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2011 Crown Vic here with 305k miles, and today my engine light comes on. Scan at the local Advanced comes up with 4 codes on the cat converter. Guy says I need to get something called Cataclean and run it through the gas tank to correct the problem.


Is it worth doing this...will it make the engine run better or get better gas mileage?


Should I use Cataclean or some other product to get this done?

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Sounds like pure snake oil. 

Cats themselves will only set P0420 and  P0430. As long as you drove it with the misfire, the cats are most likely toast, but knowing what the other two codes were would help in that diagnosis. Spark plug defoulers installed on the post cat O2s or "mil eliminators" are the only cheap, *non emissions compliant* way to keep the check engine lamp off.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks for the input yall.  Sorry it took so long to get back. The check engine light went off but it came back on yesterday so I got the codes read again. Guy's machine read 4 codes but said they were all the same code...P0430.

I'd like to hear more about these O2 sensor extensions.  Not sure what these are or what they would do.

Not sure what spark pluyg defoulers are either.  Could you explain more please?

I'm game for the lacquer thinner option I've been hearing about. I see low voc lacquer thinner for sale. Wonder if it matters which version you use?

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The "mil eliminator" or "extensions" go in the wiring at the catalyst monitor sensors. They are a capacitor and a resistor that fool the PCM into thinking that the cat is functional.

Spark plug defoulers do the same thing but mechanically. The catalyst monitor sensor is removed, they are screwed in, and the sensor screwed back into the defouler. This moves the sensor out of the exhaust stream and makes a small eddy of exhaust near the sensor which will also fool the PCM. 

Neither are emissions legal.  

How is lacquer thinner gonna do anything to fix a damaged cat? 

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5 hours ago, bradleyheathhays said:

I'm not really sure.  I've been told to run a gallon of lacquer thinner through with a full tank of gas.  It's hit or miss I think. 

Old time shade tree mechanic at a used car lot trick....doesn't work in most cases but will make the exhaust smell different which is why "they" think it works.

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