 miles. Check it out, but if all is well, do NOT go get ripped off by the dealer.
Scotty is the man
Right on. I think especially during a rough economy-- this type of mentality becomes valuable. Thx for watching !
Man can you told me Wath is the this parts name ??
I did this on truck, and it worked like a charm. Passed my emissions with flying colors. Thanks for the tip.
+brothertee1017 Fuckin A' yeah ! Glad I could help. Keep on truckin' mang!
The "P" in the code stands for Powertrain, meaning the code has to do with engine and transmission components. A code starting with "B" would indicate a body code and "C" for chassis. I would find out what's causing the P0420 code rather than masking it. Normally, it's just a bad O2 sensor or burned wire.
For those of you who didn't use google, P0420 means "catalyst efficiency below threshold. The downstream O2 sensors are reporting to the PCM (computer) that there is excess oxygen in the exhaust because the cat is not burning it all to reduce emissions. By installing non-foulers in-line with the sensors, it reduces their exposure to the exhaust gases and therefore makes them send lower readings back to the PCM. This rig will not affect the engine in a negative manner.
My husband has a 1997 Nissan Truck and his check engine light stayed on and his friend (mechanic ) has done everything he knows and cant get the light to go out , so my husband cannot get his truck inspected because of the light wont go out ? I watched your video and I am gonna pass this on to his friend , me being a woman bet he wont listen ? but if he brings the truck home I will try this I am pretty smart fixing cars !! thanks for this info .Thanks again. have a Blessed day
I have a nissan Frontier that has/had numerous check engine codes. The light was always on. I researched on found out that Nissan's have a problem with insufficient grounding of the ECM. To check this use a voltmeter and test the voltage from an engine bolt to the negative battery terminal. The voltage should be less then .025 volts (mine was .25V 10x out of spec). If it is bigger your engine/ecm isn't grounded well enough. To fix: add an additional ground wire from and engine bolt to the negative battery terminal. Problem will be solved.
melinda conner. tellour houspan take off the dust Portland paint the red light black put it back you're good to go
try selling the car as a fix
melinda conner DON'T listen to him! He'll cost you money!
Sounds like ur husband needs a new mechanic!
It worked, my car just passed the emissions test. I would have had to pay $1400-$1600 to replace the cat. I instead paid $80 for a floor jack; $45 for a set of jack stands; $10 for an O2 socket; $10 for a set of non-foulers I bought off Ebay (longer 45 MM size, no need to combine two shorter non-foulers).
Thanks for your video and a big thanks to everyone on TH-cam who made a video explaining how to do this mod. I watched several videos on this subject.
P.S. I used Sea Foam to clean the cat in the past which always worked. Not this time though. This year I also tried CataClean. To no avail. So I tried this mod and it was successful.
This really works, I've used this method on 2 vehicles, saved much money. Thank you
wayne murphy hello how made that in Mexico, sorry i dont speak english, but my car hace the same problem nissan sentra 07 cvt. Can u explain in spanish? Thank u
nebper@gmail.com
You bet. Come back for more. I am planning more vids!
2001 Firebird - Had to use a 9/16 drill bit. Very easy job and the engine light is still out .TH-cam and people posting makes life very easy. THANKS
Installed on my 2002 Nissan Se-r SpecV and worked great. Thanks for making this video.
It's called an 02 Sensor socket and it's actually very handy when you have a rusted frozen sensor allowing you to use a breaker bar for leverage to "crack" it.
I did this and it worked. I wish that I had seen this video months ago. Prety simplke job to do. Passed the smog test too, after over 6 months of not being able to. Took less than 15 minutes, start to finish.
Did you keep it on during the smog test? Or continue to keep it on even after the fact??
It means this video is an experiment. It is strictly informational. It is not intended for street use.
You can do what you want with this information. I am providing it as "for off road use" for legal reasons. A lot of aftermarket parts running on the road today are sold as "off road use only". It's the same idea. If you don't like the content, take the 10-15 hours out of your own schedule and shoot, edit and upload your own video. Thanks for watching.
Hey dude! I try fixing my car with hack but I only use one Fouler drove the car for three days and the light came back on . should I try to put two Fouler instead, do you think If I use two it will fix my problem? Thanks for your help
@@gmen435 Use 2 - also try putting in a small amount of 0000 Steel Wool (very lightly packed) into the fouler closest to the Converter.
