Baker 02

Okay guys, i made a big boo boo when i put a new muffler on my 02 Runner. Both cats are gone. Let the flames begin.

Right away the CEL comes on. No suprise to me now once i think about it. Anyways, pretty sure the shop gutted the front cat and replaced the second cat with pipe. Pretty sure i cant get that cat back either. Dumb again, i know.

Anywho, that check engine light needs to go off before i go crazy, even though i'm having fun with my traction controll off.

So i called another muffler shop and talked to a guy who was pretty knowledgable on my setup. He said that the california spec emissions 4runners call for 2 CA spec cats which are considerably more expensive than your normal cats. Somewhere around $280 dollars apiece. He said that the computer on the cali spec runners is set to be much more sensitive to the efficiency of the cats and without the good ones the O2 sensor is gonna keep throwing that 420 code. He said he even tried throwing 2 normal cats on a california and it threw the 420 code withing a week.

Anyone knowledgeable on this? I've already read a whole bunch of threads and heard everything from the 02 sensor override device, to switching to a new non-cali CPU. But if the shop is right and i need two cali cats, i might have made an $800 boo boo.

ChickenLover

Ok, so do you actually live in the communist republic of kalifornistan, or is your rig just from there? If you still live there, at some point you are going to have to put your dual commie cats back on to pass inspection. And I would imagine that the exhuast shop has broken the law by removing them. If this is the case, make the shop put two new commie cats on (for free).

HUTCHSTACO

i agree with chicken lover about removing the cats, its illegal to remove them, in wa the fine is over 10000, and the owner of the car is fined, and the mechanic personally

Baker 02

I dont live in california so i dont have inspection, but my ride doesn't care, i think it's still gonna have the CEL on until i get the cali cats. I didn't know that it would be bad for my rig, or against the law to remove the cats. I plan on talking to the shop about the whole deal ASAP but i doubt that the guy will do anything for me, and i dont want to make it ugly.

User 051420

Honestly, I don't know why you'd need a CA-Spec cat. I'd go on ebay, and pick up two Magnaflow cats for $50 each and have them welded in. Chances are, it'll work perfectly.

Baker 02

This is what i thought of first off. But that guy at the shop said the 02 sensor would be too picky and still throw the 420 code. Said he had just tried it a month ago.

TRDOLMAN

You could always put on of these on like I did and not worry about it. No CELs in over a year----

http://www.urdusa.com/product_info.p...s_id=120000008

Baker 02

I'm gonna go ahead and try the simulator before i dish out the big bucks at the shop. Will update when installed.

garrett1478

this happened to 4x4fink not too long ago...actually i think he may still be dealing with it. you may want to find his thread or PM him.

cootees

Yup, basically you have three options. You can:
A. Buy two carb legal cats
B. Buy a non California spec ecu and a standard cat
C. (not sure if it was perfected or not 4x4fink tried to go this route) Buy an 02 sensor simulator.

Option A or B would be the best choices IMO.

TRDOLMAN

I don't know what Fink's problem was. He never came back with answers. Hundreds of guys are running that URD simulator with absolutely no problems. In fact Fink was the first one to say he had a problem that I know of.

Erich_870

Go for Option A (also Gapguy's suggestion) and tell us how it works

One more thing, find out where the exhaust guy could get the stock Cali Cats for $280 each, that is a STEAL from the pricing I've done

Erich

Baker 02

Those were high flow cats too at that price. He said that from the dealership they would be upwards to $800? I went ahead and ordered the simulator for now, but i'm gonna do some more shopping for the cats.

Baker 02

Yeah, read all of Fink's thread. Would like to know how that turned out.

bktaco

PM me for one stock cat from my 2000 3rz tacoma. i replaced the stock with a magnaflow "high flow" cat. which i do not personally think flows noticeably better, but i'm not gonna switch them back, so the oem cat's for sale.

Erich_870

He's right.

Erich

Fink

I just now saw this thread when I was goin through some old stuff...

The O2 sim is the way to go, CEL hasn't been on since I installed it a long time ago.

Fink

MTL_4runner

Fink, didn't you have an issue with running the O2 sim a while back?
Did you finally get the problem licked? What was the issue?

Erich_870

Just one note. I had my CEL come on a year ago for my Cat, but it was actually my front O2 sensor going out. It might be smarter to replace the front O2 sensor first, since you'll have likely have enough miles on it anyway, and see if that fixes your problem. Then, if your are still getting the CEL, go with the simulator.

Erich

MTL_4runner

Erich, the simulator is for the rear O2 sensor not the front. Whenever you get the P0420 code it is always wise to start by replacing all three sensors which have been known to cause that code (front/rear O2 and MAF sensors......usually start with 1) replacing the front O2 or A/F sensor, then 2) rear O2 sensor, then 3) MAF) as well as checking for exhaust leaks before the cat. If you have done all this and still can't get the CEL to vanish, then you can resort to the O2 simulator.