Six Years and $4K Later, My P0420 CEL has Finally Gone Away

[Thirsty]

Sorry guys. Just saw that there were questions posted.

Kernal - My gas mileage went from 10.5 mpg to around 12 mpg and off the line acceleration is noticeably better. 3,000 miles now and no CEL.

burbuja96 - If you search on "P0420" on YouTube, there's a video that shows how to solder in your own custom resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit to the O2 sensor which has essentially the same effect as what the URD snap-in product does.

 

[burbuja96]

Sorry guys. Just saw that there were questions posted.

Kernal - My gas mileage went from 10.5 mpg to around 12 mpg and off the line acceleration is noticeably better. 3,000 miles now and no CEL.

burbuja96 - If you search on "P0420" on YouTube, there's a video that shows how to solder in your own custom resistor-capacitor (RC) circuit to the O2 sensor which has essentially the same effect as what the URD snap-in product does.

Followed the utube vid and now got code P0136...

Wonder if I should go your route. You still got no CEL right?

Cheers

 

[PDoyle]

Anybody have an update on the P0420 fix?

 

[Thirsty]

Happy to report that the CEL for the P0420 code has officially now been off for exactly one year now on my 80. URD is a godsend.

 

[bfeister]

Happy to report that the CEL for the P0420 code has officially now been off for exactly one year now on my 80. URD is a godsend.

Happy for you @Thirsty! I'm about to do the same and if you can imagine someone who has less than zero mechanical experience, that person probably has more experience than me.

Point being -- I know this is a ***shhh**** secret and all, but have they really succeeded at scrubbing all installation videos for the URD Rear 02 Sensor Calibrator.

Also, I'm a bit confused with the URD products, does the one simulator that covers everything or do I need to install a simulator for each of the 2 cats and 2 rear o2 sensors?

For reference, this is the product I bought and am about to install... a video walkthrough would be great since I'm in the "pre-beginner" phase of learning how to work on these trucks. Just bought my first 100 series LC (a 2005) and need to get this fixed to get through inspection.

URD Rear Sensor Simulator UNIVERSAL - Underdog Racing Development

 

[tripwire01]

Deleted...

 

[weejub]

Sometimes it's cheaper for us not so mechanical guys to take these frustrating CEL's to the dealer because whatever they charge to fix it the first time is all you have to pay till it's actually fixed.
Or actually any mechanic, but presumably the dealer should do it in fewer tries.

If you can find a Lexus dealer that isn't that busy - - I have had good luck. Only done it twice, but here is the strategy:

1. I take the issue in and then I basically tell them they are too expensive. I feel like that homeless guy that shows up in a fancy coffee shop - - they basically pay him off with free stuff to leave - - they just want that old Lexus out of there.
2. I think they have all these high-end techs that need work for their training. They took me in the back to showed me a leak one time. I walked by one of the new guys who just got through Lexus school - he had a transmission COMPLETELY apart and was going through it.
3. At Toyota - they don't fix the issue - they just replace stuff. Had a GX470 with the little seal out between the electric center diff lock and transfer case - so it was leaking a little oil. At Toyota - they want you to buy a rebuilt transfer case ($2.4K . .talked them down to $1.7K). At Lexus, they break the transfer case down, replace the seal and put it back together ($1.4K, talked them down to $650).

I don't think the Lexus dealers that are really busy do this, though - man I have seen some of the bills they produce . .people go in for an oil change and leave with a $500 bill *gulp*