Drive cycle to clear P0420 code for smog test

P0420 doesn't mean my converter's bad then what is bad causing that code The code is the cat is below the efficiency threshold what do I do to get it back up just let's talk about that. The Prius is the only Toyota that I know of unless other hybrids of Toyota that runs this test or the did run this test My Corollas didn't and any catalytic converter for 5,000 lb and under could be welded into place and work and the light goes off. Well in the Corolla there was a firmware problem but that's not a discussion for here. Most people I know of to get cat below threshold code wind up with a new $1,900 converter or did from the dealer that was their remedy so I'm not sure what the real remedy should be I'd love to hear it because I've got generation 2 Prius in many forms I have one with a fairly new factory cat no lights on I didn't put the cat in it was done in Georgia receipts are in the car. I have a '07 that had the catalytic converter stolen off of it and out of converter put on from one of the biggest sales outlets on eBay My friends have bought converters for their v8s there The lights are off in the converters work fine so only on the Prius is their problem with aftermarket catalytic converters My aftermarket cat is on this car it seems to be working fine but the light is on never went off since this new cat went on both sensors seem to be working and the date of the sensors is sending to TIS looks fairly normal to me car runs impeccably. Then I have another 08 I'm standing in front of it right now The catalytic converters in place they were gutted so the two cat bulbs have no bricks in them they're empty It was reinstalled in the car no lights are on so far.

 

your converter is not efficient, get a $8 spacer or $2k efficient converter to fix it. Your choice.

 

Yes that was my point basically on the car that's a 2009 and lower seems kind of pointless to be buying $2,000 cats and that's okay if it's not super efficient but it still working I just need the light out I mean I can remove the LED I just don't want to take the dash apart the car is very clean and very good condition inside don't want to start breaking vents and messing up stuff just because I like my interiors to stay clean and unbroken for as long as I have the car. I don't really care about the outside that much but the inside where I am I like it to be near perfect original reasonably clean like an old eames chair.

 

I've replaced a dozen or so O2 sensors to make the code go away

 

I love reading all the stories that's you know like anything else I have replaced a bunch of O2 sensors and had the code go nowhere because well generally the code doesn't have much to do with the sensor but that's okay there's no problem now in general motors cars I've replaced plenty of sensors and had the light go off absolutely but in the Prius not been such good luck with that denzo O2 sensors are actually quite good they'll go three 400,000 with no problem even if you're burning oil take the sensor out burn off the oil off the tip of it with a torch literally reinstall it good to go I've been doing that on my Corollas and Camry since Toyota added O2 sensors I've rarely ever bought before replaced one but that's just me and about I don't know seven or eight cars over the years maybe nine but they weren't all cars that I kept.

 

Go search up the posts by mr_guy_mann about how he goes about diagnosing a P0420 before deciding it is the catalytic converter (CC) that needs replacing.

If the engine is not burning cleanly, then it can be a bit much to expect the CC to clean up all the mess. Over time running an engine that is not burning cleanly, you will kill your CC so a stitch in time and all that nonsense.

 

Yes sir absolutely but then it's that nonsense that's getting in the converter oil too much fuel whatever that fails the efficiency of the catalytic converter. I mean it $300,000 mi I can accept the catalytic converter failed That's not a problem The problem is it's $1,900 part or what have you for every other car in the United States that catalytic converters about $95 most Chevrolets and all of that you know catalytic converter by weight go to a muffler store look in the back room you'll see boxes marked 5,000 lb 8,010,000 those are boxes of converters and those are the vehicle weights that they can be put on yeah it's basically that simple until you get to as far as I know a Prius I'm sure there are a few other quirky ones but they're just not well known like the Prius which has I don't know lots of Prius on the road. I do realize what it takes to ruin a catalytic converter oil burning extreme rich mixture extremely lean mixture I've seen catalytic converters glowing red. And many of my cars we've just gutted the catalysts not the brick out through the pipe and all that so all you're looking at is bulbuos steel pieces of empty nothingness I imagine that will not work on the Prius. Because of the test the car runs. Be interesting to see though I wonder if when it would run the test on a vehicle with a gutted cat seems to me like it would flood those bulbas tubes with a fuel vapor and causes small explosion or fire to come out the tailpipes too funny.