P0420 code: any suggestions?

The dreaded 'check engine' light on my 1997 Civic hatchback came on
Friday night. FInally got a hold of a code reader and it's reporting
P0420. There were no other codes. Looks like the cat is past due...

I am in Canada and am wondering if this is under the extended emissions
warranty. I ask because the last time the 'check engine' light came on,
it was P0171 (system too lean). I replaced the oxygen sensor at a local
dealership. My wallet and I were surprised it didn't qualify for the
warranty. Supposedly only a cracked exhaust manifold would qualify...

Anyhow, I'll be contacting both the dealer and Honda shortly. If it's
not covered, I'll be looking at getting a universal/OEM put in by an
amateur mechanic friend of mine. After Googling around, we'll be sure
to check if it isn't the other O2 sensor just before the cat.

Interestingly enough, we did not reset the code and on my way home it
went away... Any other suggestions? Heck, a link to this mysterious
extended warranty would be appreciated. Thanks!

--

That code is embedded in my brain as I had it on a `01 Maxima. It's a
catalyst effeciency error on bank 1. I had to "force" the dealership to
change the cat. They kept beating around the bush (it was under warranty.)
I had to show them that I knew what I was talking about after making 3
trips, having the ECU flashed twice. On the third trip, they wrote
up.."check which coil is bad."

All that to say, I had hooked up my 2 channel scope to the upstream and
downstream o2s and they were fine. The only thing left was the cat.

wrote:

> The dreaded 'check engine' light on my 1997 Civic hatchback came on
> Friday night. FInally got a hold of a code reader and it's reporting
> P0420. There were no other codes. Looks like the cat is past due...
>
> I am in Canada and am wondering if this is under the extended emissions
> warranty. I ask because the last time the 'check engine' light came on,
> it was P0171 (system too lean). I replaced the oxygen sensor at a local
> dealership. My wallet and I were surprised it didn't qualify for the
> warranty. Supposedly only a cracked exhaust manifold would qualify...
>
> Anyhow, I'll be contacting both the dealer and Honda shortly. If it's
> not covered, I'll be looking at getting a universal/OEM put in by an
> amateur mechanic friend of mine. After Googling around, we'll be sure
> to check if it isn't the other O2 sensor just before the cat.
>
> Interestingly enough, we did not reset the code and on my way home it
> went away... Any other suggestions? Heck, a link to this mysterious
> extended warranty would be appreciated. Thanks!
>

--
Give me Linux or give me ...uh..not Windoze.