Your a very smart gentleman..... funny how alot of the haters probably have never even seen a scan tool or 02 Sensor. Thanks for your intelligent response.
Keep in mind your also resetting the engine light by unhooking the negative so your check engine lights would go off anyway, but I see it lasted so good job.
+David DeRoche Yeah buddy... I made the mistake of combining the "check engine light" fix along with the "maintenance required light"... so many will say it is the same thing. However you and I both know this is not the case! Thank you for viewing, cheers!
toy0tq runner mode 94
This mod works! I got a 2002 regal ls with 150000 MILES . I reset the P0420 code, did what the video shows, drove around for like 80 miles and it passed smog. Before I went to get it smogged, I went I'm to my local O'Reilly s and borrowed their diagnostic code reader, just to make sure that the car had done a full cycle in all the sensors, thanks for the video!
I appreciate your input. Whether or not this trick should be used is subjective. If the cat is actually clogged, you don't have many choices but to replace it because eventually it will cause damage and one day the car just won't start. IMO, the fouler method can come in handy when the CEL is on due to the cat being slightly less efficient than when it was new--but not clogged, and you can't justify the cost of replacing it.
I've had my check engine light on for about 100,000 miles I got tired of looking at it. My solution costed less than a penny. I simply cut a piece of duct tape and covered the illuminated light.
lmao
+SovereignM3RCY Lmao
lmao
lol
Peter Rodby daaamn bro 😂😂😂😂😂
This is the 2nd O2 sensor which in almost all cars has very little authority over the fuel mixture; it is the 1st O2 sensor which most cars use to set the mixture; the 2nd reacts too slowly (because of the cat) to be optimal for fuel trim.
However, in 1st O2 sensor malfunction conditions, many ECUs will give the 2nd O2 sensor some fuel trim authority, instead of dropping to open loop mode. In this fault condition, a false 2nd O2 sensor reading may cause engine damage due to incorrect trim.
Great Video, please share more of these hacks, Inspection time here in Texas is a bitch, so many times one cant afford the repairs necessary to pass and its not like you can just stop driving. I opted for owning old classics, instead of the modern cars just for this reason, once the engine light comes on you better pray you can afford the repairs before your tag is out otherwise you get pulled over and ticketed. Real stupid shit if you ask me, ..one rocket launch, satellite launch, nuclear waste spill, oil spill - is thousands of times more destructive to the environment than anything a car can dish out, but its a great money maker for everyone involved except the hardworking car owner. Please share more stuff like this, this is good to know, thumbs up bro!
In my state it goes by birthday month. How does it work in TX ?
It seems to be tied in to the date of the initial vehicle registration, in my case its at 3 months after the registration tag date. I wish the emissions testing laws were more lax. id rather just pay a one time yearly fine and be on my way than have to maintain a vehicles engine in top shape over a few gases. Its all part of the bigger picture, bring in business for the Dealerships and Banks, most people rather be stuck in perpetual car payments buying new cars every 2 -3 years than face the repair bills that result from mandatory emissions laws. So much for Freedom huh.
Makes me sick!
Ford Winsor SVT I agree-- buying and financing a brand new car is one of the worst investments one can make. Even buying "pre-owned" and financing is slightly smarter. I Financed my current vehicle but I put like 70% down and the total price for the car was a little over 5k so my payments are super low.
This won't necessarily make the car pass inspection, just possibly keep the check engine light from coming on by fooling the computer. All this does is move the oxygen sensor out of the exhaust gas stream to prevent it from reading the actual gas content. He did SAY this was for off road use. I suppose he will trailer the car to the edge of the woods. The auto can still illegally pollute the air, even without the light coming on, kinda like just removing the bulb.
