Over the weekend, i had a P0430 code up. i'm hoping that it's just the rear O2 sensor. i did run a live data scan and the drivers side cat was running around +/- 850°F, the passenger side as +/- 820°F.
other than the CEL, the car is running fine.
anything else to consider?

 

Here's more info on the P0430 code. Defective cat seems to be the worst case. Hopefully for you it's something more simple.
https://www.yourmechanic.com/article...pencer-clayton

 

Last year I got check engine light and turned out to be cat., don't remember the number and took the car to muffler shop, they put it up on lift, right side over 400 degrees, and left less than 200 degrees.

I think O2 sensors are different code numbers.

After I replaced them, and since had high milage replaced all O2 sensors, car got great gas milage and power.

 

my mileage is still 'normal', both city & highway. power seems normal as well. i'm banking on the O2 sensor. as i have to also replace the VSS sensor & brakes too, i change our the O2 sensor as well.
if it turns out to be the cat, that becomes a different shop. it won't be for a few weeks though ( life keeps getting in the way ).
i had a second car that, my younger daughter is using ( back from college for the summer ). i got her on Saturday morning. when i got home later that afternoon, the CEL came on! first CEL in over a year.

 

If you replace the O2 yourself, be advised they make a special socket to do the job.
I would recommend buying OEM!
The two top sensors, easy, right Cat, is a bitch, left piece of cake.

 

I had the same code happen on my 2012 G.S. LS3 with the culprit being a passenger side plugged catalytic converter once I replaced it everything became better than what it was before, but what ticked me off was the fact my C6 only had 29K on it. I thought that Cats were supposed to last the life of the car?

 

I chased this code on my ‘98 for months and then for ***** and giggles I replaced the gas cap with a GM replacement one and I haven’t had the code come back since. Lucky, maybe but I’ll take it.

 

All Catalytic converter are warranty 10 years, or 1000,00 miles, which ever comes first, I also had the passengers clogged at 73,000 miles.

 

I was finally able to get the car into the shop for, my P0430 code ( cat low efficiency ). i thought that i would start on the cheap & easy fix attempt first ( O2 sensor, i actually replaced both rear sensors while i was there. ).
while the code showed catalyst 2 low efficiency, i'd try replacing the sensor first ( as opposed to the cat. ).
replacing the sensor did nothing, so I'm guessing it must the cat that needs replacing. i was able to run some live data on scanner, it shows that cat #1 is running @ 1049°F, cat. #2 was @ 982°F. i haven't been able find out yet, what acceptable operating temp range.
O2S B2 S2 (V): 0.105
STFT BS S2 ( % ): 99.2

any ideas out there?

 

Take to a muffler shop, and let them check it, they don't charge, cause if you need work, they want it, and only takes a few minutes to take cat. temperature.

 

that is my next stop. i was able to live data reading on the cat's temp. that i'm curious to know is, what is the operating range for, a cat in good working condition? i'm not the kind of person who likes to throw parts at a problem.
i'll try to a little bit of investigation first. at worst if provides an insight how something works. at best, you narrow down the real issue. i didn't mind spending the $70 for 2 O2 sensors but, don't want to spend the $$$ for a new cat and,
still throw a code. the car still runs seemingly fine ( normal power, no measurable loss of mpg ).

 

That would have been my first trip, and to spend money on 02 sensors till I new exactly my problem, these cars are expensive to buy and up keep.

I paid for 4 OEM sensors $299.00, but after I had my cats replaced a new code popped up, and once R&R I cleared the code, and it never return.

I don't know what normal temperature but I took it two shops, both showed me there temperature on my right cat, double the temperature of the left, and both shops quickly gave me estimate which I quickly negotiated on a reasonable price.

After all was good no check engine lights the car great MPG, and power, and when parking it in the garage didn't heat up garage.

 

the thing that bother me is that, if it wasn't for the CEL, no other indicators are present. cold / hot starts are almost immediate. acceleration and driving with normal. mileage hasn't dropped off at all ( freeway 29-32mpg / 70-80mph ).
since changing the sensors resulted in no change, the only thing i can think of, is the cat. but as these are running at or near 1k° F, they both would appear to be working fine. the car ( & exhaust ) has 190k miles. the engine ( & clutch ) has about 28k miles.

 

thought i get an estimate from my local muffler shop. after i told him about the P0430 code, he suggested i try a Seafoam treatment first.
i have used this once on a previous car. while it didn't fix the issue, i did expose a bad vacuum line ( which was the cause of the issue ).
anyways, wasn't sure yet if i wanted to try that but, i did think about using some type of injector / fuel system cleaner,
i came across from Lucas Oil that also claims to address carbon build up. what the heck, when i got down to 1/4 tank of gas, i dropped in a bottle of the cleaner.
i did not get more 50 yards, and the CEL went out. this was this past Wednesday. Thursday, Friday no issues. maybe 100 miles of open traffic and some commute traffic.
looking good so far. took it out for 500 mile Saturday. mostly freeway miles. filled up early on and got home with almost empty tank ( into the red ).
almost as soon as the low fuel light came on, so did the CEL ( for the P0430 ). i do not yet believe that the first engine cleaner acted as quickly as it appears it did. coincidence then?
I thought that I'd try it again. i could not find the same cleaner as before so, i bought the same brand but a different version on a full tank. CEL still on.
I'm going to try it as i did the first time (Low fuel level with the exact same cleaner).. I'd be surprised if anything happened but, i've had stranger things occur.
again, there has been no detectable difference in performance ( ask the guy on the GSXR i went up against ). the mileage is still in the normal range ( overall average 14-15mpg, hwy 30-32mpg.

 

can't seem to shake this P0430 code. thought i got lucky once with using an fuel injection cleaner ( CEL went for about 750 miles. ). it's currently been on for about 1k miles. again, no noticeable ( or measure-able ) mpg or power loss.
after running a live data scan with my code reader, it showed CAT 1 reading at 1,160°F, CAT 2 @ 1,060°F. as noted above, the muffler i go to, suggested a seafoam application. that's when i tried the Lucas cleaner.
i did try some CATACLEAN, with no affect ( at least on the CEL ). having already changed both rear O2 sensors, short of changing the bank 2 cat, any last suggestions? i just took it on 500 drive Saturday again, it ran great. getting 30mpg up to about 70mph.

 

It's 8 years/80k miles

 

Must of been changed when I worked for Lincoln Mercury running Service that was the warranty Ford offered.

 

Maybe this is way old news, but I had my C6z06 reprogrammed about 2 years ago by the dealer to make it less likely to throw a code, there's a TSB about my car, not sure about others. I used to throw codes when I used my Green reusable high flow filter, or nonoxy gas. Now I don't get the codes, no hardware changed at all.. Worth the $50 as it was more than 10 years old...

 

cgladish, the next move may be to replace the cat & stop buying fuel system/cat cleaners

 

i've on tried the cleaner at the advice of my local muffler shop. the first attempt gave me a false positive in that, after my treatment, the CEL went out after about 1 minute. second attempt no dice. this was all after changing both rear O2 sensors.
i've had no discernable loss in power or mpg. both cat's are running at just a touch over 1k° F. i've only got about $100 so far invested. i don't mind spending the money for a new cat, i was just hoping for a bit more assurity.
it may take a few more weeks for my schedule to clear up, before i can address a new cat.