Hi everyone,
I have a 2002 Camery V6 XLE with 322356 miles on it(as of this morning). Cut to the chase: About 7 months ago the CEL popped on. Hooked up the reader and it is P0420 on both the lower O2 banks for the CATS that come off of the "Headers" before the merge to the main exhaust. So I looked around and on the front and rear CATS and I figure they are shot since I've never replaced them and have owned the car since 2006. I have had the exhaust rebuilt from the Y merger to the muffler to include a new inline CAT on 15 June 2018.
Here is my dilemma, in 2022 my county will not require me to have emissions check on this vehicle. I'm not due for another check until the spring of 2021. I can erase the codes, and drive it to the station and pass, no worries as it is not "Permanently stored" like 2010 and later models.... I think.
QUESTION: Is there a way to flash the ECM of the car as to not care about the O2 sensors on the two manifold CATS so as t get rid of the CEL? If I don't need to pass emissions anymore after 2022, then who cares if the CATS are bad and causing both O2 sensors to throw the CEL.
IF any of this is unclear, please ask. Just looking for a better fix besides the good old piece of black tape! LOL!
Felix
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