srgilbert

srgillbert,

it's a pain in the butt you swap the rears one

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To do this you need to pull the carpeting back by the console - correct?

Where did you get your Senors? I wonder there are different between dealers and OEM parts? I called Toyota dealer in Carson, CA. They quote me for $110 for each front one, and $120 for rears one. But Autozone quoted me for front @ $90 and $240 for rear. Kind of expensive!!!!!!

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Not sure if they still have them but I bought on line - Ebay for Densos - exact plug and play. I believe the fronts were around $75 each.

blake918,

Did you get your cats fix from the dealer?

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My car ended up fixing itself. A few days after the light came on, it went off after I put the car in second gear and went about 70mph. I guess there was something messing with the o2 sensors, and the high rpms blew it out. The cel hasn't come back.

I have a 95 with 113K and am pulling the P0420 and P0430 codes.  The car passes emissions with flying colors.  I'm thinking about using some Catco direct bolt on converters.  I believe they are $155 a piece on most of the internet sites.  If anyone has tried one let me know.

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A 420 and a 430 can also indicate bad o2 sensors not just cat problems. You should check your o2 sensors before replacing the cats. ;)

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I did replace both front sensors and no difference - I'm told that the rears rarely go out. I am also told that the 95 and 96 cats do not last that long - perhaps a generalization. I would swap the rears from bank 0 to 1 however that is a mightly painful exercise.

I have a 95 with 113K and am pulling the P0420 and P0430 codes. The car passes emissions with flying colors. I'm thinking about using some Catco direct bolt on converters. I believe they are $155 a piece on most of the internet sites. If anyone has tried one let me know.

Perhaps I can help. I had a 91 when the cone let loose. I stopped at J&J Speaker Repair and Reconing Service at 7006 W. DIversey in CHicago. The phone number is 773 889 3498. I thought that the speaker was a lost cause but they repaired it for me and it waws like new. The cost was nominal - perhaps $50. I believe they also ship UPS.

idle is just fine - it's just the p0136 and p0420 codes.

Well _ just passed emissions testing HC .014 grams, CO .013 grams. In my state they do not have a standard on CO2 or NOx however CO2 was 79,900 grams and NOx was .019 grams.

DOes anyone know if the ECM will set a check engine light with the CO2 or NOx levels as they are even though my state will not fail me?

This is quite the mystery. The car runs just fine.

I am getting P0420 and 0430 codes which points to the cat or the rear sensor on Bank 1. If it were an upstream leak I would think that the 1st ox sensor would pick it up. I replaced both front sensors already as that was a cheaper way to determine if those which fail first could be causing the problem. I'll take it to the smog test station saturday after deleting the check engine light and see what happens. If I pass I will be really stumped....

Is the light back on again? I guess I can just use electrical tape to hide that light but I'd like to figure out what is going on. Seems like CATCO is one of the lowest cost direct fit options out there. ABout $155 a piece and I believe its like replacing a headlight - mind of well replace them both as the failure interval should be relatively colse.

I believe this could also be ECU related as the car runs just fine. Oddly enough the State of Illinois send me a card to have the LS400 tested. I'm thinking about deleting the code through a scan tool and letting them test it. I would think if the car passes this is a ECU problem - your thoughts?

Which brand did you use? Did you notice any performance improvement as well?

I believe there are direct bolt on cats available. As an example they are currently on Ebay

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/LEXUS-NEW-C...sspagenameZWD1V

or http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/lexus-ls400...sspagenameZWD1V .

I know very little about cats but these appear to be direct bolt ups. Going to the dealer is really out of the question.

Does anyone have experience with either of these? I believe CATCO - another option is a major brand.

Thanks

quote=95LS400Bob,Aug 2 2005, 12:26 AM]

You just have to look at Summit or somewhere like that and match some measurements that it will physically fit. Then a muffler shop will probably have to weld on flanges. Also some muffler shops might sell a generic converter. You are right on the used deals. A frined in town with a muffler shop said he has to keep close tabs on old cats he takes off and has to accoutn for them with the EPA. Some outfit comes around and buys them from him that has EPA approval.

I've replaced the front oxygen sensors and I am still pulling codes for weak cat on bank 1 or failed rear sensor bank 1. I spoke with my Lexus mechanic buddy and he shared that the 95 LS400 cats were a problem so when one that fails it is not a surprise at 100K miles. I understand that used ones are not allowed by EPA so I am looking for an aftermatket alternative. Can anyone help me on this? I understand that there are brands called Catco, Magnaflow and Copy Cat out there. Any advice on this one?

Thanks - really tired of looking at that check engine light.

Looks like I have to replace at least one cat. Has anyone purchased an aftermarket cat and is so any probelms? If I get a p0430 which points to bank 1 can I get away with replacing just one cat? BTW I have replaced both front Oxygen sensors already.

