My Check Engine Light is on. I have a small OBDII scanner and it is telling me the catalytic converter is bad. A friend of mine told me that a Subaru dealer can reset the parameters the computer thinks is bad for the cat. Thus the CEL will not come on. Anyone know what I am talking about or had it done or know anything of it?

Year?

 

Miles?

 

I've had pretty good success with the Sea Foam treatment for "catalytic performance below threshold" or whatever it's called.

 

Others here will tell you to try an O2 sensor or two first.

 

Do some searching.

More likely the front 02 sensor is bad. I would replace that first.

Funny you guys said that. When the problem first popped up I suggested a bad O2 sensor. A verbal arguement ensued with another member on here about my cat being bad.

 

Should I try some seafoam and the front O2 sensor?

 

2000 Outback Limited

around 120k miles.

The Sea Foam is cheap and easy (just makes TONS of white smoke).

 

Hey - it may even help clean the O2 sensor.

 

I've done this to several cars, then put about 1k or more on them before selling them waiting to have the CEL come back on and it never did. When or if it ever came back on I can't speak to. But for the price I've had tremendous success.

P0420/catalyst efficiency links:

http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/102006_09.pdf

http://www.catalyticconverter.org/news/news_page.cfm?Key=catalytic_converter-&News=120

http://www.import-car.com/Article/39019/Diagnostic.aspx

P0420/catalyst efficiency links:

http://www.motor.com/magazine/pdfs/102006_09.pdf

http://www.catalyticconverter.org/news/news_page.cfm?Key=catalytic_converter-&News=120

http://www.import-car.com/Article/39019/Diagnostic.aspx

 

Excellent reads on cats. Thanks OB99W.

Excellent reads on cats. Thanks OB99W.

You (and anyone else who finds the articles useful) are very welcome, Nick.

 

''OB99W -- scouring the Internet for Subaru information so you don't have to.''

''OB99W -- scouring the Internet for Subaru information so you don't have to.''

 

Now there's an understatement. I don't know how you find all of this stuff.

 

But I certainly appreciate the links. And I'd imagine others do as well.

damn...thanks.