My car has started throwing P0430 errors regularly now with an occasional P0420 so it looks like my catalytic converters might need replacing. Unfortunately I live in NY so they're about $1800 each for CARB-compliant cats which I don't want to spend!

If I drive over to NJ or CT and get EPA-compliant cats installed instead, would that be sufficient to pass my next inspection which is due in May?

Do you guys have any other suggestions for getting past this? I tried a couple of bottles of cataclean and a gallon of lacquer thinner so far but they made no difference.

 

You can find them on Rockauto for $430 each, AP/Eastern brand.

 

Thanks, will look it up. Do you know if the emissions shop will check the actual cat? Last time I saw them just plug in an ODB reader and passed it.

 

Just because you get that code does not mean your cats are in need of replacement.

- Even a tiny post-cat air leak will generate that code.
- The cats retain very high efficiency even after that code is typically generated.
- Bad sensors can generate the code on their own.

Someone on here once called it equivalent to buying a Big Gulp, but then not being allowed to drink any more after taking a few sips, because it was now “too empty” to drink any more, and being forced to throw the rest away and buy a new one. IME, that is true. When our 02 ES started throwing the codes, I used extenders to eliminate the light, went to our emissions testing where we had genuine particle “sniff” tests with probes, and the car flew through the test. Not merely passed, but flew through with almost “new” level emissions.

So the last thing I would do is go buy new cats. I’d defeat the light and go get tested.