Thanks

Oddly enough the drive side rear sensor was throwing out a code until the long highway run. Now it seems as though that problem has gone away and I'm left with the p0420. I do not understand how the cats work however it's odd that I could run 300 miles without the failure....Is anyone aware of a fueal additive that will cause no harm but might clear up the cat problem? I only have 106K on the LS.

I own a 1996 LS400 with 120K. I bought the car about 7 months ago with 113K (and a check-engine light). I have both P0420, and P0430 codes (both banks). I replaced the pre-cat oxygen sensors but the light didn't go away. I only use premium gas and the only long trip I had put on the car was Phoenix- Los Angeles- Phoenix. I still haven't checked the rear oxygen sensors which, I believe, requires the removal of floor carpet. I hope that those sensors are bad since I'd never buy the outrageously expensive cats.

Good luck with your car

Jacob

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An update on my saga - I continue to get a P0420 code weak bank 1 cat on my 95LS400. I've replaced the front oxygen sensors with Densos and the problem did not go away. I took the car on a 300 mile trip last week after the ECM reset and the light came back on after 250 miles. I reset the ECM once again and I managed to get another 300 miles antil I hit town driving and the light came back on again . Today I planned to flip the rear sensors as suggested to see if the code goes to P0430 which will point to the other cat however I could not figur out how the rear oxygen sensors are fed through the frame - they are held in place with grommets to the body and I cannot seam to trace the wire after that to find the connector. I checked with Lexus and the cat is roughly $900 which is not an option. I'm finding that used ones do not seem to be available through junk yards due to EPA ....

Any thoughts? ANyone with the same experience?

THANKS!

I would swap the rear 02 sensors. If the code sets up again..then I would have to say the cat might be the problem. But if you get a right bank code(P0 430)..then that would prove the rear 02 was bad. That is how I would do it before buying a cat.

I haven't been getting the P0 420 code anymore. But that is my plan if it happens again. I have pulled both my cats off and looked at them and they are not broken inside and look fine.

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I purcahsed a used one for under $150 on car-part.com which came with warranty. This ECU change made a dramatic improvement in my 95 LS.

hello, 95ls hows the progress on your ecm, any updates from the florida guy

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I called the Florida guy. They want $325 to reprogram my existing ECU. Since I'm not really driving it on long trips right now, and since I'm the only driver, I'm holding off for now. I'd really like to find a used one. If anyone has any leads on where to find one, that would be great. If I don't find anything after a month or so, I will probably send my ECU off to FLA for a vacation. However, I'm not really excited about being without a car for a couple of days, nor am I looking forward to spending $325 to upgrade an old part.

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I tried sealing my 91 and that was a big waste of time. If you plan on keeping the car just get a new one - don't even consider used.

It appears that most early LS's leak at this particular place.  Apparently, the pressure within the overflow tank gets high enough to cause the leak around the sensor but not high enough to open the pressure cap.

My 93 LS has leaked at this point for the entire 7 years I have owned it.

I think the fill lines are too high on the tank.  Lower the fill level (when cool) to about one inch above the bottom of the tank.  It may still leak, but probably not as much.

Obviously, the overflow tank is not large enough for the coolant expansion that occurs.

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Excellent idea - will do - thanks!

I would swap the rear 02 sensors. If the code sets up again..then I would have to say the cat might be the problem. But if you get a right bank code(P0 430)..then that would prove the rear 02 was bad. That is how I would do it before buying a cat.

I haven't been getting the P0 420 code anymore. But that is my plan if it happens again. I have pulled both my cats off and looked at them and they are not broken inside and look fine.

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I have replaced both front oxygen sensors and the P0420 code continues to come back on my 95 LS400 with 104K. I have erased this code multiple times but after 10 miles or so the check engine light comes back on. I understand it is rare to have the rear oxygen sensors fail and am surprised that the cat (bank 1) would go out at this mileage.

Does anyone have thoughts as to how to isolate this problem? I hate to throw a new cat on it.

If the fuse is good and there is still no power it is possible that you burned through a fusable link which is located on the back of the lighter receptacle. If you take an ohm meter you should be able to isolate it. I soldered a small wire across the link which is still backed up by the fuse and saved probably $150 at the dealer.

Good luck

I guess my first question is if you have used the correct number. You may want to revisit the thread to get that number. From what I remember I was unable to move the shock on its own. When the shock was mounted properly the hood was just the right weight to push it down. My replacement went smoothly -

THANKS - Happy Thanksgiving!

Let me ask as I'm afraid my question got lost in this thread. What is the correct orientation for the Mighty lift shock - in other words which end goes up?

Thanks!

I should of known better but I do not have the Autozone shocks in the same direction - one has the shock and one has it down. Can someone share which is the correct orientation? Obviously I have one on correctly.... The hood works fine but I would like to visually correct this.

Thanks