Toyota Tacoma running rough

[Spork]

So revisiting my problems with my truck, It's been running really bad the last little while, seems to be missing and cutting out. I've replaced my plugs, one of the coils, fuel filter. I hooked a timing light up to it and all 4 cyl are firing. Tonight on a guess I thought maybe my Catalytic converter might be plugged, so I pulled out the front O2 sensor and it seemed to run a lot better until I got it up to temperature and then it started to cut out again at higher RPMs. So before I shell out the $ for a new cat I thought I better ask the forum. Could it have had a conflict because the front O2 sensor wasn't where it was supposed to be and was leaning the fuel mixture out to compensate or trying to push exhaust through the small O2 sensor hole and still too constricted so it cuts out? Am I correct in guessing it's a plugged cat? if not what else could it be and how would I diagnose it? (fuel injector, stuck valve, etc?)

I have had p0420 codes in the past and most recently a P0302 code. (haven't taken it in to rescan to see if it's more than one cylinder). The codes were prior to any of the work I have done.

Truck is a 1997 Tacoma with the 2.7L.

 

[Woodenspooner]

If it ends up being the cat, I don't know how good they are but I bought a new cat on www.summitracing.com for around $60. My truck passed emissions with it but like I said, I don't know why they would be so cheap.

 

[Spork]

From what I'm seeing if I want a direct fix cat then it's about $150 for the Magnaflow 23882. :-\

 

[lewis]

Hollow it out and put on an 02 simulator from URD, That's what I did er a guy I know did. Not sure if they sell one for the 4cyl but all you need to do is find where the 02 wire goes into the computer, um that's what my buddy told me anyways.

 

[Spork]

Looks like the simulator is within $50 of a new cat. :-\ I need to pass emissions/safety still so I'm not sure how that would change things.

 

[lewis]

Mine still passes just fine. It conditions the signal from the last 02 sensor to tell the computer that the cat is ok. I would start with hollowing out the cat and see if it runs better. Than you can decide what route you want to take. Does it have 2 cats like the 3.4?

 

[Spork]

Mine still passes just fine. It conditions the signal from the last 02 sensor to tell the computer that the cat is ok. I would start with hollowing out the cat and see if it runs better. Than you can decide what route you want to take. Does it have 2 cats like the 3.4?

Just a single cat. I'm going to try hollowing it out, at this point it's worth a shot. Now if I could just get the rusted bolts off... (or do I just cut them off and replace them?) :greg:

 

[Corban_White]

Definitely cut/break them off.

 

[lewis]

Save the inside guts as I have heard that cascade refining will give you $$ for them. I still need to take mine by.

 

[YOUKNOW]

This is funny, I just went over this topic in chemistry class today. There are a lot of precious metals in the catalytic converter (i.e. palladium, platinum, and rhodium) so yeah, you should be able to get some cash from it. As well my teacher mentioned that if you had ran leaded gas that it would ruin the catalytic converter. Just thought I would chime in.