Truck Maintenance

[QuarterMillionMan]

Good idea ua_guy, every Monday and about to leave home right now but won't have time today but I'll consider it. Not sure why I didn't think of it but I like that idea, thanks.

[ua_guy]

Dodge Journey 2.4L Flex Pipe Catalytic Converter 2009-2018 10H642231 | eBay
I wanted to buy this $103 new catalytic converter fits my vehicle but at the bottom it says not legal in California. Big gobmint says in California catalytic converters can only be bought from the dealers, hence a new catalytic converter from the dealer is $3500, a mark up of 350x's. I went to my local muffler shop and asked if they could get an after market catalytic converter and they said they have to get it from the dealer at the same quote of $3500 plus $500 labor for the same Pepboy's quote. My last resort is I scheduled a diagnostic for Tuesday at my dealer, hoping Pepboys got the diagnostic wrong and let's say the dealer says maybe just the O2 sensors need replacing but I'm not holding breath or maybe the dealer can replace it at a lower price than $4000. Or as a really really last resort driving to either Arizona or Las Vegas and seeing if they can get an after market and doing it at half the price. Leave it to big gobmint to create a monoply where only the dealer can sell new catalytic converters, sheesh.

That's a crappy law you guys have in CA but it was designed to crack down on cat theft. Like so many things, good intentions, bad execution. Auto recyclers have to keep very specific records of any they take in or sell, and it appears they've completely removed any aftermarket for the parts.

https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/new-california-laws-crack-down-catalytic-converter-thefts/

I'd totally go get it done in another state (needs to be a CARB compliant model converter, still, so you pass Smog). Or Mexico. Don't you spend a lot of time just over the border?

[disneysteve]

That's what I don't like about poison and sticky traps. A shovel blade or the heel of your shoe can be used to dispatch them in short order.

We had trouble with mice in my old office. We got the electric traps. Baited with peanut butter and they worked like a charm. Mouse went in and got zapped and was done. No muss, no fuss. We caught quite a few that way.

[myrdale]

Over 1 month of trying and I finally got one. It was rolling around on the floor from eating the Tomcat rat bait which smells like cotton candy. Used the gallon bleach bottle to crush its head. Still got more but was worth the $50 I spent in baits, traps, etc.

That's what I don't like about poison and sticky traps. A shovel blade or the heel of your shoe can be used to dispatch them in short order.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Over 1 month of trying and I finally got one. It was rolling around on the floor from eating the Tomcat rat bait which smells like cotton candy. Used the gallon bleach bottle to crush its head. Still got more but was worth the $50 I spent in baits, traps, etc.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Dodge Journey 2.4L Flex Pipe Catalytic Converter 2009-2018 10H642231 | eBay
I wanted to buy this $103 new catalytic converter fits my vehicle but at the bottom it says not legal in California. Big gobmint says in California catalytic converters can only be bought from the dealers, hence a new catalytic converter from the dealer is $3500, a mark up of 350x's. I went to my local muffler shop and asked if they could get an after market catalytic converter and they said they have to get it from the dealer at the same quote of $3500 plus $500 labor for the same Pepboy's quote. My last resort is I scheduled a diagnostic for Tuesday at my dealer, hoping Pepboys got the diagnostic wrong and let's say the dealer says maybe just the O2 sensors need replacing but I'm not holding breath or maybe the dealer can replace it at a lower price than $4000. Or as a really really last resort driving to either Arizona or Las Vegas and seeing if they can get an after market and doing it at half the price. Leave it to big gobmint to create a monoply where only the dealer can sell new catalytic converters, sheesh.

[kork13]

Engine light returned so I took it to Pepboys $100 for diagnostic testing, the problem is a defective catatytic converter $3385, plus an O2 sensor $114, plus labor, etc. I declined having to pay $4000. My next plan is to purchase one from Amazon or Ebay for an after-market new catalytic converter for $600 - $800, and take it to a muffler shop and pay $250 - $500 for labor and take my chances. Engine lights are a nightmare.

Just run yourself down to the shady part of town, there's probably some guys ripping them off other cars (for the metals/alloys within) that could probably sell you one on the cheap.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Engine light returned so I took it to Pepboys $100 for diagnostic testing, the problem is a defective catatytic converter $3385, plus an O2 sensor $114, plus labor, etc. I declined having to pay $4000. My next plan is to purchase one from Amazon or Ebay for an after-market new catalytic converter for $600 - $800, and take it to a muffler shop and pay $250 - $500 for labor and take my chances. Engine lights are a nightmare.

[myrdale]

With traps, make sure you place them along walls and in corners. My general understanding is mice do not see very well and will frequently run along the edge of a wall vs running across a room.

Peanut butter is where it is at for bait.

I've only used Victor traps, but the ones you have there should work just as well.

I don't put any stock in repellents.