I understand the initial intent to reduce pollution but I think we should all be given a bit more leeway and not have to stress over Inspections as much until oil spills are non existent, nuclear waste stopped from seeping out of expired facilities, fracking by product gasses and water contamination eliminated, depleted uranium and other chemical toxins removed and no longer used in war, until at least these things are taken care of first, the pollution from vehicles is the least of our worries. Consider also the deliberate carcinogens and chemicals used in our food products....Those things should be the real issue. Vehicle inspection is a clever way to keep the sheeple buying newer cars, taking out vehicle loans etc...I'm just saying the tolerances for the emissions test are to narrow, they need to give us some room, not everyone has the $$ to have their vehicle in top shape, I wish we all could but that's is not realistic, its unfair.
It is NOT a filter. It is a spark plug non-fouler, which was originally designed for engines that have issues with high engine oil consumption due to high mileage wear, such as worn piston rings or bad valve seals & guides. It moves a spark plug further from the combustion chamber. The "kit" with 2 non-foulers is available at most auto parts stores. I bought mine from Advance Auto. You will need to make sure you get the correct threaded version for your application. 18mm thread is very common.
That's nice to get past inspection. Just don't fool yourself. It's not fixed and it still has a problem.
But thanks for showing me one more thing to check before buying a used vehicle. Just to make sure someone is not dumping their problems on me.
Claude Rains I'm glad I could help :)
alot of people use these for when they delete the cat...now if your cat is bad and you do this I don't think that's a good idea just being sooner or later it's gonna A catch fire B cause problem to your motor.. I would not do this if your cat is clogged ect...if it's just to pass inspection till you get coin to replace go for it but not for long period of time it will ruin your motor
Claude Rains
Claude Rai
LMFAOOOOOOOO
Thanks, It worked. I seen some videos that said it would not work with some brands of O2 sensors. Mine was a BOSH and one video said it would not work with bosh. Your video was the one i chose over the rest. I did not use a code reader to clear the code. i just did the non fouler trick and drove the 04 ranger for a few days. Light turned itself off after two days. light had been on for 3 months. so i know this works. Im glad i found out about this. I have a 04 ranger with 230K miles that i use for back and fourth to work. i did not want to drop a bunch of $ when the truck was working great. my other option was to drive until i got pulled over. those pesky coppers got to catch me. LOL, now I'm legal.even better.
I have a channel and was going to post a video, this was a challenging video to make without someone to hold the camera. Good work buddy.
+Woodchuck Russ How long did this work for ya?
Well, I live in Cali too born and raised and NEVER had the smog guy crawl under and look at the O2s lol
For those of you who say this isn't going to work.. I have done this on a 2005 Ford Taurus and a 99 Escort and both and still going fine with no CEL for over 10k miles..
Great tip!
I can't take credit for the idea, but I'm glad the vid has helped you :D
Worked like a charm on our 99 Honda CRV. Wow, what a relief! Thank you so much for making this video.
How you do ...? I have same code .. can you tell me how do you ? Please
Did you keep it on?
Hi there , i'm working in exhausts and emission controls fixations more than 5 years ago and to tell you that , this video possibly could solve 20% of p 0420 conditions , what if you have problem with injectors or fuel pump or ECM , or clogged cat ?? that wont work, to simplify p0420 , its a reading between 2 sensors on a same exhaust line monitored by ecm , upon the demanding frequency of rear sensors the ecm will adjust fuel ratio to air on each combustion cycle ,but if you have electrical ground issue your sensors might stop
***** Thanks for the info.
welcome i can support if you need any help
you are wrong , exhaust leak will issue " system too lean " p0420 is far from your point , its like 2 gates and 5 players must pass those 2 gates , but there many dangerous on the way between the 2 gates , so in normal conditions the 5 pass 1st gate and only 2 reach the 2nd gate , if the 5 players passed 1st gate and then they passed the 2nd gate all 5 of them means the way between the gates is useless and the game is over
@ yeah buddy there are many steps before you come out with conclusion , do you have any idea about usage of multimeter for o2 sensor to inspect heating elements and where is the supply and ground ? your way how did you described it looks like you are just a labor in small exhaust workshop have no idea about ecu feeds inputs out puts regulations and ratio auto adjustment
@@SamFidal STFU. You're the type of shade tree know- it-all who will certainly have you broke down on the side of the road somewhere....at night, at midnight, alone, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.
