Catalytic Converter

[Bourne2Ride]

My car won't pass texas emission inspection because of "P0430 Catalyst system efficiency below threshold (Bank2)" error. I've been told by the people who did the test that it needs a new catalytic converter and I was quoted a $700 price tag for parts and labor.

Does that sound right? I've done some research on auto parts websites, after entering my vehicle information, and the prices for them go from $80 all the way to $400. Are there different parts to the Catalytic Converter?

I'm just trying to find a cheaper way to get my car to pass the emission test.

It's a '97 Mercury Mountaineer 2 wheel drive 8 cylinders 5.0 L.

Any help would be very very appreciated.

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by Bourne2Ride

My car won't pass texas emission inspection because of "P0430 Catalyst system efficiency below threshold (Bank2)" error. I've been told by the people who did the test that it needs a new catalytic converter and I was quoted a $700 price tag for parts and labor.

Does that sound right? I've done some research on auto parts websites, after entering my vehicle information, and the prices for them go from $80 all the way to $400. Are there different parts to the Catalytic Converter?

I'm just trying to find a cheaper way to get my car to pass the emission test.

It's a '97 Mercury Mountaineer 2 wheel drive 8 cylinders 5.0 L.

Any help would be very very appreciated.

Code P0430 does not necesseraly mean the catalytic converter is bad.
I had the same code on my 98 windstar with the 3.0 engine & 200k miles, I bought a scanner for my laptop so I could watch how the 02 sensors worked and found that the upstream 02 sensor was old and lazy. I installled a new upstream sensor on bank 2 and have not seen the code in over 2 thousand miles. Worth a try to watch the sensors to see how they react.

How many miles on vehicle??

[Bourne2Ride]

177,000 miles.

I honestly don't know much about that part of the vehicle, but what you're saying make sense based on some research I just did. I will have another mechanic check that out.

But in case it does turn out that I need to change the converter, is there a cheaper way around it?

[tempfixit]

Originally Posted by Bourne2Ride

177,000 miles.

I honestly don't know much about that part of the vehicle, but what you're saying make sense based on some research I just did. I will have another mechanic check that out.

But in case it does turn out that I need to change the converter, is there a cheaper way around it?

Check into the universal fit converter at oreilys and see if you can have a muffler shop install it for you, and keep the old one and sell it your self to help cover the cost of new one. Check ebay also.