[mcgowaw]

just got the CEL today after changing oil from 10w/30 to 5w/20 to see if it would help a spitting sort of sound coming from the top chain area. that didn't help that at all and now i got a cat code and evap incomplete.
don't know if they're interrelated or not.
i'll try to look at the s2 o2 data tomorrow and measure some before and after cat temps to try to see if i really need a cat or not.
as for the evap incomplete, i read somewhere the driving routine to clear that is 5 mins @ 55-60.
if anyone has any experience with this to pass along, i'd sure appreciate it. after getting this car back from my teenaged son, who drove it for 2 years, i'm finding all sorts of problems with it.
glad i still got my 94 to drive...
tony

 

[mcgowaw]

well, i tightened the gas cap, seafoamed the intake, and reset the ecu to see if the 0420 would come back. there's no CEL yet, but it's pending.
the afr sensor is right at 3.3v, the 2nd o2 seems to be crossing the mid point as it should and the 3rd o2 sensor is running right in between the 5 and 7 as it should for a good cat so i'm confused what'd be causing this.

also, the evap is still incomplete.

any ideas guys?
tony

 

[mcgowaw]

no?

 

[dtownfb]

The P0420 code normally points to the catalytic converter. How many miles are on the car?

http://www.engine-codes.com/p0420_toyota.html

 

[mcgowaw]

thanks for the response,
104k miles
actually, just ran and checked it and no pending or set cel codes.
hopefully, seafoaming the intake, putting some trans fluid on the rubber seal of the new gas cap and/or changing to thinner oil (5/20 versus 10/30) did some good after all.
i know the o2 sensors seems to be responding fine.
i still can't get the evap to go ready but i can't find a reliable source for the drive cycle for this 06 camry. i have them for up till 02 but not after. if someone has that, please pass it along.
thanks
tony

 

[dtownfb]

If your O2 sensor checked fine, the code will eventually cone back. Here's good discussion on P0420. "Leakyseals" provided good information on Toyota cats. Basically, replacing the catalytic converter is a maintenance item. Take a look at post 4 and later.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/1...lyst-efficiency-below-threshold-bank-1-a.html

Good luck.

P.S. - Do you have California emissions?

 

[mcgowaw]

of course/unfortunately. the most emissions restrictive in the world afaik. :-(

 

[surgeon0]

I had P0420 on the corolla and honda. For the honda, after cleaning/seafoam/etc, ended up putting a spacer on the downstream cat (seen on exhaust pipe bottom of car). After 5.5 years still good and passed california emissions.

For the corolla, after seafoam and techron in gas tank anytime it came, worked out. Have not had to do anything yet. Also california emissions.
On friend's camry, he gets this all the time and on the cali emissions test last year he failed. He then used cataclean from pepboys and then passed. Prior registration time, I helped seafoam his car and passed.

As for the drive (warmup) to get registers ready, there is a video on youtube for the whole procedure showing it (emissions incomplete). If I do get the code on corolla next time, I will install that spacer.

There were a few discussions on 0420 and evap. Its been a while but will come up in search.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YcOdYJzIzQ

 

[mcgowaw]

yeah, i read some pretty indepth discussions on the cat code and that's why i seafoamed the intake. it didn't need it but i believe it helps the cat some to burn off the soot on the precious metals. thanks much. will keep an eye out as this seems to be a common toyota complaint. sounds like they set the threshold for cat efficiency way too low as 20 year old cat's still do good on the carb testing as i'm sure my 06 will too, as far as nox, co2, etc.
i tried to find toyotas bulletin for 06 camry's with 2azfe engine to reset the evap monitor but haven't found it. if you or anyone else has it please shoot me a link.
i found one that basically sez 5 miles at 60mph. that didn't do it. i found another one where you rev it to 3k for 10s, then idle for 20 min. did nothing either. no evap cel's do i don't think there's actually anything wrong with the evap system but i might have to look there next. i never overfill my tank so i'm hoping that ain't it.
tony

 

[mcgowaw]

is that 'cataclean' basically laquer thinner? scotty sez to use l.t. in the tank 1 gal to 10 gal gas to clean the cat. just curious.
tony

 

[dtownfb]

I don't know the exact answer but after I had the cat replaced on my 2006 Camry, it took my mechanic a couple days of driving (highway miles) to get the system ready for the smog inspection.

 

[surgeon0]

Not sure if cataclean is laquer thinner or equivalent chemical makeup. I never had to use it. It could be similar to seafoam. It is poured into the gas tank. I saw Scotty video long back. He cleans the cat with the thinner. But during the reasearch for my honda issue, in the honda forums some have replaced the cat for about $100 instead calling these other methods only temporary.

 

[mcgowaw]

would love to get a cat for that price but cali carb spec'd crap is 3 times that :-(
thanks for all the responses.
here's to hoping my 420 don't come back.
tony