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#1
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Asking for a litte, off topic help
I have to admit that this is not about the Miata, but this is one of the
better newsgroups for information. So I hope nobody minds that I ask. We are considering buying a car that has the "check engine" light on. Anticipating that this might be the case when I went to look at it, I brought the handy code scanner with me. The scanner said o420. The code description is "Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1). What I have been able to determine, so far is that either: 1. The downstream O2 sensor is misreading the output of the catalytic converter or 2. The catalytic converter isn't doing it's job properly, which the O2 sensor is correctly reporting. The car is a 2000 Mazda Protégé with about 115K miles on it. Thanks in advance. Ken |
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#2
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it could be the O2 sensor most times they do give reading i had it done
to me twice in my Mustang at 115 i would not think its the Catalytic its still young and has lots of time left lol "KWS" > wrote in message ... >I have to admit that this is not about the Miata, but this is one of the > better newsgroups for information. So I hope nobody minds that I ask. > > We are considering buying a car that has the "check engine" light on. > Anticipating that this might be the case when I went to look at it, I > brought the handy code scanner with me. > > The scanner said o420. The code description is "Catalyst System Efficiency > Below Threshold (Bank 1). What I have been able to determine, so far is > that > either: > > 1. The downstream O2 sensor is misreading the output of the catalytic > converter or > 2. The catalytic converter isn't doing it's job properly, which the O2 > sensor is correctly reporting. > > The car is a 2000 Mazda Protégé with about 115K miles on it. Thanks in > advance. > > Ken > > |
#3
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Thanks, Dale.
"Dale" > wrote in message news:_rmLe.8145$vj.3330@pd7tw1no... > it could be the O2 sensor most times they do give reading i had it done > to me twice in my Mustang > at 115 i would not think its the Catalytic its still young and has lots of > time left lol > > "KWS" > wrote in message > ... > >I have to admit that this is not about the Miata, but this is one of the > > better newsgroups for information. So I hope nobody minds that I ask. > > > > We are considering buying a car that has the "check engine" light on. > > Anticipating that this might be the case when I went to look at it, I > > brought the handy code scanner with me. > > > > The scanner said o420. The code description is "Catalyst System Efficiency > > Below Threshold (Bank 1). What I have been able to determine, so far is > > that > > either: > > > > 1. The downstream O2 sensor is misreading the output of the catalytic > > converter or > > 2. The catalytic converter isn't doing it's job properly, which the O2 > > sensor is correctly reporting. > > > > The car is a 2000 Mazda Protégé with about 115K miles on it. Thanks in > > advance. > > > > Ken > > > > > > |
#4
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Note however that various engine problems may have caused a premature demise of the cat. I would take out the cat and check whether you can see through it. If it is like the Miata, spray WD-40 onto the bolts the day before. Note that 4-wire O2 sensors are not that cheap, nor aftermarket cats, at least for the Miata, that expensive. Leon "KWS" > wrote: >Thanks, Dale. > >"Dale" > wrote in message >news:_rmLe.8145$vj.3330@pd7tw1no... >> it could be the O2 sensor most times they do give reading i had it >done >> to me twice in my Mustang >> at 115 i would not think its the Catalytic its still young and has lots >of >> time left lol >> >> "KWS" > wrote in message >> ... >> >I have to admit that this is not about the Miata, but this is one of the >> > better newsgroups for information. So I hope nobody minds that I ask. >> > >> > We are considering buying a car that has the "check engine" light on. >> > Anticipating that this might be the case when I went to look at it, I >> > brought the handy code scanner with me. >> > >> > The scanner said o420. The code description is "Catalyst System >Efficiency >> > Below Threshold (Bank 1). What I have been able to determine, so far is >> > that >> > either: >> > >> > 1. The downstream O2 sensor is misreading the output of the catalytic >> > converter or >> > 2. The catalytic converter isn't doing it's job properly, which the O2 >> > sensor is correctly reporting. >> > >> > The car is a 2000 Mazda Protégé with about 115K miles on it. Thanks in >> > advance. >> > >> > Ken >> > >> > >> >> > -- Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) http://www.dommelen.net/miata EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) |
#5
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Thanks for the help, once again, Leon.
