Following is a complete Diagnostic Manual in helping you diagnose and troubleshoot problems with a vehicles emission system and the possible replacement of emission parts including the catalytic converter.
Poor vehicle maintenance is a major contributor to the
creation of conditions that eventually lead to converter
inefficiency.
It is important to remember that if the “Check Engine Light” illuminates and you read a code of PO420, 421, 430 or 431 this does not necessarily mean the Catalytic Converter is bad! All the code says is either Converter operating below efficency or Converter operating under threshold. Nowhere does the code say that the converter is bad.
The vehicle may very well need a Catalytic Converter but to determine this you should perform proper engine diagnostics. The reading of a simple code is NOT performing diagnostics. The following material should give you a better understanding of what proper diagnostics consist of and how they should be performed. If after reading the material below you still have questions please give us a call, 817-551-7700, and we will do all we can to help you solve the problem.