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» Northern California Ford Owners     » Automotive   » Tech Talk   » 1996 Explorer codes question...

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Author Topic: 1996 Explorer codes question...
Wildfire532FB
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Member # 1482

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the check engine light keeps coming on and i get the code P0420, it says something about the catalitic converter and one of my cats is bad but i am curious as to how it knows its bad? i am going to replace it but i am hoping whatever sensor monitor thats isn't bad as well.
Could that code mean something else as well?

[ July 18, 2008, 12:20 AM: Message edited by: 532Fastback ]

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68 Fastback
84 CJ7
94 HMMWV
95 GT
03 F350
17 Fusion Hybrid

Posts: 17578 | From: 530 | Registered: Jun 2002  |  :
Joooestang66
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Member # 2828

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That DTC is "Catalyst Effiency Bank 1". The PCM monitors the O2 sensor's and the Cat monitor's voltage. The O2 voltage, when monitored on a scantool or osciliscope is a wave pattern, up and down. The Cat monitor should not have a wave pattern, it should read a steady voltage when at operating temperature. I don't think that you have a O2 or Cat monitor problem, you would most likely have lack of switching DTC's. Having a P0420 is telling me that the O2's and Cat monitors are operating normally because they are detecting this fault.
Posts: 581 | From: Elk Grove | Registered: May 2003  |  :
Wildfire532FB
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Member # 1482

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quote:
Originally posted by Joooestang66:
That DTC is "Catalyst Effiency Bank 1". The PCM monitors the O2 sensor's and the Cat monitor's voltage. The O2 voltage, when monitored on a scantool or osciliscope is a wave pattern, up and down. The Cat monitor should not have a wave pattern, it should read a steady voltage when at operating temperature. I don't think that you have a O2 or Cat monitor problem, you would most likely have lack of switching DTC's. Having a P0420 is telling me that the O2's and Cat monitors are operating normally because they are detecting this fault.

ok, now i just need to replace the cat. At normal operating temp for the engine teh cat is only at 150 degrees, while the front one is close to 400.

--------------------
./_ _ _ ___ __\
(]]]_ _ o _ _[[[)
|\_o_ __ __o_/|
|__|..........|__|
68 Fastback
84 CJ7
94 HMMWV
95 GT
03 F350
17 Fusion Hybrid

Posts: 17578 | From: 530 | Registered: Jun 2002  |  :


 
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