It is confirmed by me! this technique really worked in my Toyota Camry 02. However, make sure you use one or two per O2 Heated Sensor (Downstream Sensors). Part #'s are (42002 or 42009) Spark Plug Non-Foulers. The Parts # may vary per vehicle, I used (42002) (ask be4 you buy). Also use 1/2 inch drill bit ONLY. anything bigger or smaller will not work. I live in Florida. We do not have inspections here but it is good to get rid off the ENGINE LIGHT in case other codes show up. Have a nice day.:-)
you can buy these pre-made for a couple bucks on ebay / no need to drill anything.
Do they really work and what are they called
What are they called?
Glebb 21 yes they work. I think they call them gap spacer ....for oxygen sensor or an oxygen sensor Adaptor...
I appreciate your point of view V8. This video in essence is a documented "experiment" of mine. It is purely informational; intended for off road use. With that said, it has been proven to work time and time again. In a perfect world, your mechanic will know exactly what to do, and which part needs replacing. Unfortunately even dealerships will resort to the "shotgun" method, replacing every possible culprit--only to be left with the code remaining, and a huge repair bill.
I know alot of people have done this with good results after installing high flow cats etc. I've never worked on Nissans but I would assume this should work just as well. It's definitely worth a shot! Thx for watching !
One last thing... you do NOT want to do this mod to either/any of the upstream o2 sensors. The UPSTREAM o2 sensors are the only o2 sensors that DO have a direct effect on the fuel trim (air/fuel mixture ratio) of your vehicle's engine. You'd be better off with unplugged o2 sensors, because although your CEL (check engine light) will be on, your engine will remain in "open-loop" mode, meaning that your fuel injection is controlled by a pre-mapped fuel mixture program in your vehicle's computer.
Ok that maintenance required light was on because It's a reminder for the oil to be changed and the code u erased p0420 means the cat is either stopped up or no longer working correctly and has to be replaced even if u changed both oxygen sensors the problem will still persist because it has insufficien flow so this rigged up u did will not fix the problem
Actually, depending on how the computer is programed, this will "fix" the problem. I have seen this done on a 96 Chevy V8 with a hollow cat, and it has worked for the last 75,000 miles. It depends on the vehicle. New vehicles, especially high end, are so sensitive that this doesn't work. If the computer is simply using the downstream sensor to check the CAT, and it's looking for a flat O2 level, then this trick works. Some vehicles (not sure complete list but I know it includes some Cadillac, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz) actually use data from that sensor to fine tune Air/Fuel Ratio. My buddy tried this on 07 Cadi V8, and it worked intermittently. I bumped into a C230 in a shop, had one in it, but was still throwing P0420. Yes, for off road use only, as this is legally tampering with an emissions device. It's a violation of the EPA Clean Air Act.
ummm.... you realize the sensor that the code is caused by a sensor reading the cat is bad, it's possible the sensor is also bad, just like when your coolant sensor fails and it is always pegged cold or your fuel level sensor fails and pegs empty, doesn't mean it's right. So it can be the sensor to. and no kidding it's rigged up, it's so he doesn't spend 1200$ on junky emissions crap!
If you're running a test pipe, yes this does fix the problem. It prevents limp mode and some misfire issues because it keeps trying to adjust lean or rich between the two sensors. Obviously you can do a downstream O2 delete but this is better if you plan on getting a high-flow cat in the future and wanna keep that sensor without burning it up.
Oh we definitely do maintenance on our cars. Oil changes of course, but he have a good, honest mechanic who will let us know when other things are due. He checks our car periodically (for free!)
FYI the secondary's O2 just makes sure the cats working properly, nothing to do with fueling.
If the downstream o2 sensor is bad, it's pretty easy to test. You just look at the live data on your scan tool and watch to see if the o2 sensor is functioning as it should, ranging up and down, typically in a much slower (aka: lazy) fashion, as compared to the upstream o2 sensors. Your voltages should be much lower as well, ranging from .02V to 1.0V. Typically, they will range from .03V to .07V when functioning properly, however every manufacturer's vehicle may be a little different.
YUP!!! This worked on my 2000 Honda Civic. But I bought a 90 degree Angled spacer from eBay for 20$. Spent half an hour under my car, replaced, reset codes, drove around for a few days(to and from work) and went for a smog and passed!! CEL light still off.
