2004 mdx p0420 emission CEL

[mjimport]

Yep another p0420 inquiry.

I have found a lot of good info on this already but want to be as well equipped as I can before I start the repair process.

I bought this used with 116k miles and got a 6 mo. 3rd party warranty that should cover cat converter.

The code came up first late December right before doing the water pump and timing belt job, so I decided to swap plugs and clean the EGR valve while I was wrenching on it.

The light actually stayed off for about 3 weeks and 1,000 miles.

My question is, if it were an o2 sensor it would probably stay on more consistently right?
Also, any good shop should be able to narrow it down to the culprit as apposed to throwing parts at it right?

[TexasHonda]

If you've researched this you know that many things can cause P0420, exhaust leak, faulty primary O2 sensor, faulty secondary o2 sensor, or damaged catalytic converter.

Suggest reviewing ericthecarguy, briansmoble1, and scottykilmer videos on this subject.

The Acura/Honda converters are good, so I would want to first be sure it wasn't something else before replacing.

good luck

[mjimport]

That's where I'm at, I know it's one of those causes but I don't have the scanner so my next step has to be fork over $50 or so for a diagnostic at the shop.

[scorro1]

Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts will run a diagnostic for free.

[mjimport]

^ that's how I got the code, but that doesn't show the real time data that will tell if its the cat that's failed.

[wiliswene]

Autozone or Advanced Auto Parts will run a diagnostic for free.

[mjimport]

So the CEL has cycled on and off at least 3 times in the last month. The car runs great. Has anyone else had this happen?

[t-bone]

This just happened on my 04 X. Oreillys let me clear the code a couple of times with their scanner, but it kept coming back on. Car ran fine, but milege was going down. Finally took it to local aamco and paid $100 to hve them hook it to their scanner, then they dropped my exhaust and did a visual on the front and rear precats. Rear cat on backside of motor was bad. $500 for them to replace it. Best price I found on acraoemparts.com was $320.
I did some research and decided to try the spark plug antifouler trick, as I was due for emissions and needed that cel off. The antifoulers remove the o2 sensor from the exhaust stream (but the o2 sensor must work...)
Worked like a charm! Been amonth now, no cel. But I still have a bad cat and gas mileage, so its definitely a temporary fix.
Don't know if your cats bad, but it was worth it to find for sure before I started tearijg the car apart!
Good luck

[t-bone]

Sorry for typos, on a tablet... just wanted to add that the scanners at auto part stores can only pull the generic code. My oreillys recommended the aamco cause they knew they had the real scanner, which is several thousand dollars. But is much more specific.

[proman]

Thanks for sharing. Good info.

Quick question, how do you know the rear cat is bad? From the visual inspection?

[mjimport]

Good info, I don't think the mileage has degraded yet, but its my wife's car so I'm sure she wouldn't notice either way.

I guess I'll just keep on trucking and check the cel code every now and then to see if its still the same fault.

[t-bone]

I gotta tell ya, when I dropped the "jpipe", I could look up into the BOTTOM of both cats, but they both looked the same to me... But by doing the antifouler trick to only the rear cat, the cel went off and has stayed off, telling me he was right. But ihave no idea what the tech looked at different than me.
Maybe from the top, but I doubt he took the cat off. But could have looked down the a/f sensor hole... That's probably where he looked. It is at the top of the cat.