New error code...Catalytic Converter Efficiency...HELP!!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey folks,

Okay, have driven it some 80 miles, and the Check Engine Light(CEL) hasn't cleared! SO...I checked it with my code reader, and NOW it is saying a new code: PO430 which says Catalytic Convertor Efficiency error.

Have done some research online, and also saw a video for a new product called Cataclean sold at PepBoys! Another video talked about putting a bunch of Laquer Thinner in the tank and running it for a couple hundred miles STRAIGHT. Other videos show taking the Cat. Conv. OFF and cleaning it manually/chemically with spray carb cleaner, or carb DIP!

As I said earlier, have not noted any performance or fuel economy drop, so I don't think any O2 sensors are bad. I know that when it had the misfire and bad wires it could have caused incomplete burning which would allow more fuel vapors into the Cat. conv., but I also know that they can just get dirty and loose their efficiency. I don't have an InfraRed thermometer so I can't test it's temps before and after the Cat.. The engine does have some 130K miles, and so the cat. conv. may just be dirty, but not necessarily clogged.

AND I also learned that it has more than 1 cat. conv.! My code reader doesn't tell me which bank, 1 or 2. But I think I also saw that with a V6, that the 430 is one bank, and a 420 would be the other bank, will have to check my manual to see if that holds true.

BUT, anyways, anyone already try any techniques to CLEAN their cat. Conv.'s with fuel additives????

T.C.

[BA80]

They wear out TC, like everything else. Just like everything else, there's no miracle fix. Hondas cats go south around 100K - 125k.

Generally you can get a direct fit replacement but they can be a PITA to change. Just get the code cleared and see how long or IF the code comes back.

Just disconnecting the battery for a period of time clears hard codes most of the time.

[soccer4m]

cats

just did the cat cleaning with acetone,,,didnt do anything, usually the cats are worn out or slightly dirty which kicks on the code, the acetone burns up before it can do any good in the combustion chamber. The only real remedy that can work is to pull off the cat, soak it in an acid solution of citric acid overnight, rinse with soapy water to nuetralize and pray. If that doesnt do it the catalytic metals are worn out and will need a new cat. Also, if one cat is going, it wont be long before the other cat also goes bad. If you can pull off the bad cat, try the acid flush, info online.... pop it back in and pray again.......good luck, I did this on a 2004 toyota sienna with two cats. One was fixed clean, the other was gone...........be glad you dont live in California where the cats are marked up 300 percent and required on our vehicles......Mike in Sun Diego

[dbeardslee]

If you wind up having to replace the cat it might be a good idea to check Amazon, believe it or not. They have become my go-to place for auto parts. I get the same parts as I would at an O'Reilly or similar auto parts store, but for a LOT less money. And they usually ship for free on orders over $35, which beats a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

Just for grins I did a search on Amazon for a cat for a Nissan Xtera SE and saw them as cheap as $50. You'll have to enter your trim code and model specific stuff to narrow the search - Amazon auto parts

[kboehringer]

Rock Auto

TC,

The backyard cures and B.S. found on the internet never works. More chance of causing other unrelated damage too.

Rockauto has the best prices on these I've ever found. Should check these guys for all car parts. When it's only a dollar or two difference I usually run over the store but that's pretty rare.

They do charge a delivery fee but combined it's still less expensive most of the time than the local auto parts stores. Typically, I buy $300+ dollars worth of parts at a time from these guys to reduce the per-unit shipping. I have a whole shelf full of spares and parts for my Honda Accords(4): Air Filters, Cabin Filters, Brake Shoes, etc. I save THOUSANDS of dollars with these guys every year. They even have a few bike parts including bike oil filters, plugs, etc. but they are just getting in to that arena. FYI My Maxim has RockAuto FRAM oil filters!

My online car club gets a additional 5% discount!

Discount code: 900A162C2D521F
(Expires 11/15/15) Put that code in the "How did you hear about us box"

KURT

[TopCatGr58]

Thanks folks,

It's been almost a week since I put in the Cataclean stuff, and the CEL light is still on. On my SUV, you can't clear the codes manually. Once the cause is determined, and subsequently fixed, then the ECU monitors what codes are coming in...and once the trouble code that was previously being recieved is no longer sending since it was fixed, then the ECU will eventually clear the code and turn off the light after some 25 or so miles worth of travel.

I'll check out the different supply sources, and let you know where I find the best prices. I had done a preliminary search, and found a variety of them, some with only 1-2 year warranties, others with limited lifetime ones! I'm only wanting to do this once for hopefully another 10 years...I got 11 out of these OEMS. Yes, I've read where BOTH are probably going to go very soon, and so while I'm under there, I'll go ahead and replace both. I don't have the time or patience to try to clean one and reinstall and test it!? I save enough $$ by being able to R&R them myself instead of a muffler shop or such!

