2000 With Code 430

[harrup]

Check Engine Light stays on so went to Autozone.

How do I know which catalytic converter to replace. When it went bad in my 95 you could hear it but no sound on the 2000.

Also, the code says the cat failure is caused by engine misfire or large vacumm leak or oil leakage into exhaust from valve guide seals or piston rings. Could the problem be one of these instead of the converter?

 

[BrApple]

well chances are the pre-cat isn't bad.


anyway bank 2 is the one at the front of the car. ...


so you can install headers

or use mil-eliminators

or gut the pre-cats

 

[wchain]

+1 on MIL Elminators.

 

[svtavino]

Or just replace your upper O2s. If they have never been done they probably need it. This worked on two of my cars. And if it doesn't, do the MILs if you feel there is no loss in performance and gas milege.

 

[SicSE]

Also, the code says the cat failure is caused by engine misfire or large vacumm leak or oil leakage into exhaust from valve guide seals or piston rings. Could the problem be one of these instead of the converter?

The possible causes, OTHER than a damaged mani-cat, are listed as follows:
Use of leaded fuel
Damaged HO2S
Malfunctioning ECT
High fuel pressure
Oil contamination
Cylinder misfiring
Downstream HO2S wires improperly connected
Damaged exhaust system pipe
Damaged muffler/ tailpipe assembly
Retarded spark timing

As BrApple already said, there is a good chance that the cat isn't actually bad, but that there is one of the problems listed above. If you are not able to or don't know anyone who can datalog, you should take it to someone who CAN and pay for a proper diagnosis. Just throwing parts at this code can get very expensive very fast.

 

[99Mystique ATX]

My car recently threw this code. Was going to fix it but doing exhaust seemed to make it go away.

I'd start with new O2's...

 

[harrup]

00 with Code 430

00 with Code 430

so you can install headers

or use mil-eliminators

or gut the pre-cats


I know nothing about using the above to correct the problem & doubt mechanic does. He was the one that initially ran the code & told me I needed to replace the cats. I will probably go ahead with the suggestion to replace the oxygen sensors sounds like that will be less expensive.

The check engine light stays on all the time. Does it hurt the engine to continue to drive the car while it has this code?

 

[SicSE]

I know nothing about using the above to correct the problem & doubt mechanic does.

Wow... sounds like you should be looking for a new mechanic.

Does it hurt the engine to continue to drive the car while it has this code?

It depends on what the root cause of the code is.

 

[Big Jim]

Many times, on our cars, that is a phantom code. Clear the code and see if it returns.

 

[99Mystique ATX]

FWIW, mine was cleared twice and has yet to reappear a few months later...

I'm not too worried, car runs fine and gets good mileage so no worries...

 

[harrup]

430 Code on 00 SE

430 Code on 00 SE

The Check Engine Light is no longer on all the time. This happened after I had the engine steam cleaned with car detailing. How do you figure that?

Also, something I never mentioned before is that the car seems to have trouble taking gas when you start it after it has been sitting for a while, i.e. beginning & end of workday. It drives a little jerky with first acceleration. Doesn't stall though. Could this be a symptom of what is causing a 430 Code?

 

[Big Jim]

Not likely.

 

[SicSE]

Sounds to me like they got some water somewhere that the PCM isn't happy about when they cleaned the engine... like in a sensor connector.

 

[harrup]

430 Code on 00 SE

430 Code on 00 SE

Thanks

The the jerky acceleration was going on before the engine cleaning.

 

[Ray]

Since you haven't got a clue what the problem is, how are you going to do any maintenance on it?

This is causing you TROUBLE, so its a "troubleshooting" post.

Moved to Troubleshooting.