My truck's CEL came on this morning while I was driving to work. Key dance says the code is P0432, the cat in the right exhaust pipe is below its normal output...Has anyone else had that code? Did a new cat fix it? My main question is how hard is it to replace the cat? I am at work now so can not go out and check the truck, but I did look at a few parts sites, I can buy just a cat for about $120.00 or I can buy the cat with the pipes going up to the exhaust donut and looks like it goes back to the muffler.. Costs about $300.00.

How has anyone else replaced their cats? I am not exactly thrilled about removing 13 year old exhaust flange bolts. Is it possible the downstream O2 is bad instead? Both of my upstream O2's have about 60,000 miles on them, both are NTK and I don't see how they could be bad this soon. Both downstream O2's are the original Mopars that came from the factory, truck has almost 162,000 miles now.

Any help/tips/advice is greatly appreciated on this. Is it possible to do DIY exhaust work at home like that or is it best left up to a muffler shop or garage? I would much rather fix it myself than take it to a shop. Thanks.

Jimmy

 

You say you have two downstream can you swap the O2's that may tell you if its the O2 sensor.

I would do a computer reset after the swap.

 

It could be due to the O2 sensors. The PCM compares the reading from the upstream and downstream sensors to measure the effectiveness of the cat.

 

Thanks Dan and 98. I am really hoping it's the O2's and not the cat. I am trying to research which scan tool to buy to test O2's. I do not have a code reader or scanner, have not really needed one until now, but it will probably come in handy as my truck gets older. I am all ears if anyone has suggestions on which scanner is the best.

Jimmy

 

I'm guessing you want to see the live data from the O2's.

Jimmy, with the mileage you have I wouldn't hesitate to change the downstream sensors. They don't last forever and don't always generate a code. All it is is a battery and they do get "slow" with age.

I wouldn't rule out a cat problem though.

 

I agree with above, new downstreams can't hurt, bad or not.

 

Everything I read here and elsewhere online says the cat may very well be OK and the O2 could be the problem. I guess O2's can fail more often than cats do, but regardless I am going to replace both downstream O2's first. I bought two new NTK's from Advance tonight, paid online, did two separate transactions with two different $30.00 discount codes and saved $60.00 on both new O2's. My total cost was about $112.00.

I will install both sensors tomorrow after work and see how it goes after that. I plan on leaving the CEL on, not resetting the PCM and see if it clears on its own. Then I should know for sure whether the O2 is/was the cause of the problem. The O2's are both very old now and need replacing anyway.

Thanks for your help and info on this, I do appreciate it very much.

Jimmy

 

Well it's not the O2 sensor. I replaced both O2's tonight. I changed my mind and cleared the code because I was anxious to see whether it would come back. Everything went fine with R&R'ing the O2's and I went for a test drive, only went about 3 miles and the CEL came back on while I was stopped at a red light. It's the same code, P0432 so the problem has to be the cat. If anyone has any ideas or tips I am all ears. I need to fix this problem as soon as I can and as cheap as I can but I need to learn more about it first.

Jimmy

 

Do you have 2 cats?

You should replace both at the same time or you may have problems

I know Magnaflow 49-state Semi-universal Catalytic Converter has a decent flowing cat at a good price but each Dakota is different V6 V8 so on.

http://www.jcwhitney.com/magnaflow-4...412y2001g139j1

Or http://www.theautopartsshop.com/cata.../wal93238.html

 

Thanks 98 but I don't see how I could cut the old cat out and I don't have a welder or know how to use one so I am probably looking at replacing both cats and the pipes between them. I have 2 cats and another part further back in the exhaust, I think it is some kind of resonator between the right cat and muffler. I can replace the whole setup, it looks like this:

http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/more...114&cc=1371877

It may not be an easy job to do by myself but it can't be that hard, either. I can do it if I can just get the exhaust flange bolts loose or somehow get in there and cut them out.

Jimmy