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-   -   Codes: p0031, p0328, p0420 (https://x.nissanhelp.com/forums/frontier/18226-codes-p0031-p0328-p0420.html)

Apbrown 04-14-2011 12:35 AM

Codes: p0031, p0328, p0420
 
My SES light came on so I took it to a shop for it to be read and I found out I had 3 codes show: p0031-HO2S heater control circuit low(b1,s1), p0328-knock sensor 1 circuit high output, and p0420- catalyst effic below threshold b1. I have taken it to different shops to get ideas on what to do to fix it and I have received may different answers from just replace the knock sensor (which I found out to be fairly expensive to replace because of where it is located). To replace the catalytic converter to replace all o2 sensors. I am confused on what my plan of action to be any help would be greatly appreciated. I am beginning to hate having that SES light on and my loss of power and low mpg.

Waitingtundra 04-14-2011 04:33 PM

All right now your throwing codes, I''ll give you my opinion of what to do.
You've already talked to a bunch of mechanics and there itchin to lighten your wallet, let's see if we can screw em out of there money.
1. Go buy a cheap code reader that can read and clear codes, walmart, autozone whatever, whereever 50$ or so harbor freight maybe 30$'s. You can't do nuthen yourself without the code reader, been that way for awhile it's just catching up to you. When the check engine lite is on you are in limp mode, loss of power bad mpg. Clear the codes and lets see if/when and how many codes come back up. Once we find that out we can start trying to figure out your problem.

I could guess and say you got this or that wrong, o2 sensor maybe, but who knows did you put any additives in it before the light came on?, do any work on the truck? get bad gas? Run threw heavy water?

Don't go panic just get the code reader , clear the codes and see what comes up.

Apbrown 04-14-2011 04:50 PM

I have cleared the codes before and these 3 are the ones that keep coming up. They normally show up after about 50 miles of driving. I have not done any work on it at all but I have been using bad gas. It says to use high octane but I didnt believe believing that it's just a way for them to get more money. I am going to start using high octane fuel and see if that gets rid of the knock sensor code. Have you heard if doing that does truly ge rid of the code? And if that doesn't work I am considering doing the knock sensor relocation.

tech22 04-15-2011 05:49 AM

Go to the service manual at this site and find chapter EC. From there locate the codes and read them in order as the were retrived from the vhicles ECM. I think you will find that as you repair the codes as they appear from the ecm the end result will be a new cat on the right bank. The service manual will give detail steps for each code in detail and that will remove all the juess work. Good luck on your truck. PS.For your info the truck is not in limp mode.

Waitingtundra 04-15-2011 02:11 PM

Good info tech22 the service manual will help the regular DIY'er, course we have no consult 2 and may have a little trouble with the multi-meter, heck from what I've seen, many dealers seem to have there fair share of problems diagnosing some of these codes. I wuz covered up with 4 or 5 codes this site helped along with my Haynes manual and plenty other sites. So far no codes for a good while, and no money, other than a little maintaince, new vacum lines and clean filters. Course if I wuz Apbrown I'd definetely be checking that cat on the right bank, hmmmm cut the right cat out and run a straight pipe just to see how she runs?

tech22 04-15-2011 05:57 PM

Not good as the ecm want's to see correct values from both 02 sensors front and rear.You can cheat alittle with a dummy 02 sensor but your gas mileage will go out the window and the check engine lite may still come on. Also the manual it written so that you can use a gst.

Apbrown 04-15-2011 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tech22 (Post 65423)
Go to the service manual at this site and find chapter EC. From there locate the codes and read them in order as the were retrived from the vhicles ECM. I think you will find that as you repair the codes as they appear from the ecm the end result will be a new cat on the right bank. The service manual will give detail steps for each code in detail and that will remove all the juess work. Good luck on your truck. PS.For your info the truck is not in limp mode.

See I don't think it is the cat because I took it to a muffler shop and they flow tested all my cats and said they all flowed fine and seemed to be working properly

Waitingtundra 04-15-2011 07:38 PM

There are code readers that have diagnostic capabilities, in fact when I bought my code reader I sprung and bought one that actualy has this ability. Actron 9180 at auto zone, in fact it does all kinds of junk that I still haven't figured out. It could be your o2 sensor but the again if your engine is running poorly this can throw codes, that's why if your behind on basic maintanene that may be the cheapest and easiest way to fix a code. Start with the cheapest easies fixes first, before letting a mechanic shop go crazy. JMHO

Waitingtundra 04-15-2011 08:03 PM

My particular situation, yep the fuel filter needed changing, the air filter was filthy, my weak azz battery needed changing and when I changed the PCV valve the engine really came to life, I pulled and cleaned the egr valve, which was filthy and changed out some suspect vacum lines, also cleaned the ports by removing some allen screws on the intake and wouldn't ya know no more codes. Oh yea I did buy the 150$ actron code reader(but could have just as easy got by with a 30$ one from harbor freight). Oh yra I cleaned my MAS Air flow sensor and haven't thrown a code in a long time, it's almost a hobbie with me, I've cleared and helped diagnoise dozens of cheack engine lights from different co-workers, it's a real hoot. The thang to remeber is for example your po328 code, yea your knock sensor may be bad, but then again, for example if you got crappy fuel and your engine is stumbiling you may also be getting a knock sensor code, your problem is to find out why the code is being thrown in the first place andfor a DIY'er sometimes the easiest and cheapist way to do this is to check and eliminate the easiest possibilities first, then and only then do I let a shop take a crack at it. It's amazing how many times it works out and clearing codes after trying a few steps it gives you an idea if your closer to clearing the code for good just my junk yard shade tree humble azz opinion

Apbrown 04-22-2011 09:34 AM

Well I changed to good fuel and all codes went away except the p0420 cat code bank one, so what do you think?


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