Also read about how I might should replace the pre and post O2 sensors on them at the same time, but I'm not actually getting any error codes from them, so hopefully they are still okay and will last a while longer. BUT I also know that if/when they go bad, they can cause excessive amounts of fuel to get into the system which can overload or burn out/up a new Cat if not fixed quickly!?!?

Forgot to mention that our vehicle inspections require us to NOT have any CEL light errors showing, so I have to fix them! Thankfully I have till the end of Nov. to get it done!

What say you all about the O2 sensors....replace now or wait until I get errors?

T.C.

[BA80]

Forgot what you're driving TC. Ford Escape comes to mind.

[dbeardslee]

What say you all about the O2 sensors....replace now or wait until I get errors?
T.C.

Test 'em? O2 sensor test

[BA80]

OK TC, I went back a bit and see that you have an 04 Exterra. I did some research and clearing the codes manually seems like it's as simple as disconnecting both the battery cables and hooking them together.

[BA80]

Test 'em? O2 sensor test

The sensors would throw a code if they were not working right.

[TopCatGr58]

OK TC, I went back a bit and see that you have an 04 Exterra. I did some research and clearing the codes manually seems like it's as simple as disconnecting both the battery cables and hooking them together.

Hey Greg,

Thanks. I did have the battery cables OFF while I had to put a new starter on. The other previous codes of misfires and knock sensor where not there this last time when I did my code read, just the Cat. Conv. Efficiency error. Yeah, I figured the same regarding the O2 sensors. And since I'm mechanically inclined, I figure I can QUICKLY address them if/when they do finally crap out and throw some codes.

Just wondering how much more nickel/diming it'll do to me? While I was researching stuff about it, found out that the 05 and later models were fitted with defectively made radiators that eventually break at the tranny cooling lines allowing antifreeze to contaminate the tranny fluid and burn up or otherwise ruin the tranny! There was a class action suit, but it only covers folks up to ~the 90K mile mark, mine is at 130K+ anyways, but no signs of the radiator failing....just changed my tranny fluid and filter this past year, pristine red tranny fluid, and also flushed radiator to prevent worn out antifreeze from allowing corrosion of the radiator metal.

Some folks on the Xterra forum talk about separating the Tranny lines, adding an extra external cooler mounted in front of the radiator, and then capping off the radiator tranny lines as a preventative course of action. However, this problem has only been reported for the model years AFTER mine, so I'm hoping that mine was made better and is not defective.

T.C.

[tomcos67]

After reading your thread. Just realized 8 years since I changed or drain radiator ..In rv.Never think about flushing.😴

[BA80]

When you had the cables off did you hook them together? That generally will drain capacitors that retain energy for memory.

You can go through the trouble of adding a external cooler or just replace the radiator with an after market one that has been upgraded to prevent that problem. Most quality aftermarket ones will have been.

6 of 1 or half a dozen of the other.

[TopCatGr58]

Well,

I'm a bit surprised and irritated that this thing(SUV) has a total of 4 friggin Cat.Conv's! Apparently 2 are welded directly to the exhaust manifolds on either side....the other 2 are near the end of the exhaust system near the muffler. My service manual states that the particular code error I've got... the PO430 is the driver side Manifold Cat.

Kurt, I looked it up on RockAuto, and they were still around $300.00 for the manifold/cat combo. I've found a PaceSetter Brand on eBay, they are listed with a 5 year warranty, for around $230.00. Of course I'll also have to get a new manifold gasket, cat to pipe gasket ring, and then all of the fun taking the thing apart from the exhaust system and the engine!

I know that there's a good chance that the other side will probably fail fairly soon, but I just need to get rid of this one that's tripping the error codes so it will pass inspection. We don't have to pass a SMOG test, so IF the other one fails after inspection, I'll then have another YEAR to worry about it. And I'm sure since this driver side one is not working properly, it is probably putting more stress on the other one downstream and so may contribute to premature failure of that one as well, but those should be a bit easier to replace, if they have to be replaced at all....don't know if there are any SENSORS on them to trigger a failure???

BTW, I read on the PaceSetter site about a 4 stage torqueing procedure for the manifold??? My Haynes Manual doesn't say anything about that, just to use the proper sequence....inside to outside pattern, and just the torque value. The Pacesetter said to just snug them first, then 25%, then 75%, and then finally to full torque value, then run thru a heat/cool down cycle and then Re-torque.

SO....my question for the pro mechs...does this 4 stage sound right, or just overkill??

Thanks Greg, but since my year of Xterra hasn't been identified as one that has this radiator failure, I think I'll be able to just keep it in OEM configuration.

T.C.

[dbeardslee]

Dunno if it's the same part # that you were looking at, but Amazon has a direct fit left side Pacesetter model #324165 for $188.72 with free shipping.