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Catalytic Converter code P0420

RonParise

Well-Known Member
Joined
December 5, 2019
Messages
102
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City, State
Ft Myers Fl
Year, Model & Trim Level
2011 Explorer limited
This might be longer than you want to read, so first my conclusion
P0420? try Cataclean. It worked for me



As I was accelerating on to the Interstate, I heard what seemed to be one of those guys that tune their cars to backfire on demand (burble) screaming by me.
Turned out to be me. My first thought was that my high mileage 2011 Explorer, (3.5 l, 360000 miles) had blown up, But no; the sound stopped and I drove on as usual. It happened several times in the next few days. my scanner gave code P0420 which pointed to the bank 1 catalytic converter. I did some reading and youtube viewing to learn that catalytic converters dont fail on their own.. Something else; another problem caused it. If you replace the catalytic converter, without fixing the underlying problem, it will fail again.

So I had a cylinder 3 misfire recently, fixed with new plugs and coils. (It was time) Maybe thats the cause. I went to my new mechanic (he did the plugs and coils) he gave me a price of over $1200 for the catalytic converter. and told me there was no connection between the misfire and the failed catalytic converter. I think he is wrong and I wont go back to him

I crawled under the car to see if I could do it myself....that aint gonna happen, so back to the computer and I saw you could clean these things, or buy cheap aftermarket parts and I saw a product called "Cataclean". On the theory that you start with the cheapest possible solution and if needed work up to the more expensive, I bought a bottle, ($25) and it worked. The noise stopped and the code P0420 dosent come up any more...looking at 400000 miles by the end of the year
 



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dang!!!! 360k?!?!? is that a record so far for this gen? im at 330k!!! any engine work? trans work? im curious now!!! and thats cool that it fixed your issue! now i wanna know more, i had always assumed it was mostly acetone (?) or one of those thinner like that based, could be wrong is been years! and i wouldve assumed it would just burn off in the chamber and not even reach the cats. i assume it could clean injectors, but does it reach as far as the cats? imo it would just burn off, but thats cool, imma do some research on this now! i only fear if i use it on my 2nd it will do more harm to the lines than good to anything else, unless it comes down to it. but glad to hear this feedbacl!
 






dang!!!! 360k?!?!? is that a record so far for this gen? im at 330k!!! any engine work? trans work? im curious now!!! and thats cool that it fixed your issue! now i wanna know more, i had always assumed it was mostly acetone (?) or one of those thinner like that based, could be wrong is been years! and i wouldve assumed it would just burn off in the chamber and not even reach the cats. i assume it could clean injectors, but does it reach as far as the cats? imo it would just burn off, but thats cool, imma do some research on this now! i only fear if i use it on my 2nd it will do more harm to the lines than good to anything else, unless it comes down to it. but glad to hear this feedbacl!
I really dont know how this stuff works, or even whether it works. I may have just been lucky


I havent done much other than all the routine stuff, I did however do a proactive water pump replacement at 200k, and while in there did the timing chain, guides, oil pump and front crank seal,. Its nearly time to do it again


Re: the transmission, I believed the owners manual and had it serviced at 150k miles and again at 300k, That's when I learned that all they did was a drain and fill and every 150k miles isnt nearly enough, I sent a sample to a lab ,,,, the wear metals were high, Since then Ive done a drain and fill myself, every 10k miles and sent samples to the lab each time. Wear metals are way down and the fluid is red so I think I got to it in time.
 






i change mine every 30k, do a "flush" (change fluid twice) every 90k, so ive been lucky so far with my tranny! imo 10k is a bit too little of a run, but i mean doesnt hurt to be proactive! cheap insurance ;)
 






i change mine every 30k, do a "flush" (change fluid twice) every 90k, so ive been lucky so far with my tranny! imo 10k is a bit too little of a run, but i mean doesnt hurt to be proactive! cheap insurance ;)

Ill probably do one more at 370k but now that the drained fluid is pretty red, I think Ive gotten ahead of any problems and Ill drop back to every 30-50k
 






 






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