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MadMason
Dodge Dakota
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7/11/2005
05:47:57
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 Subject: P0420 - serious?
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I got the P0420--Cat efficency below minimum code.
Is it a serious problem? or am i just polluting the enviroment more than i should? does it have negative effects on mpg?
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schmidtmike
Dodge Dakota
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7/11/2005
17:52:56
| RE: P0420 - serious?
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Message:
It depends on what year your truck is. I am not sure if the 3rd gen (1997 - 2004) trucks have a O2 sensor downstream from the cat or not. I know that first gen (1987 - 1991) trucks have one sensor on the Y-Pipe, before the cat. Second gen (1992 - 1996) trucks with the magnum engines have two O2 sensors; one on the back of each exhaust manifold. So, if your truck feels fine and gets the same mileage in spite of the trouble code, I would say don't worry about it. But, if you have to pass emissions, or if you want to get rid of the code, you'll have to get the cat replaced.
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MadMason
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2005
04:27:41
| RE: P0420 - serious?
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thanks for the info. i have a 98 dak. i think they have a upstream and a downstream sensor.
i get like 16 mpg mostly city driving. i have the truck for only 2 months, so i can't really tell whether the milage went down
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Dan M
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2005
06:10:58
| RE: P0420 - serious?
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The O2 sensors are *supposed* to be checked every 100k miles. Also, a cat will never just go bad - contrary to what any else tells you - they have NO moving parts, there is nothing to "just go bad". If it is bad, you DO have a problem. Most likely the vehicle is running rich. You can take it to an exhaust shop and they'll do a free test. How do they test it? Most will use a laser temp guage and check the temp of the exhaust before and after the cat - should be about 100 degree difference. If they tell you that the cat is bad, you may be covered under the federal emissions warranty. This covers the exhaust (cat included) for 8 years or 80k miles. You are close to the 8 year mark with your 98, what about the milage requirement? How many miles do you have on your truck?
If the cat is bad, replace it. But don't just stop there, check out your O2 sensors and see if they are bad as well. Remeber, you DO have a problem.
here's a website I just found for testing you O2 sensor.
http://www.forparts.com/o-21.htm
- Dan M
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MadMason
Dodge Dakota
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7/12/2005
09:04:57
| RE: P0420 - serious?
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thanks a lot dan. i already have like 85k on the truck and since i'm in Germany the Federal Emission Warranty won't do me any good.
I'm gonna get the cat and o2 sensors checked. Lets see how it turns out.
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schmidtmike
Dodge Dakota
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7/25/2005
20:12:55
| RE: P0420 - serious?
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How can you afford the gas for that thing???? In Germany it's like $3.20 a liter, right??
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