I always pull my engine out to check the oil level

This works great. I did this 10 years ago and used the 90 angle adapters with it on a 2004 Golf. My coil pack keep cracking causing misfires causing permanent damage to my CAT. After 2 coil packs , you need OEM by the way, and 2 CAT pipes I did this.

Thank you for this video, I'm glad I know how to avoid accidentally doing this now to drive my old car in California, really saved me from that blunder

Works great. I already did this to my 2013 Subaru Outback with 305K miles. It's been almost a year now.

I literally just watched this out of curioslty. Keep up the videos! Very entertaining (and informative:). You'll do well at this.

Tried it and last Saturday (8/6/2023) my Smog PASSED!! Thank you!

I did this for a friend. On a Chevy pickup. Plenty of room. Had I known the there are O2 spacers, it would have saved me some time from drilling it out. Thanks for the info. Now my Cadillac has the the P420. It has less room, so I will look for the O2 spacer. This will save me about $1,200.00 + installation for just one. Catalytic converters are not sold in CA. Some stations don't do a thorough inspection. Thanks Mike.

Even if I don't or ever required to fix 02 sensors, you were quite entertaining. You remained classy and you know how to keep our attention on the matter. Well done. You're a cool dude.

I honestly didn't think this would work....but it did! Thanks my friend!

Awesome, just awesome!! Thanks for sharing this and I won’t be doing this. I’m so glad you showed us what we shouldn’t ever do

You deserve a subscription! Not just a thumbs-up. You are an artist & I like the way you act! Well-done

thank you so much. it works. passed the inspection!!

I did the same trick about 10 years ago. I found it on the Mitsubishi Lancer forums. Using a spark plug fowler did the trick!

Freaking hilarious and incredibly helpful if you can "read between the lines"! Thank you for showing me with great detail what NOT to do! I "didn't" do what you recommended me 'not" do and it resolved my problem..

I used a spark plug extender in the down stream sensor and sprayed cleaner in the upstream o2 sensor hole and also ran laquer thinner. This was on a beater 200K plus 4 cylinder Camry with a patched up blown head gasket with K-seal. Scotty Kilmer has good info on this as well. Thanks for the video!

Thank you for this video. It was very helpful and successful.

Thanks Mike. Simple & correct fix to give people on a serious budget what they need done. I am certain this is what I will do now. I love how you mention pulling the engine lol. Gosh that stuff irritates me too. Thanks again.

this really does work, and this video has a lot of great advice, if you have a p0420 code try to clean the converter first, if that fails the spacer trick will work if your car is older than 2009, gm and other cars have a different code about oxygen sensor slow switching from lean to rich, starting in 2009, the spacer will cause this code sometimes, new sensors might help as they might be faster with the delay caused by the sensor being out of the exhaust stream

I did the same on a 01 Honda accord. Drove it with the spark plug fouler for another 100k before I sold it. No code and passed every check 👍 Eff Ca!!

Wow. The channel I was looking for. Subscribed!

Funny stuff. I am soooo glad you followed the emission laws. NOW I know what NEVER to do.

I did that sensor spacer to my 2014 Mustang back in 2014 when I straight piped it. It worked perfectly.

I love this shared experience, great video!!!

This trick has been well known. This is really only possible for downstream cats, not for air/fuel (upstream) sensors. This will many times help keep the code from coming back, but if the cat is actually clogged, it won't help with engine performance and other problems that come with a clogged cat.

Man, you keep making videos like this and ill watch all of them 😂

The extender worked for me for about a month then P0420 code came back.The nearest repair shop told me there was no law against replacing the cat with a straight pipe here in my corner of rural Canada! cheers from here!

Cataclean does work. My driver's side cat was clogged and had no power. About a little over a year is now back on. So here i am throwing another bottle to pass the emissions test 😁

All that information! And a smile as we follow your instructions (which we never, ever follow of course) 😍😍😍

I used CataClean on a 2010 Honda Odyssey by following the instructions and it worked for me.

As they say in the 'airline industry' there is "always" a workaround Thanks for the info. It is people like you that give the internet 'KZfaq' some actual value in life, keeping old 'clunkers' viably and still on the many roads and leafy byways in America. North America. Can't forget Canada now, can we?

Highly Entertaining ! Bravo!!

Keep your air filter clean which could lead to that P0420 again. I use 'Dura Lube Severe Catalytic and Exhaust Treatment Cleaner Fuel Additive' with under a 1/4 tank of fuel. An older vehicle you can start to feel / hear when it's time to dump a 1/2 a bottle before the light comes on again. Do a treatment months before you have to do an emission test.

Great fix... you sir just won my subscription...!!!!

I have twice added some spacers to the downstream sensors on different vehicles. Works absolutely wonderfully.

Informing and entertaining. Thanks!

Glad I watched. Great vid and commentary.

