I have benn getting code P0433 (Heated Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold) (Bank 2). Anyone know what this means? A bad cat maybe?
P0430 - Catalyst ³ Indicates Bank 2 ³ ù Use of leaded fuel ³ Compare HO2S upstream ³
³ System Efficiency ³ catalyst system ³ ù Damaged HO2S ³ and downstream switch ³
³ Below Threshold (Bank ³ efficiency is below ³ ù Malfunctioning ECT ³ rate and amplitude. ³
³ 2) ³ the acceptable ³ ù High fuel pressure ³ Under normal closed ³
³ ³ threshold. ³ ù Damaged exhaust ³ loop fuel conditions, ³
³ ³ ³ manifold ³ high efficiency ³
³ ³ ³ ù Damaged catalytic ³ catalysts have oxygen ³
³ ³ ³ converter ³ storage which makes ³
³ ³ ³ ù Oil contamination ³ the switching ³
³ ³ ³ ù Cylinder misfiring ³ frequency of the ³
³ ³ ³ ù Downstream HO2S ³ downstream HO2S very ³
³ ³ ³ wires improperly ³ slow and reduces the ³
³ ³ ³ connected ³ amplitude of those ³
³ ³ ³ ù Damaged exhaust ³ switches as compared ³
³ ³ ³ system pipe ³ to the upstream HO2S. ³
³ ³ ³ ù Damaged ler ³ As catalyst efficiency ³
³ ³ ³ /tailpipe assembly ³ deteriorates, its ³
³ ³ ³ ù Retarded spark ³ ability to store ³
³ ³ ³ timing ³ oxygen declines and ³
³ ³ ³ ³ the downstream HO2S ³
³ ³ ³ ³ signal begins to ³
³ ³ ³ ³ switch more rapidly ³
³ ³ ³ ³ with increase ³
³ ³ ³ ³ amplitude, approaching ³
³ ³ ³ ³ the switching rate and ³
³ ³ ³ ³ amplitude of the ³
³ ³ ³ ³ upstream HO2S. Once ³
³ ³ ³ ³ beyond an acceptable ³
³ ³ ³ ³ limit the DTC is set. ³
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From the 2001 Ford shop manual:
No P0433 In the manual but P0430 seems pretty close.
P0430-Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold ( Bank 2)
Use of unleaded fuel
Damaged H02s
Malfunctioning ECT
High fuel pressure
Damaged exhaust manifold
Damaged catalytic converter
Oil contamination
Cylinder misfiring
Downstream H02s wires improperly connected
Damaged exhaust system pipe
Damaged ler/tailpipe assembly
Retarded spark timing
Or that pesky O2 sensor is out of whack and telling you wrong. Heated Catalyst that is the heater circuit in the O2 sensor that heats it up so it give more accurate readings faster. So I would say that it isn't getting heated up quick enough and the readings from it are out of whack with what the ECU expects. Bank 2 just tells you witch side of the of the motor to look on. If it told you something like sensor 1 or 2 then it tells you front sensor 1 and rear sensor 2. Not saying that it couldn't be the cat.
What vehicle is this?
It's my 94 bird, since I got the code driveability hasn't been affected or anything neither has my mpg's, I just don't want it to lead to a bigger problem down the road
Clear the code and take the car for a nice drive on the highway/interstate for about 20 miles....See if it comes back.
O2 codes will pop up and on occasion when you clear them they won't come back. This is especially true when the code comes after long periods of idling and low speed driving in traffic.
I would be willing to bet that you made a miscalculation somewhere and you actually have a different code: a P1443, which is a very common code with MN12s.
Double-check to confirm this, and if I'm right, you need to yank out the passenger side wheel well liner and replace the rotten rubber hoses that go from the frame rail to the charcoal canister and/or fuel evap sensor (I forgot which one is first). You may or may not need to replace the rubber couplers leading up to your intake; you will have to inspect those.
Once you do that, clear the code and start driving the car normally. If the code reappears, then you have to replace either the fuel evap sensor, fuel evap solenoid, or both. Driving with this code shouldn't hurt anything. It's just a result of py Ford vacuum hoses and the fuel evaporation system.
Of course, don't do any of these things until you've confirmed what code it is. If it is an issue with your cats... well... good luck with that.
Thats what I've been doing for a little while, it would throw a code (it was always something to do with the egr) and I would erase it and wouldn't see it for a week or two. I tried that with this, but it comes on instantly on the first startup after I erase it.
I beleive you are right. I re-checked the code after reading your post, I get P0443 (Evaporative Emission Control System Purge Control Valve Circuit)
Bingo. Time to inspect those hoses and let us know what happens.
Sounds like fun. Thanks for the post, would've never double checked it.