[QuarterMillionMan]

More D-Con bait $9.99, emptied entire bag in crevice, Tomcat attractant $7.37 added to the Victor traps with Cheetos tied down with bread ties, will use the Tomcat aerosol repellant $12.97 as a last resort with a plyboard 1" x 3" x 24" with the wood screws to close off the crevice. First, I want to either catch the mice/rats in the traps (I have glue traps as well) or kill them with the various baits. Upping my game. No more Mr Nice Guy.

[myrdale]

I made the mistake of re-reading my original posts in the thread and I think I am having an anxiety attack from reading about how much I spent. I don't regret it but two years later, and it still hurts.

The whole concept of a Check Engine light is a misnomer. In reality itt is a Check The Government Mandated Emissions Systems light.

As for the rat issue, I'd suggest going to war against them. I do not like poison. Yes it kills them, but no they don't go searching for water outside of the house, they die under the stove or in the wall and reek and the poison may go up the food chain (cat or hawk) . I am not a fan of the glue traps either as they don't kill the mouse. It is stuck there to starve to death. A regular trap is instant. Put out half a dozen traps with peanut butter. Also look at what is attracting them to the house. If you have fruit trees in the yard keep it cleaned up at the base. There are bucket traps (5 gal pail with a roller across the top or a trap door that are extremely effective (with or with out water).

[QuarterMillionMan]

Problem solved. Engine light gone. For all gear-heads here use this information with a grain of salt. Most people are of the mindset to take the car to a mechanic as a first resort. Or any service for that matter (ie, manicure/pedicure, hair cuts, computer repairs, etc). I'm of the mindset of taking the car to a mechanic as a last resort. DIY is my first resort. And this is where self-confidence comes into play. I hate being the damsel in distress. An unscrupulous mechanic could have taken me to the cleaners saying I might need a new $2000 catalytic converter replacement when the two loose 10 mm bolts just needed to be tightened. Some shops work off commissions and will look at ways to rack up the charges. I know because I worked at a full service gas station and we got commissions on everything from tires to batteries to wiper blades, etc. I never stooped to selling unnecessary parts but I could see how others would. At any rate it was the Ebay new O2 sensors which are non-OEM and not genuine Mopar sensors which gave off the 3 problem codes and was messing with the system. Haven't had the chance to drive the car long distance due to work from home, which is a good problem to have until today where I drove 300 miles RT from Los Angeles to Tijuana and back. Gone is the engine light. Lesson learned to buy genuine OEM Mopar parts from now and not Ebay. The new O2 sensors from Ebay had the exact same wire connectors and easily snapped into place but the sensors itself were a little different looking from the OEM Mopar sensors. It's a gratifying feeling of getting that problem fixed and now I can focus on eradicating the rat infestation which had many close calls but none yet. One Victor spring loaded trap did snap half of a rats body but the rat managed to crawl into the crevice with the trap stuck in the crevice. I used a broom handle to push down on the trap to try to extricate the rat but the rat slipped out of the trap and made it to safety. I should have used the broom handle to hook out the rat from the crevice with the trap still attached and kill it outside of the crevice. It's war time against them and I'm smarter than them, I think, lol.

[QuarterMillionMan]

The old sensors are reinstalled. If it comes back, I'm done. Next stop is an ASC certified mechanic. I tried but this is complicated.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Ua_guy, I'll check if mine's has more sensors but I only saw the 2. As for a stuck thermostat I would leave that for the pros (I can DIY but no can drain or capture the coolant in my apartment.) Engine light came back on so will go back to the old sensors. And it's 2 am in Los Angeles, dang rats/mice woke me up chewing open food bags (ie, Anthony's spaghetti, graham crackers, potato chips, etc.). It's getting expensive having to discard the open bags of food but more of a nuisances. I've been busy so haven't set more traps & bait but I need to get to it. Some prices for the Savingadvice website, Tomcat $15.99 for 16 baits, Permatex $6.99, Liquid nails $5.99, etc. Will need to make another drop of rat poison and go to war with these rats/mice. I just placed a small mouse glue trap with Cheetos and it almost got one but the trap was moved by the mouse about 12" away.

[ua_guy]

Taking too long to enter closed-loop mode can be a cooling system problem, like a thermostat that's stuck open and continuously cooling the engine and not allowing it to reach operating temperature. That would cause your P1128 among other things. Your P0138 and P0132 are the bank 1 sensors 1 and 2 confirming that the engine isn't combusting as it should. Sometimes there are multiple temperature sensors, one for the gauge and one that sends information to the computer/ECM.

If the temp gauge isn't reading normal when it should be, or if you can get a borrowed OBD reader that will let you view the live data, you can see your coolant temperature (as sensed) and other parameters. Might be worth a shot in the auto parts store parking lot before throwing your checkbook at a shop to diagnose it.