joeltender

What is the actual deal with this code?
I've erased it 3 times so far. Can you have this code without the precat being a danger to the motor.

From what i've read the po430 seems to be more of a danger for getting sucked back in to the motor.
I've heard that the po420 will come up because the cat isn't quite as good as it should be. I don't hear any rattling, get really good mileage(420-450) per tank, no performance issues, only burn 1/2 quart between OCI.

Just wondering how many people have had this and if it's relatively safe to erase it after every 5000m or so it pops up?

Can po420 mean that the main cat is fried? Or is this just an oversensitive computer issue?
I have about 110000miles and wonder if it is safe to continue on like this, or wait till I hear the dreaded rattle before shelling out the coin?

Not sure if the reflash has been performed, if not does it actually work or just another stealership scam.

Thorzdad

We've had the code practically since the car was new. There IS a TSB for it that will lead to a reprogramming of the ECM. It works for a little while, but the code will come back. What I've come to understand, based on conversations with Nissan mechanics over the years, it's simply an erroneous code. Nothing is actually, physically wrong. It's simply the ECM expecting a certain range of inputs from the sensor and not getting it. Thus, the code. We've never done anything for the code, except clear it once in awhile, and have put over 300k on it. No rattling cat. No problems.

joeltender

Have you had any problems with any of the other cats?

I have the vq35, are the rear precat setups the same as the 3.0?

Would be nice to get even close to that kind of mileage. Thanx

Matt6speed

fix it ASAP before you do get an oil consumption issue, gut them, replace them or buy headers, ASAP.

Thorzdad

No. I've had no problems with any of the cats. Period.
I can't say if the setup is similar between the 35 and the 30, though.

joeltender

What codes were you getting Matt?
I thought the consumption issue wouldn't get too bad unless you started to hear rattle from them breaking apart.
I don't have any performance issues, and have had the code since I got the car over 20k ago. It always used some oil but not too much.
I thought the p0430 was a lot worse.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

I get the stoner code randomly. Not at all on my 2000 mile trip to Kentucky and back but twice in the 600 miles I've driven since I got back. Sometimes it comes back quick, other times it take a few thousand miles. I got a set of used precats with 60k on them (my car has 154,400 miles) that I'm going to swap in when I get a chance. I'm going to gut my old precats so if the code starts coming back again, I'll put the gutted cats in and either use the O2 bung extension (spark plug non-foulers) or O2 sims.

joeltender

Thanx for the replies, I guess I'll just keep it as is for now. All the precat warniing posts made me a bit paranoid.
When you finally start gutting the cats and running sims please let me know how easy (difficult) it is. I love how good my 6spd runs with the GAB and 17* timing advance. I would really love to know how any others have dealt with this code, and if it is really that much to be worried about.

My mechanic pretty much said F** that to the idea of headers or sims etc. Just wanna know what the best option is?

Any feedback would be appreciated, if I don't have to gut or worse that would be fantastic, but I would like to know before I run the risk of blowing my vq35.

IHAVEA2KMAXIMA

iTrader: (7)

+1 but the TSB expired (for some people)? I think it's only 80k miles/8yrs whichever comes first. I had P0420 and I thought it was because of my aftermarket y-pipe, but I put my oem y-pipe back and P0420 popped back up, so I got it reprogrammed and it's gone since then.

'02_EMILBUS

iTrader: (3)

so whats the P0430 deal? It sounds like some say the pre-cat internals come apart and get sucked into the combustion chamber or what?
I don't supervise the forum regularly... but im just lookin for some insight.

Also I think I read someone mentioning a rattle.

Thanks for any valuable input & advice!

foot3ch

Any update on this? I also have 01 SE w/ 153K miles. I bought this car last year w/ 141K miles and the previous owner just spent almost $2G at Nissan stealership due to P0420.
Cat Converter, Tube Assy, Heated Oxy, and Exh Manifold were replaced at 136,xxx miles and now P0420 re-appears. Any suggestions? When I had my M3, the new cats were coverred under 2yrs/24K miles after the stearship replaced them w/ 8yrs/80K miles Fed warranty. Shouldn't be the same for Maxima? Thanks.

Thorzdad

With over 141k on your car, you're past the Fed emissions warranty. In any case, as I've said before, you can live with the code. There really is nothing wrong except a mis-communication in the system. Nothing will make it go away forever. Your car will run just fine.

00Max00

How comes debris get sucked in from exhaust? I think there's only one way air flow out? The debris should be either blown out of the pipe or plugs it up..

sontakke

Google O2 sensor extension

kys02WHIP

My car is at dealer now with this problem. They want $4300 to fix. Help

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Look in the 5th gen classifieds, that's how I got a pair of precats with 60k miles on them.

Don't spend at least half of what your car is worth on catalytic converters.