What I will likely do is (the easy thing, of course) simply change out the downstream 02 sensor. The logic behind this is pretty much what I mentioned in the original post. It might be simply reading good emissions incorrectly. The general wisdom, which doesn't make it right....it's merely wisdom, is that catalytic converters last a very, very long time. If it works, the first stop is a local garage for an emissions check, as the objective is to register this out of state vehicle in California. If that is all successful and the light comes back on again at some later date, then I'll look at something else. Who knows? The crazy scheme might work. Ken "Leon van Dommelen" > wrote in message ... > > Note however that various engine problems may have caused a premature > demise of the cat. I would take out the cat and check whether you > can see through it. If it is like the Miata, spray WD-40 onto the > bolts the day before. > > Note that 4-wire O2 sensors are not that cheap, nor aftermarket > cats, at least for the Miata, that expensive. > > Leon > > "KWS" > wrote: > > >Thanks, Dale. > > > >"Dale" > wrote in message > >news:_rmLe.8145$vj.3330@pd7tw1no... > >> it could be the O2 sensor most times they do give reading i had it > >done > >> to me twice in my Mustang > >> at 115 i would not think its the Catalytic its still young and has lots > >of > >> time left lol > >> > >> "KWS" > wrote in message > >> ... > >> >I have to admit that this is not about the Miata, but this is one of the > >> > better newsgroups for information. So I hope nobody minds that I ask. > >> > > >> > We are considering buying a car that has the "check engine" light on. > >> > Anticipating that this might be the case when I went to look at it, I > >> > brought the handy code scanner with me. > >> > > >> > The scanner said o420. The code description is "Catalyst System > >Efficiency > >> > Below Threshold (Bank 1). What I have been able to determine, so far is > >> > that > >> > either: > >> > > >> > 1. The downstream O2 sensor is misreading the output of the catalytic > >> > converter or > >> > 2. The catalytic converter isn't doing it's job properly, which the O2 > >> > sensor is correctly reporting. > >> > > >> > The car is a 2000 Mazda Protégé with about 115K miles on it. Thanks in > >> > advance. > >> > > >> > Ken > >> > > >> > > >> > >> > > > > -- > Leon van Dommelen Bozo, the White 96 Sebring Miata .) > http://www.dommelen.net/miata > EXIT THE INTERSTATES (Jamie Jensen) |
#6
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don't forget after you put the new one in to do a reset so the light will
go away after you put in the new OS I just take the batt cable off for a few mins "KWS" > wrote in message ... >I have to admit that this is not about the Miata, but this is one of the > better newsgroups for information. So I hope nobody minds that I ask. > > We are considering buying a car that has the "check engine" light on. > Anticipating that this might be the case when I went to look at it, I > brought the handy code scanner with me. > > The scanner said o420. The code description is "Catalyst System Efficiency > Below Threshold (Bank 1). What I have been able to determine, so far is > that > either: > > 1. The downstream O2 sensor is misreading the output of the catalytic > converter or > 2. The catalytic converter isn't doing it's job properly, which the O2 > sensor is correctly reporting. > > The car is a 2000 Mazda Protégé with about 115K miles on it. Thanks in > advance. > > Ken > > |
#7
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Thanks, Dale.
Ken "Dale" > wrote in message newssJLe.217942$s54.84570@pd7tw2no... > don't forget after you put the new one in to do a reset so the light will > go away after you put in the new OS > > I just take the batt cable off for a few mins > > "KWS" > wrote in message > ... > >I have to admit that this is not about the Miata, but this is one of the > > better newsgroups for information. So I hope nobody minds that I ask. > > > > We are considering buying a car that has the "check engine" light on. > > Anticipating that this might be the case when I went to look at it, I > > brought the handy code scanner with me. > > > > The scanner said o420. The code description is "Catalyst System Efficiency > > Below Threshold (Bank 1). What I have been able to determine, so far is > > that > > either: > > > > 1. The downstream O2 sensor is misreading the output of the catalytic > > converter or > > 2. The catalytic converter isn't doing it's job properly, which the O2 > > sensor is correctly reporting. > > > > The car is a 2000 Mazda Protégé with about 115K miles on it. Thanks in > > advance. > > > > Ken > > > > > > |
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