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Catalytic converter replacement for GT3

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Old 01-14-2017, 07:15 PM
  #16  
Spyerx
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We tried to do that on the 997 using the PIWIS (it's called short test) but there were 2 that would not set and had to drive the car for a week. Finally set.
Old 01-14-2017, 07:46 PM
  #17  
cgfen
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Originally Posted by black04
Hmmm. Are you saying that 1) disconnecting the battery erases the codes but 2) there is some other code that informs the tester that the codes have recently been erased??

I did the battery disconnect here in Los Angeles last year for a different car with check engine light and bad converter and it worked.

That would be good to know if I decide to register my GT3. Thanks.
Disconnecting the battery, typically erases the readiness monitor codes.
Readiness codes are "set" after a period of time spent driving either on the road or dyno.
The feds are smart enough to know that a person can often clear a check engine light by battery disconnect, so they gettya via readiness monitors.
Old 01-15-2017, 01:14 PM
  #18  
GT3SanDiego
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Originally Posted by Spyerx
If the error is the cat efficiency error swap the post cat o2 sensors left right and see if the error follows the change. Assuming you are getting error in only 1 bank.
If this hasn't been done this is always first step. $150 for a sensor vs a lot for a cat.
Thanks! I will give this a try. Do you know of a DIY link that shows how to do this?
Old 01-16-2017, 06:08 AM
  #19  
KONWAKR
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I had the same situation on my '07 GT3. It was verified by the local dealer that the problem was the catalytic converter and not the O2 sensors. Whenever I drove the car on the street the code would come up but never on the track. I did some research and found that extending the oxygen sensor away from the exhaust stream worked most of the time but not always. The parts are very inexpensive so I decided to give it a try. I installed the parts about 9 months ago and the code has not come back since. Here is the link to the parts on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Blox-Racing-B...ds=blox+racing
Easy to install and they are not easy to spot as they are aft of the cats and on top of the exhaust. Cheap fix!

Last edited by KONWAKR; 01-17-2017 at 02:00 AM.
Old 01-20-2017, 06:59 PM
  #20  
GT3SanDiego
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Originally Posted by KONWAKR
I had the same situation on my '07 GT3. It was verified by the local dealer that the problem was the catalytic converter and not the O2 sensors. Whenever I drove the car on the street the code would come up but never on the track. I did some research and found that extending the oxygen sensor away from the exhaust stream worked most of the time but not always. The parts are very inexpensive so I decided to give it a try. I installed the parts about 9 months ago and the code has not come back since. Here is the link to the parts on Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Blox-Racing-B...ds=blox+racing
Easy to install and they are not easy to spot as they are aft of the cats and on top of the exhaust. Cheap fix!
Thanks, I will try this first and see how it goes.
Old 02-04-2017, 08:37 PM
  #21  
GT3SanDiego
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Originally Posted by GT3SanDiego
Thanks, I will try this first and see how it goes.
I tried extending the O2 sensor away using the extension part and it did not work. It actually made things worse since I cannot get the Catalytic converter codes to come back up after driving and I now have two new codes appearing: P0036 and P0141. These codes are related to the O2 heater circuit and may be due to the O2 sensor wires having been twisted too much or otherwise damaged while I was installing the extension piece. This was also not easy to install due to the difficulty in reaching the sensor.

Looks like I am going to be out over $2 grand for a new catalytic converter unless someone else has any ideas.
Old 04-03-2017, 05:57 PM
  #22  
GT3SanDiego
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After replacing the O2 sensor and then having two different Porsche mechanics diagnose the problem as definitely a bad catalytic converter, I finally bought a brand new Porsche OEM cat and installed it myself.

After erasing the codes, I put the car through 2 drive cycles and was not able to reset the cat code. I did one more drive cycle and it came back with same P0430 Catalytic converter insufficiency code as before!!

This is nuts!! Has anyone ever seen anything like this?? I'm about ready to register the car out of state and be done with it.
Old 04-04-2017, 03:53 AM
  #23  
andrew2008
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Are you sure you changed the right cat? I think the P4030 code is
for header bank 2, which is the passenger side.
Old 04-04-2017, 12:45 PM
  #24  
Macster
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Originally Posted by GT3SanDiego
After replacing the O2 sensor and then having two different Porsche mechanics diagnose the problem as definitely a bad catalytic converter, I finally bought a brand new Porsche OEM cat and installed it myself.

After erasing the codes, I put the car through 2 drive cycles and was not able to reset the cat code. I did one more drive cycle and it came back with same P0430 Catalytic converter insufficiency code as before!!

This is nuts!! Has anyone ever seen anything like this?? I'm about ready to register the car out of state and be done with it.
Been down this P0430 road before.

If the P0430 (or P0420) code is accompanied by any aging OS sensor error codes replace the indicated sensors clear the codes and road test the car. If the P0430 (or P0420) code comes back replace the indicated converter.

You replaced the converter and I assume have bolted it in correctly?

Andrew2008 brings up a good point about if you changed the right converter. In the case of my Boxster I had the error code the factory manual with the OBD2 reference which confirmed the converter associated with the error. Additionally the converter was noisy (knocking when cold, buzzing when hot) and the tech also confirmed which converter was the "bad" one.

I bought a pair of used exhaust manifolds but not before shaking them both to ensure the converter bricks were intact and secure in the manifold and had the tech replace both the bad one and the other side which had never manifested any signs of a problems.

In your case you want to be sure you replaced the right converter.

If you did not then you will have to order and install the right converter.

If this proves to be the case do not be too hard on yourself. I actually think it is to your advantage and the engine's benefit if you end up replacing both converters at the same time. The other side is original but has suffered some degradation so with both converters new both banks get the benefit of a new converter which means fueling of the banks will likely be closer to the same.

This is why even though only one converter in my Boxster was bad I had both replaced. The two used converters had way fewer miles on them than the factory ones on my car and both while used had covered the same miles so their performance would be quite similar and the engine's fueling more balanced/equal.
Old 04-04-2017, 01:29 PM
  #25  
GT3SanDiego
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Everything I have read indicates that P0430 code for bank 2 is on the drivers side for the 911.
Old 04-04-2017, 08:13 PM
  #26  
rebrewer
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Bank 2 is passenger side.
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Old 04-04-2017, 08:17 PM
  #27  
rebrewer
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You might consider this: http://www.carnewal.com/products/P96...nge-Sport-Cats
Old 04-04-2017, 08:50 PM
  #28  
GT3SanDiego
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Originally Posted by rebrewer
Bank 2 is passenger side.
Yup, I screwed up on this one. I went back and looked back at all the forum info I had used and realized they all were referring to the Boxster engine which is reversed from the 911.

It's not all bad, I had been thinking of replacing both anyway and by doing it myself it is still cheaper to replace both then paying a Porsche dealer to replace just one.
Old 04-05-2017, 09:45 AM
  #29  
tgavem
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If you are tracking the car, need to get high flow CAT's. OEM will melt and fail again, or worse, stop exhaust flow and damage the engine.
Old 04-05-2017, 12:46 PM
  #30  
GT3SanDiego
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Originally Posted by tgavem
If you are tracking the car, need to get high flow CAT's. OEM will melt and fail again, or worse, stop exhaust flow and damage the engine.
I would like to get high flow cats since I still do some track although mostly just autocross now. However, I still need to have it pass CA emissions which could be difficult.


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