I wish I could blame the Thanks, and sorry

Erich

 

no probs dude.

now... go save yourself a load of cash!

 

I'd like to know whatever happened to Fink's.....ie if he ever solved the issue. I don't know if just having 2 cats was the issue or not, you might have to experiment a bit on a cali spec vehicle.

Maybe we could get Gadget to chime in here eventually since I am sure he has encountered this too. Hopefully shed some light on what the ECU is looking for and why it continually throws a CEL in certain cases on cali spec vehicles even after the converter is replaced.

 

I sent a pm to Gadget requesting his input. Perhaps the rear O2 sensor simulator he sells on his site will help address this annoying problem...

 

Well, it's _supposed_ to, but Fink had issues with it.

Like Jamie implied, you/we really want to hear from Fink and see what he ended up doing.


This is the old thread:
https://www.yotatech.com/forums/show...1&page=5&pp=20

That's a link to Page 5, but the whole thing should probably be read to get a background.

I posted into that thread asking for an update... hopefully Fink's around.

 

I threw a CEL code for the cat on my 2000 back in 2004 and the dealer replaced it for free. I think I was still within the mileage for warranty replacement for the emissions equipment...

 

Only needed to replace a cat once here in CA but can tell you that the Smog tech said that CA has done away with checking all the parts of the systems if it passes the test. Stock or not if it passes they are cool with it. If it fails they will start checking but not to burn you. They are looking to see which part may be causing it to fail the test. THis goes for intake tubes and filters also.

 

The P-0420 code is comon with some after market cats and trucks with the cats removed. The URD rear O2 sim is designed to keep the signal from the rear O2 sensor in the range that the ECU expects to see from a properly functioning healthy cat.

Unlike some O2 sims out there it is designed to work with the rear O2 sensor so it has to be working correctly and be in contact with the exhaust stream, it does not replace the rear O2 sensor. We took this approach so the truck would pass the plug in type emmission tests.

If you are getting the P-0420 code the URD sim will help you keep that check engine light off.

Gadget

 

Thanks Gadget for chiming in. I have gotten this PO420 twice now and I just have the stock dual cat setup (the first time I got the PO420 I replaces the two sensors and that worked for a little over a year, but it's back again). My 99 4Runner has 105,000 miles on the original cats do you suppose they really are bad and should be replaced or should I assume they are OK and just order one of your O2 sims and be done with it?

 

You should not assume that the cats are OK. If you want to know for sure there is a test procedure that is done called oxygen capture test. Of course the dealer does not do this, they just swap parts.

The make up of cats has changed over recent years and that has created a really big problem for car companies, including Toyota. Cats are failing all over the place. Recently the "Gobment" outlawed one of the ingredients that was used in cats and they had to come up with a substitute. Well this new composition just does not hold up and if you go out behind most any Toyota dealer service department you are likely to find a big pile of crapped out cats.

If you get the P-0420 code the proper thing to do is to follow the test procedure and replace your cats if needed.

A good many of our customers build race vehicles for both on road and off road events. One of the common power increasers is to remove the cats and retune the engine and they needed a solution for that pesky check engine light. Also some folks trying to play by the rules and keep a cat on their truck but can't afford the expensive Toyota units choose lower cost aftermarket units. Many of these aftermarket unit will also cause a P-0420 code.

In both cases our rear O2 sim will help these customers out and help keep that check engine light off, but of course it is marketed as an off road use only product…

Gadget