Robert Young cool. I'm in the same boat. Was wondering if it just cleared CEL or actually passed smog test too
Just wanted to tell you thanks so much worked like a charm.It took a month to get my truck to pass n.y.s. inspection.Everyone this works.I have half b-4 Cat Magna flow Exhaust.
This worked on my 2005 Chrysler Pacifica! Thanks. However, when I took it to the smog guy he easily noticed it protruding from the cat. He said it was illegal and had to be removed before it would pass. So it turns the light off and it will pass the computer part of the test but if the smog guy sees it in the visual inspection you will fail:( I live in California and they are required to do a visual inspection.
wow that really sucks that you in cali that have actual smog guys. there really lax here in ny.. if it passes the computer and all normal stuff is good then it passes. the reason we have all these emission regulations is bc of cali. kinda ruined it for everyone..lol..luckily here in ny 97 and under ha e no emission reg and '00 can pass with 2 codes reading and '01 can pass with 1 code reading. I hate inspection time..lol..Thanks California! !!!!
+bigg boy315 Yup, KaliFornia DOES suck. I had a cat replaced under the smog assist program. Took it to smog station a couple years later and they said because the model number embossed on the cat was too deteriorated that they could not continue the test. I immediately took it to the original station that installed it. They had no choice but to pass it because they were the ones who INSTALLED it. Anyway, they now have new regulations requiring a metal raised lettering plate. The system is corrupt!
That sucks, here in AZ if the computer passes it then you're good
+Jake Jones wow that's insanity man
+Jake Jones
they probably sold you a used one? That $500.-, or $600.- "CAP" won't pay for a new cat!
if you have a 2008 xb. this works great. they also sell o2 sensor spacers...
On my 03 altima i didn't have to do any drilling. And I only used one spacer. I screwed the spacer into the downstream cat and then screwed the 02 sensor into that. I didn't disconnect the battery either, although I agree that's always a good thing to do when working with electronics. Then I cleared the code using my reader. No 420 code for over a thousand miles so far.
Scott Prado
Hi
How did you clear the code with reader?
i just did this to my truck.had the p0420 code.it really worked.nice fix.no more code all sensors clear now.
Nice 10,000 miles of offroad use, man you must go through a lot of mudding tires on that Acura xD.
Haha! hell yes
Lots of thanks for taking the time to post this video. You are a lifesaver!!!
Hey bud, Glad I could help!
this may remove the engine light but now your ecu cannot get an accurate read on the exhaust gas so your probably running rich or lean all the time
untrue, it leans it out a tad & ONLY use this trick on after Cat 02 sensor, it won't hurt a thing in fact it Helps a bit both in Gas mileage & performance, its an old trick.
Jeff Darkness okay cool i will try it out then
cool, I think you'll like the results.
It won't do shit.
Downstream sensors do nothing more than report emissions data to the ECU. The upstream sensors control your air/fuel mix which determines how rich or lean your engine runs. Obviously your upstream sensors need to be working well to keep your engine running well and this mod is only for downstream sensors.
Following up on my last comment (exceeded limit) it was intended to be informative for people viewing this video hoping to fix their cars. This trick will work as a temporary fix to get your inspection done but the code usually always comes back after a while and allowing the catalyst problem to exist will only make it worse in the long run. I found the video itself very informative and the guy did a good job documenting and explaining this process. Just wanted to make it clear this isnt a fix.
1000$ dollars for a cat. Ask sunaru owners what the stealership quotes them. 3000$!!!!!!!!!
You can also get electronic O2 simulators
Yes, that is correct. The vehicle I did this on is Asian import (Acura/Honda). Thanks for watching !
guess how used car lots get the light to go off....that's it you guessed it they remove the bulb it never comes back on
Most check engine lights will go out if the battery is disconnected for a short time but it comes back after a drive cycle.
Seafoam cleaning of the vacuum system corrected my 420 code. I recommend 1) knowing how to properly introduce cleaner into the vacuum system 2) Use a small amount for the 1st cleaning and progressively introduce more at each follow-up cleaning. 3) only use if you are sure the catalytic converter is still intact and not fractured or completely clogged. A 420 code can be triggered by a converter that is only a few % below perfect operating efficiency.
