My Jeep threw a P0430 code and failed emissions testing because of it. Dealer says the catalytic converter needs to be replaced and it will cost around $1K.

My Jeep has 196,000 miles on it. I don't want to throw $1K at it just to pass a stupid emissions test, so I'm looking for options.

Googling around, I found a (non-jeep specific) $2 fix that involves soldering a resistor and a capacitor into the downstream O2 sensor circuit to make the computer think the cat is working. I know my way around electronic circuits, and this seems to make sense to me - the idea is to smooth out the waveform in the downstream sensor so it doesn't track the upstream sensor, which tricks the computer into thinking the gas coming out of the cat is different from the gas going in. The capacitor will smooth out the waveform, and the resistor acts as a voltage divider to lower the signal coming from the O2 sensor (so it shows a nice steady level of O2 that is lower than the average level detected by the upstream sensor), so it makes sense to me that this should work.

I just want to know if anyone has tried this yet on a JK (07-11 with the 3.8). As I understand it, some computers are smarter than others, and so are more difficult to fool - I just want to know how smart ours is, and if this has any chance of working before I get under there and start soldering.

Oh, and just to be clear: Yes, I know this means my Jeep will be spewing CO into the atmosphere. It's not that I don't care about the environment, it's just that I don't have $1K to spend right now on a new cat for a Jeep that's probably near the end of it's life anyway... just trying to keep it on the road (and off ) as long as I can.

 

This happened once to me as well for emissions.

Same code 0430. I literally undid the negative, reinstalled, cleared the code via programmer and took it to another emissions booth and passed. Code never came back up, but have to do emissions again next year.

Personally watching those nimrods drop gears in my jeep makes me want to strangle someone.

 

Well, the capacitor trick didn't work, but here's what I did instead:

I disconnected the left downstream O2 sensor and ran a wire from the right downstream sensor in its place. The cat on the right side is still working, so this way the computer gets the same signal from both sides and thinks both cats are still working. I the P0430 code went away and didn't come back, and my Jeep passed emissions. This will work until the other cat goes, then I'll need to do something else. By then it will have close to 250K on it...

Just posting this in case anyone else is in the same boat. I know I should get the cat replaced, but...200K miles. The less I spend on it now, the more toys I'll be able to get for the next one...

 

The internet appears to be 50-50 on which side is Bank 1 and Bank 2 for the O2 sensors on a 2016 Wrangler Sport. I know bank 2 is the 2-4-6 cylinder side, but I have no idea how to figure that our either. Any help is most appreciated!

 

1-3-5 is passenger side, 2-4-6 is driver's side.

**to be clear, referring to a '16 3.6L**

 

Just get an aftermarket cat for normal running and install the old one gutted out when it comes to smog testing. Understand you need CARB type CATs as aftermarkets don't cut it there. That way you are doing your part environmentally. The other beauty about CATs is they get rod of the exhaust stink when one is slow wheeling.

 

Thank you resharp001!

 

Here's my story. '12 JKUR. A couple of years ago, I filled up at an ARCO station, which is supposed to be top-tier gas. About 15 miles down the road, the CEL comes on. I stop at an auto parts store and borrow their OBD reader and get the P0430 and P0158 codes; bank 2 cat and O2 sensor. Take it into the dealer and the printed report that I get back is that they ran some analytics and that both cats are "empty on both sides". They give me a number of a technical bulletin that supposedly says replace both cats and all O2 sensors, to the tune of $3600. Wasn't ready to swallow that pill. Did a bit of on-line searching and the number of the technical bulletin has nothing to do with my issue. Then I read about a product called Cataclean. 2 bottles ($50) later, CEL goes out and stays out. Had it happen one more time, again just after buying some gas. Again, Cataclean did the trick. Haven't had a code in the past year. So, if the analytics told them that both catalytic converters are "empty", how is it that I haven't had a code in over a year?
Not saying this will help others, but the $50 fix worked for me...