I swear I didn't follow your instructions and put this on my car. My car is not now passing inspection. And I am definitely not driving my car with this "fix". 😉🤭

You're the best been doing that trick for years because sometimes you put a after market cad on that code comes back in a month and there is nothing wrong with it God blessed you and your family have a blessed day today PS they should worry about the alcohol in the gasoline burning out the cads

Ngl I am in love with this channel even though I just watched two videos. Sir, Youre going a long way, I can assure you that !

That iPhone screen tool is soooooo nice! I loved how you put it at the bottom of the box to build up the tension and intrigue. At first I was, like, wah? Then, I was, like, "Daayammmm!"

Yhe technical content on this video was surprisingly interesting, and the lighting and camera angles were quite high quality. Fascinating that the mega corp Walmart is so brazen in their product marketing.

Haven't used this so many times that I have half a dozen assorted lengths on the shelf for the next car I buy that doesn't have this issue. BTW they do make 90° versions for limited clearance areas.

Good jo, I found the video illuminating and humorous!

Fantastic video. Excellent presentation. Exceptional content. Thank you.

We used to do this as common practice at a muffler shop i worked at. Keeps the warranty good . Meaning they never come back with that code again. Running mine 10 years now. Same cat..

Honestly for most Toyota cars with over 180k, might as well pull the engine if you need to. You can easily swap rear main seal and oil pan gasket before they become an issue, all while you drop in new cats. Longo Toyota was cheapest place I found for OEM cats.

Great video, I like your edits!! 👏

awesome video: dont stop , keep on keeping on by joe dirt

I honestly thought your channel was bigger until I saw your sub count. You are definitely killing it with the jokes. Keep it up!

Thanks, I like how you enjoy your own mistakes like I do. Unfortunately, you can't do that at a job because some people just don't get it. Just because we laugh at the mistakes we make doesn't mean we want to repeat them.

Very informative video. Thank you.

Thanks for showing me what I shouldn't do to pass emissions next year. I'm such a tree hugger and so worried about government emissions, I won't do that. I'll pay thousands to keep the dealer in business and save the environment.

Used to be called a sparkplug extension. Worked on an 03 straight piped kia spectra years ago. The 90° option worked better than the straight extension.

Mike. Howdy from Australia. I have a faulty TABBY, I did what you said, the Exhaust Police Seized him yesterday, is this a Normal Event?. Loved the presentation mate, really Funny and very informative.

Good information. Thanks.

Spark plug non fouler trick is as old as dirt but it does work well. The key is not to offset the secondary O2 too much so you get " secondary O2 sensor too slow " it has to be in the flow but not see the whole flow. Thanks to all cat thefts occuring around that is the only reasonable repair mode for older and worn out vehicles. Edit: For anyone wondering - my daughter catalytic converter was stolen along both O2 sensors right in front of the college dorm. I had to rent the trailer and haul the vehicle 250 miles home. I purchased a replacement cat (not oem) and sensors - it lasted 10 months before CEL - cat efficiency code was lit again . Yes my daughter is still in the same dorm 250 miles from home . Should I spend $1000 for an OEM cat that will be stolen again? I'll set up "go fund me page" for the ones that think I should do so 😂 - and finally fix it right...

You are funny and your story’s are entertaining. Thank you! I am subscribing for more fun and valuable story time!

Consider myself entertained sir... Many thanks...

I fixed my Catalytic in a 2006 Xtrail by using a higher octane fuel. In Australia the lowest octane fuel is 91 but I used a tank of 98 and after a around a quarter of a tank or so all good. This runs the Cat hotter. Sometimes it can just be a bad batch of "dirty" fuel.

I used the Scotty killer recommended Lacquer thinner when the tank was at about half a tank. Like you said after a while the check engine light went off and stayed off for a month and a half.(probably about 2000 miles).

I have done this it works. You can also go to radio shack if you can find one. Put a resistor in the downstream o2 sensor

Definitely the funniest mechanical trick video I've seen on KZfaq, especially when he goes to look for the precision tool in the iPhone repair drawer. But hey for the real mechanics as he says at the end... we had a good laugh and that's already good!😜😂👍

So many videos tell u to use spacers this is only one that explains why. Thank you

Your presentation was quite entertaining. And thank you for exposing another "fix" to look out for when buying a used car from a shady dealer or individual. Of course, if they removed the spacers afterward there would be no way to tell, other than the tailpipe carbon inspection.

So, you have turned all of us "shade-tree" mechanics into "backyard" mechanics. Works for me since I do not own a garage. I really appreciate the pace of your videos. I would have pulled the engine.

Good stuff!

Good video mate 👍👍👍

Awesome. I did the same thing to my Toyota Corolla, no more 420 codes. I'm glad that I finally looked up what a 420 code is. I thought I had to light up a doobie whenever the code was on.