This modification may remove the check engine light but your vehicle will not pass the inspection because NOx is still coming through the exhaust pipe.
that's where the gallon of methanol comes in LOL
Tariq Khan For states that do emissions testing via tailpipe. Many only rely on OBD readiness meters. Also, I know for a fact that Michigan and Florida don't have any safety inspection whatsoever.
I did this on my 05 scion TC worked and passed inspection . Did not pass before now it does
In ND we dont do that
I want to thank you for this video. I just fallowed your instruction and I dont have no more check engine light.
Anti-seize FTW. Nobody should omit that step. Then if i work on your car someday I can get those little buggers off!
+fisqual Yes sir!!! Can't stress this enough. Especially if they use salt on the roads where you live! Fucking nightmare otherwise (especially lug nuts with no anti-seize... !!! ) Thanks for watching!
It works. had P0430 code for 2 yrs have to smog first time. cost to replace the CAT is $1500, CA only. raw data from all the 02 sensors, secondary sensor, Bank 2 out of spec. This sensor has no effect on engine control air/fuel mixture, only monitors the efficency of the CAT. $10 and 1/2 our later, long drive the next day, all clear. Took to the smog station, passed. they hooked to the computer, and did a sniff test. well under the max allowed emission levels. 07 toyota w/ 193k miles.
I used this method by the book and 3 days later the light came on again. (sigh)
Long idling time triggered my Work truck. i cleared it again and avoided prolonged idling hasn't been back.
got an A8. straight piped it and the light for rear o2 came on. then the p0420. Euro trick these bungs. may install this weekend. installing an X pipe to change flow seeing as it changed after we widened the exhaust. I'm a mechanic. I approve this video. it works. unless its a two cat system in some cases. Too bad more people don't know about this little fix.
why wouldnt it work on a two cat system?
YOU are my FUCKING HERO .....MY FUCKING HERO man..1800 Saved,,
jetpaq yes, but the panty waist down the street driving that Prius will not be happy if he finds out...
1800 for a cat change on a car?!? Wtf? Slapped on my own downpipe lol
ohger1 lol nope she wont , those b@#$es!
Colin Hendricks yea , Mitsubishi 2001 gallant..theres a cheap one, but only lasts 9 months..can u believe THat!? Man, America is so good at making it hard to just breathe fucking air Money for pissing.
+jetpaq that's some bullshit right there I wouldn't believe "9 months". You get a set of tools with extensions and mix acetone and automatic transmission fluid to use as a bolt breaker and bolt on a new downpipe. Now I went with catless for performance reasons. Cost me 150$ and then some for the acetone and atf to put a downpipe on my car.
Awesome fix and it works, 2005 Pontiac threw same code and issues, did this all went away..took about 100 miles driving to reset all sensors and car passed inspection in NY. Thanks
P0420 it means you have to blaze it
done it for the last 2 years. works fine on Chevy Tahoe(2003). i do have a bluetooth odb2 reader that i can clear a code with torque pro however the cel will pop back up with in 20 minutes.. unplugging the battery last a few hundred miles.
i need to change the purge solenoid and charcoal canister on it.. i'll get around to it now that its actually effecting gas mileage in a negative way. im use to 16-17mpg and now its getting like 12mpg.. though i do have 4 alternators too so that takes a toll
Light's gone, must be fixed.
Nick Bazin Did you watch the entire vid ? CEL still off after 10k+ miles.
Yes.
You renew my faith in the ability of the ASTE (American Shade-Tree Engineer)!
Thanks Buddy!
check engine light went out because you disconnected the battery
Bradley Gonnuscio so true lol he's an idiot
You didn't watch the whole vid. I added an annotation at the end showing the CEL did not return after 5k + miles. I addressed both the CEL and the MRL seperately in this video.Thanks for watching.
it was probably from wiping off the oxidation that was covering holes on the sensor
That won't do it.
Disconnecting the battery will turn off the check engine light momentarily if not at all.
Passed in my state, no smog here but they use expensive OBD2 equipment; only 93 octane used in 175k miles. If I hear the muffler start sputtering and skipping @ idle/ or any obvious signs of cat cloggage (loss of power, etc..) I will replace it, but as of now no such symptoms. Thx for watching.
this is alot of work...i think I will ask mechanic to replace the sensor then go thru all of that.
