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P0420 code is on , just exactly is Bank 1 ?


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I have a 2005 Legacy i WGN, NOT an Outback ! The sticker under the hood says ...CALIFORNIA regulations....or  something like that !

I have 183 K miles on it and it's an automatic .

It's inspection time again ! I have a shinny black R on my windshield.

Thinking of getting one of those 02  sensor spacers to get 02 out of stream !

Just which 02 sensor is it exactly ?

I'm assuming it's the one that should be the last one for Bank 1 , or is it simply the last one ??!

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I have an 05 OB with all of the same sensors. The trick of taking the sensor out of the stream with the extender didn't work on my car.

I first got the dreaded P0420 code at 105K miles so consider yourself lucky. I tried the extender and then even tried changing the passenger side front O2 sensor and still threw the code. 

My check engine light will go out occasionally but will eventually turn on again.

I was told that I would need to change out the front cat on the passenger side.

Apparently, these cars are running so lean that they can often read "above threshold" according to the ECU.

My solution for the past 8 years in order to pass emissions was to buy an inexpensive $14 code reader similar to THIS

I clear the code using the device. Next start the car and let it idle for 5 minutes without touching the gas then next do a 50 mph drive for about 10 minutes without braking or hard acceleration to "reset" the systems required to pass inspections. Turn off the car and using the code reader, rescan for codes and then for system readiness and then hightail it to the inspection station and am good for another 2 years.

Edited by brus brother
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When I got this car about 6 years ago it had I think 130K miles on it . I bought it from a guy who had a small Subee shop , he was an Ex-Subee mechanic . It had a lot of work done head gaskets, timing belt water pump and brakes all the way around. Then he told me that CATS were replaced by cutting out the old ones and burned in new ones....I thought he was kidding me ! The first time I saw it on the lift you could see were they were burnt in ! They lasted me about 4 years !

Two years ago I did the same thing that you did ! I actually called around to see what garages did for the P0420 code, as in what CATS do you install OEM, aftermarket etc. Called one garage and they said NOTHING ! That's when they did the OBDII code checker things as you have . I did it successfully last year and couldn't pull it off this year!

Those other years it was much warmer and I wonder if that has anything to do with it!? I tried it twice this year, the P0420 code came back within the driving time ! I had a flyer saying the driving time is supposed to be over 53 miles an hour, for 15 minutes and the gas gauge is between 1/2 and 3/4 !

I'm going to try it again on a much warmer day and see what happens ! I've got about 55 days left !

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Gas tank as you specified. I pulled into a commuter parking lot next to highway. Clear code. Drive onto highway and maintain 55 for 5-10 minutes. Exit highway and reenter back towards starting point maintaining speed. Exit highway, check system readiness and then scoot over to test station.

That is the voodoo that has worked for me.

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The 05+ models will throw codes for post-cat fuel trim if you pull the secondary O2 out of the stream with a spacer. 

A tuner with a Tactrix cable and the right ROM defs can simply program out the converter codes, and all the secondary O2 codes. You also have to disable (zero the table) for the post cat fuel trim. Although of course this is highly illegal and subject to a $10,000 fine so I can't do it or provide any information on where or who can do this. But that information is out there. 

GD

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i have a theory why that code comes on so many cars but not on others. the cats on my car had the o2 sensors setup one before the cat and one in between the 2 cats none at the end. when i replaced mine i used the cats from my 95 witch had abotut he same miles on them but did not give a 420 code the o2 sensors on the 95 cats are in front  of the first cat and behind the second cat. so my theory here is what if u got an o2 sensor bung and had it welded on behind the second cat plug the one in the center and move the o2 sensor behind the second cat would possibly correct the issue?

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