"pull the engine" I guess it didn't happen. Dam it man you are funny. Behind all that humour you a good mechanic. Thanks for the plug spacer idea.

Good idea- thanks!

You are nice man! I wish I have more friends like you. You know...A friend indeed is a friend in need... Thanks a lot for this nice video. One in a million !..on KZfaq !!

For older Honda owners. If you have hesitation issues, have a look at the rubber intake boot just before the throttle body. If there is a rip or tear in the rubber, this will cause the Mass Air Flow sensor to get an incorrect air flow reading. This will cause varying degrees of engine performance issues. If there is a rip or tear, replace the boot. Chances are your performance issue will go away. Cost, about $20 CDN

If anyone is wondering will this work, the answer is most likely yes. This is especially helpful if you need a quick fix, of if your cat replacement will cost you thousands of dollars.

great video!

Excellent! You earned another subscriber 😊

I used a cleaner also....but a different brand....ANYWAY It started working fast!!....in less than 30 miles the temp gauge dropped back to normal. I dont think it will magically clean everything out but I'll probably use it once or twice a year and keep my car very drivable with no damage to anything probably another 100,000 miles at least.without having to spend alot of money 😁👍 After all, it is a magic Jeep...lol

Cataclean worked on my Mazda. Passed emissions w/ flying colors. Just hit 374K miles, no engine light.

Just stumbled onto your feed,...Love the "60's" Super Rat style graphics with your intro splash.

You're a funny guy, Mike! Just subbed! Keep up the good work!

I like this guy ,he has a good sense of humor. 👍

This won't require the pulling of the engine, or the Cad, but it will require replacing the O2 sensor while you have it out and unplugged. The chances that the Cad isn't so dirty after all, only the sensor being dirty and corroded enough to set off the dash light alarm is about 50/50 and probably worth it in the long run. Adding the O2 spacer will then only do a better job of keeping the sensor out of the dirty exhaust air a little longer, and this will very often get you down the road safely. Running the Cad Cleaner would still be advisable, along with a quart of Techron injector cleaner, get it all done at the same time and get to the emissions test that much quicker.

Brilliant man!

Awesomeness! Thanks.

Thank you to everyone for the support! To clarify a few things: I am a fan of clean air. I do NOT advocate removing the cat. Performance increase is reportedly in the neighborhood of 1HP. My working thesis is suggesting to (not!) do this on an old car where replacing the cats cost more than the car is worth. This will not work in states that do a visual inspection. Texas does not do a visual inspection. This will not work in states/counties that use a tailpipe probe. I'm surprised that is still done. No, this does not fix the cat. The cat is still bad and could get worse and affect the engine. But it *did* turn off the CEL. It doesn't always work, but in my estimation, it usually does. I have an idea on how to save the cat. Will post that in a few weeks.

полезное видео в развлекательном формате - отличная работа! спасибо! отдельное спасибо за внимание к деталям!

Great tips! I pulled the engine in mine, made the job much easier.

Thanks for sharing. - take care

I soldered a resister and capacitor near the plug that also fixed the problem and wouldn't be noticed on an inspection.

just about spat my coffee out laughing when he pulled out the iphone tooling :)

Can’t wait to try this!!!

Love your sense of humor!

Caution.....the Walmart O2 spacers SEEM to have a tapered/angle cut shoulder at the end of the threads near the body..... where it screws down onto the exhaust's bung.....but the bung surface is flat that normaly requires the attaching- piece to have a square-shoulder, to be used with a crush gasket. Will a tapered-cut-end thread work properly without leaking? Notice that the Dorman Help ! model 42009 has such a square shoulder with gasket...as is used by the OEM sensor.

Great idea. You just gotta hope that when you get your smog test that the tech doesn't go around and check all the sensors for that specific item like they do here in So Cal.

Thanks - you are very smart - sorry I have Diesel and all half years Problems - with the exhaust gases - without any Enginelight in the Display.

Appreciate you!

I have had really good luck for many years using G2P, Guaranteed to PASS. Seems to do a good job cleaning out converter and and clearing the DTC code.

In the UK you wouldn't get away with that sensor spacer / minimising readings trick. At the yearly MOT test in the UK, the car's emissions are tested with a calibrated gas analyser. What your car thinks is happening is irrelevant, the gas analyser makes it's own HC and CO readings and you pass or fail based on those readings of what's actually coming out of the car. Exhaust leaks are a fail too, of course. Interesting to see that Cataclean actually works to any degree, loved seeing Scotty Kilmer so many times in the scrolling of the internet BS 😀

Thank you!!

The Laughs you created for me are much appreciated!!

Cataclean works sometimes. But it doesn't clean out your converter. I actually disconnected the exhaust pipe in front of the converter and I could see the converter was full of a thick film of carbon.this has to be cleaned out.