Rosa Hodge Lol. It's not alot of work. Changing the cat is alot of work... say hello to frozen exhaust bolts, blow torches and bloody knuckles. This job is a breeze in comparison :)
Also, it's not guraranteed the sensor will fix the issue so be prepared for that.
***** are you calling me a n? I was talking to u and u have no right yo call me anything.
Just buy a new ride.
***** wow, really?
Great job! My honda Ridgeline gave a P0420 on bank 1 so I put an anti-fouler on the top of the cat which is bolted directly to the motor (it has an upper and lower). I cleared the code & drove it for 20 miles and got another CEL for P0420 below threshold. This time I put an anti-fouler on the lower one, hopefully that did it the trick. Truck has 145,000 miles.
Wow......you have cleared nothing p420 code means your upstream sensor is reading the same as the downstream sensor. .... what dose this mean .....the cat is damaged/worn out by adding the " buffer" you pulled the sensor out of the exhaust steam you still have a bad cat shit like yhis don't fly where I from but yoy got almost a million views
It also means that taking it to mechanics like you will make you a bunch of money which you could possibly get for doing a cat converter change. Which it probably does not need. Watch the Scotty Kilmer idea of how to clean a cat converter.
A p420 code means that the two sensors are reading the same. Meaning the cat is no longer working correctly or the engine's exhaust is high in hydrocarbon ( unburnt fuel) and the cat can't process the hydrocarbons. This is why there is two sensors one before the cat and one after to measure the difference. If you live in an area where they don't smog/emissions test more power to you go ahead and remove the cat altogether the engine will breathe so much better.
GreaseMonkeyInc ...You are absolutely correct. It's just the cheapskates that don't want to fix the real problem (replace the cat after isolating and fixing the real issue that caused it - unmetered air intake, crack in exhaust manifold or other exhaust plumbing, injector stuck open, oil consumption...etc - that think all mechanics are theives. Perhaps we should return the favor and go to their place of employment and request their services then tell them they're full of it. Kudos to you!! The only time I've ever seen spark plug foulers used was at used car lots to conceal the truth. Wait till the clogged cat ends up burning a valve lol...And by the way, did you notice that the jackass that posted this never mentioned drilling out the center of the plug defoulers? What a joke!!
*****
mrdan24 I live in a place where that is not an issue. But after removing the cat the check engine light will still stay on. What do you suggest to turn it off. ?
Hey Moccina. Thanks for the video. You made it cleared that it was an EXPERIMENT so people should not be so hard on you . This video and some of the other comments made me go and learned more about downstream o2 sensors. I would not do this to my car, and I can't blame a family on a tight budget for trying this out on their old car so they can pay the rent or the kid's clothes. Thanks again for sharing.
The "maintenance required" light has nothing to do with any O2 sensor or catalyst on this car. This guy is wrong.
perhaps he misspoke. he meant the cel
Watch it again.
Actually I have an 01 buick regal and that unit does light up the maintenance required or service engine soon so it just depends on the make model and the ECU, ..
FX, what's your point?
His true aim was to get millions of hits, not truly troubleshoot the car default...he succeeded. Reader beware.
I tried this trick on my 2006 Suzuki Reno. After using 2 adapters, the light came back on after 100 miles. So I knew it as working better. I added anoter adapter and the light stayed out. After a 500 mile trip, still no light. The farther away the sensor is away from the exhaust stream, the better. It passed emissions. This really works.
Thanks man!!!
just did this on a 03 tahoe yesterday but only used 1 spark plug non-fouler behind the driver side catalytic converter check engine light didn't come back up and got my inspection thanks for the video
you are so calm and a joy to listen and watch to. cheers mate.
Worked good. I had to use the 42002. The 42009 was to short for mine. No more
check engine light. Thanks.
ahhh it was on my aunts car but around 02-04. I think replacing the gasket was the final fix b/c it had been compromised on previous repair attempts. Trying to remember that particular engine's design... but I did have to clean out a significant amount of carbon buildup inside the EGR/intake manifold passages. Carb cleaner and a wire brush/pipe cleaners work great for this, plenty of vids on how-to also.
