CEL - Possible Clogged Cat?
06-13-2004, 03:11 PM
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Here's the deal with my check engine light...
About 1.5 months ago it came on. It was only a week after I installed my CAI, so I thought it could be the cause of the problem. Adjusted the hose, everything was tight, CEL went away 2 days later. Came on again, went off.
I haven't had the problem til about a week or two ago. Everytime I get gas, the CEL comes on... usually within 15-50 miles of getting gas. It eventually goes off (maybe around 200 miles after getting gas) but it comes back on shortly after getting gas again. I was wondering if maybe the gas cap seal was worn out? It sounded like a good possibility to me. It got to the point where I thought it was bad gas, but I've tried Exxon, BP, and Wal-Mart.
One of the guys at AutoZone told me the same thing, sounded like I needed a new gas cap. The CEL Code came up as P0422... the same code that appeared about 1.5 months ago. "Catalytic Converter Below Threshold" or something similar to that. It could possibly be a clogged Cat, Vacuum leak, misfire, or something else.
The dealership ran a few electrical tests 1.5 months ago when the light first came on. They took a screen shot of the car when the CEL came on, everything seemed fine. The car seems to be having a delayed shift going from 3rd to 4th and when the throttle is wide open. Could a clogged cat be making the shifting problems? It's a brand new automatic tranny, only about 3k miles on it since the dealership replaced it back in Feb. under warranty. The shifting problem seemed to start right before the tranny died, and continued to the new tranny. It doesn't jerk or anything, just seems like it needs to shift 5-8 seconds earlier when going from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 4th. Anybody think it could be the cat? Anybody think it could be the gas cap? The shifting might not be related to any problems, it could just be me...
The dealership did a Vacuum Leak Test and it came back fine. Is the cat covered up to 100,000 miles? I've got 73k right now 02.gif Anyone have a suggestion for a new cat if I need one?
About 1.5 months ago it came on. It was only a week after I installed my CAI, so I thought it could be the cause of the problem. Adjusted the hose, everything was tight, CEL went away 2 days later. Came on again, went off.
I haven't had the problem til about a week or two ago. Everytime I get gas, the CEL comes on... usually within 15-50 miles of getting gas. It eventually goes off (maybe around 200 miles after getting gas) but it comes back on shortly after getting gas again. I was wondering if maybe the gas cap seal was worn out? It sounded like a good possibility to me. It got to the point where I thought it was bad gas, but I've tried Exxon, BP, and Wal-Mart.
One of the guys at AutoZone told me the same thing, sounded like I needed a new gas cap. The CEL Code came up as P0422... the same code that appeared about 1.5 months ago. "Catalytic Converter Below Threshold" or something similar to that. It could possibly be a clogged Cat, Vacuum leak, misfire, or something else.
The dealership ran a few electrical tests 1.5 months ago when the light first came on. They took a screen shot of the car when the CEL came on, everything seemed fine. The car seems to be having a delayed shift going from 3rd to 4th and when the throttle is wide open. Could a clogged cat be making the shifting problems? It's a brand new automatic tranny, only about 3k miles on it since the dealership replaced it back in Feb. under warranty. The shifting problem seemed to start right before the tranny died, and continued to the new tranny. It doesn't jerk or anything, just seems like it needs to shift 5-8 seconds earlier when going from 2nd to 3rd or 3rd to 4th. Anybody think it could be the cat? Anybody think it could be the gas cap? The shifting might not be related to any problems, it could just be me...
The dealership did a Vacuum Leak Test and it came back fine. Is the cat covered up to 100,000 miles? I've got 73k right now 02.gif Anyone have a suggestion for a new cat if I need one?
07-10-2004, 11:42 PM
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if it was a constant misfire your cel would be blinking. If they're saying it's got something to do with your cat...get a new one. I just cut mine out. But i do understand most states have emissions checks. Get a high flow cat from random technologies... they make a universal cat and it's GREAT. If you can't spend the money for a new cat... take a piece of 1.5inch diameter pipe...the length of your cat and hammar it all the way through...leave the pipe in there put your cat back on... Now you have a high flow cat...well not really it's just a straight pipe that looks like a cat.