P0420 & P0442

[99PONTIACGP]

Both codes came up on my girlfriends '96 Cavalier. She also needs to go get her emissions done to renew her plates by the end of this month. The code was cleared and a new gas cap on yesterday. Today the light came on.

Both codes are emissions related?

Where to go now?

If we clear the code and go to the emissions test, will it pass?

Click to read more...

 

[slowchevy]

No, it will show "not ready" (car needs to go through a series of drive cycles before it can read "ready")

I believe 0420 is new cat time. Throw an emulator on there. Probably cheaper.

 

[99PONTIACGP]

The damn cat was replaced when she bought the car

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

420 is cat efficiency low meaning your catalytic converter is operating below 20% efficiency of the OEM cat
aftermarket cheapo cats typically start at only 50-60% the capacity of the OEM federally required 80k warr unit and so will hit the 20% cutoff rather quickly.

442 off the top of my head is small or med evap leak so your looking at a bad cap gasket/cap, bad vent or purge solenoids or a cracked cannister/fitting...or in some cases a aquirrel chewed through a hose.

if the 442 didnt come back yes she could possibly pass but she will want to keep it off the highways and kick it from the cat diagnostics but she will pass even with two notready's so as long as egr and evap pass the cat and rear o2 tests npot running/passing she will still pass the test.

id rec driving with a scanner that can see the emiss monitors and when all but two tests have ran have her pull in and get it tested.
i do it every two years with our old 97 e150...clear codes and drive around near the station. 6 years without fixing the egr or the cats

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

this is also why they want OBD3 so bad, people like me

 

[99PONTIACGP]

So... Go see if both codes popped up?

 

[slowchevy]

I did same with impala. Couldn't pass emissions How u do dis

 

[slowchevy]

Also getting under threshold on buick too as of today on top of trans

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

So... Go see if both codes popped up?

basically

if only one shows up you have a fighting chance without dumping more $ into it

 

[99PONTIACGP]

All we need to be able to renew the plates. She'll get a new car next year.

Ghetto Question.

If we cant fix it. Cant she transfer the ownership of the car? doesn't that prolong the emissions?

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

of course you can fix it, the title transfer/etc will cost ya more than slapping on a cheap cat...and it wont delay it long iirc

even if ya transfer it out of an emissions area you may be required to have it pass at least once they they leave ya alone

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

your best bet to just do the plates is to show hardship and an effort to repair the car. by showing repair reciepts etc.

or if ya just need extra time up to 6months or so just apply for an emissions extension that will let you drive it while it runs its onboard tests

 

[RICH17]

Gotta have at least 600+ dollars worth of reciepts before they extend it.

Also aftermarket cats are junk. Most seem to last less than two years

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

....or a friend at an auto shop that can makeout a "601$ repair bill"

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

my gramps made a cheapo aftermarket cat last 12 years in cali.

welded up flanges and it was only installed the week before the yearly test and removed right after to sit on his shelf

that 84 3.0 caravan burned oil like a motherfucker

if ya need i think i still have a couple good aftermarket cats sitting under my shelves from my old truck

 

[99PONTIACGP]

The cat was replaced like 4/5 years ago, must have been a aftermarket one.

Are the cats universal?

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

usually if your repair comes out under 3-500$ its an aftermarket universal thats welded in or a cheapo "boltin"

yeah i think you can even get the universal cheapo's online for 75$ nowadays...then pay some joint an hour labor to weld it in and your good to go

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

mine? yeah they are universal i cant remember if they were 2.25" or 2.5" pipe

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Yes. Yours.

 

[RICH17]

I would warranty out cats left and right at napa. And we sold walker ones. IDK if the shops are guessing or if they actually go bad.

A lot of them were for 3800 W bodies too

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

MagnaFlow Universal Catalytic Converters - SummitRacing.com

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

50$
Magnaflow 94106 Universal Catalytic Converter (Non CARB compliant) : Amazon.com : Automotive

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

you dont want my junk

i dont even know if they are any good, i had em on my 86 f150/350 frankentruck with a 4bbl carb'd 351

i once ran ran ~50/50 mix of gas/diesel through it cause it was free after i drained it from a guys truck that his wife borrowed...

 

[Turbocharged400sbc]

i keep em around cause im a hoarder

 

[99PONTIACGP]

Thanks for the input. Much appreciated.