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Cataclean and EGR Clog Codes

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Technical Discussion' started by C-in-DC, Feb 21, 2023.

  1. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    Recently I used two bottles of cataclean because I kept getting codes p0401, p0402, p0403,p0420, and p0455. All the codes have since disappeared except p0403. The EGR cooler and valve are a month old. Would a simple cleaning knock this code off? What’s a more aggressive cleaning method on the cat? Would I destroy the cat by soaking it in mineral spirits and using a pressure washer to clean it out?

    p0455 might’ve came up because I used fuel injector cleaner and started using higher octane 89gas. Can a Prius only use regular unleaded 87?
     
  2. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    P0403 is an electrical problem in controlling the EGR valve. Check the connections made when the valve was replaced. Cleaning the insides would be beside the point for that code.
     
  3. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    So this is the unpin red and purple wire mistake I made when I was attempting to use the gen 4 EGR. Does anyone know the correct color pattern? Any suggestions on how to land properly?
     
  4. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    There's a "before swap" (read: correct ;)) photo showing the wire colors in this post, along with links to more about the pinout.

    If you're sure you have the right wires back in the right spots, make sure they're also undamaged and making actual contact where plugged in.
     
  5. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    Would an on/off test of the valve with a scan tool suffice to rule out the circuit works? Could a blown fuse give this code? Read voltage? Connectivity test?

    when I’ve read live stream the egr valve opens and closes periodically at highway speed. B1 and b2 of cat reading 100 degree temp diff.
     
  6. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    Getting p0441and p0455.

    I can control the EGR valve with my scan tool but p0403 is still coming up.
     
  7. ChapmanF

    ChapmanF Senior Member

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    Meant to post this last night and got distracted. I'd advise just going through the P0403 troubleshooting steps in the repair manual ... the code can indicate either open or short circuits detected according to voltages on any of EGR1, EGR2, EGR3, or EGR4, and the troubleshooting steps will have you check the relevant fuses and then proceed to check other things in a useful order, and it would be hard for me to say anything shorter that would be useful.

    The P0441 and P0455 are evap system codes. They won't be related to the P0403, you'll just have your chance later to track those down too.
     
  8. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    Today I’m getting p0401 and p0420. P0403 is gone and I’m confused.

    I sealed a hole that was in the air box and the check engine light didn’t come on for quite some time.
     
  9. AzusaPrius

    AzusaPrius Senior Member

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    Use another bottle of cataclean.

    I did not see you mention P0420 before and now after you used cataclean you have the code, that means it is working its way out.

    I can vouch for cataclean, I used it once to see if it would help with my P0420 code.

    Exactly 30 days later, the code went away but later came back on and then off and on.

    So its expensive but it works, my OEM cat was already damaged and I knew it but this actually helped.

    Get another bottle...
     
  10. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    I do food delivery so I’m driving mostly city miles. Every video I’ve seen had to do with driving a 200 mile highway speed round trip. I’m guessing that’s to accelerate the cataclean effect or is it a necessary condition for cleansing the cat?
     
  11. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    I love reading stories of miracle cures in a bottle.

    Cataclean's a blast from the past...The British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) looked into their claims back in 2008 or 2009 and found:

    The ASA considered that the claims of Cataclean were misleading.

    3. Upheld
    The expert considered that using a vehicle with a known and apparently unquantified problem was bad practice. The results showed that Cataclean had no beneficial effect on emissions. The expert noted the evidence did not repeat the decreases in emissions that were demonstrated in the infomercial. We considered that the claims were misleading.

    5. Upheld

    The expert advised that catalyst efficiency was established by analysing the exhaust gases entering and exiting the catalyst. He noted the submitted tests did not use that method. The expert advised that the product was extremely unlikely to survive the combustion process and reach the exhaust catalyst. We considered that the claim was misleading.

    Action
    We concluded that the infomercial breached rules 5.1 (Misleading advertising), 5.2.1 (Evidence), 5.4.4 (Testimonials) and 5.2.6 (Environmental claims) of the CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code and it must not be advertised again without adequate substantiation for each claim it made.

    Code:
    https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=40874#m832432
    Instead, fill your tank with good quality gas and drive the a** off the car on the highway for 20-30 miles
     
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  12. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    I don’t mind burning another 30 bucks for a bottle and then removing the cat to clean if it doesn’t work. Seems like no one has successfully cleaned one though.
     
  13. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    I don’t think driving on a blown head gasket for 90 minutes damaged my cat beyond reasonable repair. I don’t think the cataclean can fix the problem either at this point but I’ll burn the money nonetheless.
     
  14. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    Heh.
     

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  15. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    Cat temp monitoring. Idle to highway speed.
     

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  16. mr_guy_mann

    mr_guy_mann Senior Member

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    Those temperature numbers are engineering guesstimates based on A/F and O2 sensor heater current.

    You have the ThinkDiag. Do the "A/F rich-lean %" test under actuator tests. This will mimic the ECM's OSC cat test. (I haven't done this specifically on the ThinkDiag but it should work).

    Drive the car to get the engine and cat hot. Force the engine to stay running. On my Gen2 I set the parking brake, blip the gas to start the ICE and shift to neutral before it shuts off. (Don't leave it too long because the HV system won't charge).

    On the scantool start the test- then you want to select only the data for the A/F and O2 voltages. (record the following data however you can)
    Switch to +25% and let it run for 10-15 seconds. A/F should be near 2.0V and O2 near 1.0V. Switch to -12%. A/F should go to almost 4.0V immediately. The wait before the O2 drops to near 0V is a measure of the cat's OSC. A very good cat takes 9 seconds or more. I usually see P0420 at 2-3 seconds or less.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  17. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    These are the actuation tests on thinkdiag
     

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    #17 C-in-DC, Feb 24, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2023
  18. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    You appear to be describing the “control injection for a/f sensor” test. Is that correct?
     
  19. C-in-DC

    C-in-DC Member

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    I’m not getting an o2v reading. It says it’s not supported. I got a spare o2 sensor if it’s the one on the exhaust manifold. Swap it out?

    When I did the test I could only see the reading go up to close to 4.0v on the air fuel sensor voltage. I did screen recording but I can’t upload it since priuschat blocks mp4 files.
     
    #19 C-in-DC, Feb 25, 2023
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2023
  20. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    You can upload the video clip to:
    Code:
    https://imgur.com/upload
    Once it's uploaded, get the sharing link and post it in a comment here. It should be recognized automatically