PS-Check/replace your timing belt!!! My aunt's engine died at 98k due to that belt failing
When running lean, you will increase combustion temps in the engine! This can lead to overheating issues, detonation (which damages the engine), piston melting (if bad enough) and so on. Running lean effects the insulating boundary layer of the cylinder and this dramatically increases heat transfer to cylinder walls and piston crown. This is what melts pistons. Fuel that you are removing (by doing this "fix") is what helps absorb some of the heat in your engine.
running lean is not so bad if you are reasonable and not operating at high RPMs.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THIS!! Whether you figured this out, or heard it from someone, I owe whoever first thought of this a ridiculous amount of money. $10 instead of $700 for a new cat plus who knows what else. Works great on my 03 Lancer ES, 2L, 4 cyclinder on the downstream sensor (sorry environment, I will fix it properly when I can afford it).
+Corey Hill F**king awesome bro! I'm glad I could help. Please subscribe if you have not already. I will start making vids this summer again if you are interested. Cheers!
I was grateful that when doing the video that u didn't waste my time by showing ever turn of a wench. 15 mins of setting up jacks ect. Just show me what to do, you did that.
It allows me more time to view other videos. thanks
If you are handy with electronics, you can build an O2 simulator circuit that clocks a 0 to .9 volt signal every 3.3 seconds to the ECM to fool it into thinking that a working cat is in place using an LM555 timer IC. The parts to make it can be had for less than $10 from your local Radio Shack. With a wiring diagram of your car, you can inject the signal directly at the computer and keep it hidden and integrated.
This works perfect where you have replaced the stock manifolds(headers) also where you have eliminated the stock exhaust altogether,You can take this one step further by fabricating a mount with two holes in it and plug both your O2 sensors into nonfoulers then mount them on the plate,effectively bypassing(cheating)the sensors themselves,when you have an open exhaust the sensors are worthless anyway,but at least with this trick it keeps your CEL off and prevents the ECM from defaulting.
I had a helluva time trying to get a Santa Fe to be rid of P0401's a few years ago. Replaced the EGR valve and spent the better part of an afternoon cleaning the intake manifold only to have the code return shortly. Turns out it was a bad gasket that could have been replaced in less than 5 minutes for $5. Passed inspection finally, engine seized & car was in a junkyard 2 weeks later :P
You could try to defoul both secondary sensors but I can't say for sure because I'm not familiar with your setup. Try to find a forum that is specific to your vehicle and that will help a great deal. Good luck !
Thank you for your comment. I have been driving the car like this for about 20k miles w/ no issue. The engine has 175k+ miles. She running like a dream.
Does this piece save fuel
My state does emission testing by OBD only, and if you were to get it inspected it would pass. They don't do smog here like CA etc. does at the tailpipe so I couldn't tell you for sure.
Regardless of what others said, I think you are smart. You moved the O2 sensor away so it wouldn't detect any fault.If the O2 signal is within .45 volt range ( Most likely it was ) then the engine should be doing fine.
A "dead cat", typically means that the catalytic converter is flowing too freely, has been gutted, or is just not even there at all. LOL Good over-simplified explanation ChumpusRex. Perfect for those that just haven't got a clue what they are talking about, like V8KindOfGuy.
No prob! P0430 -- not sure what code that is, this worked for P0420. They are close, but I'm not sure how similar. Thx for commenting!
Worked for me on my 2004 Chevy Tahoe with Bosch sensers, a guy said this won't work with bosch sensers but it worked for me...
Awesome. Glad to hear this worked for you. Thank you for watching!
Moccina thanks for posting your video i just needed to past Tennessee emissions before tags expired thanks again...
I think you got lucky. In your case the CEL took a while to come back and was in ready mode for inspection. Many times the CEL will come back immediately after it hits ready mode. Thx for your comment.
Holding down the trip button does not reset the check engine light. Unplugging the battery for several minutes does that. The maintenance required light, which is what holding down the trip button prior to turning the key on resets, is for general maintenance (oil changes, etc).
Always been a little envious of you Floridians for that reason. Not to mention the beautiful beaches. Cheers
@megagemini58 check vacuum leak near throttle body and/or intake manifold(PVC valve hose) also check your motor mounts, could be a loose bolt on the mount causing a vibration.