'99 F150 4.2l Cat & Acc Pwr - elec

[wdsmithjr]

Posted this under the truck section but got no response, so I'm trying here:

I have a cat that you can hear the insides rattling around on the pass side. I know that both on that side has to get replace together. Should I replace all 4 too? Found them on-line for $494, local shop wants $1403 parts and labor to replace and I'd still have to replace the rest of the pipe, muffler and tailpipe. I read somewhere once that one reason they break is because of fuel mixture is not correct. Could it be that too or just age? Truck runs good.

Also, my cig lighter and access. plug kept blowing the fuse. I tried getting my codes pulled at advance (due to bad o2 sensor) but they couldn't read from the obd connector. Found out in the book last night that the obd conn and cig lighter uses the same fuse. I replaced the cig lighter, access. plug and put in a new fuse. Cig light works, will have to see if the obd conn works now, but the access. plug still dosen't. Any clue as to where/what to look for to get it to work again?

The guys at advance told me that if they cannot read from the obd conn that the trucks computer is going bad. Have a hard time believing that. Any and all suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks for your time.

[Franklin2]

The accessory plug usually uses a different fuse. Most power ports have their own fuse.

You might not have to replace all 4 convertors, but first I would talk to the dealer and look at your warrenty literature. The convertor is an emissions device, and they usually have a very long warrenty. The reason I mention this is my Dad has a 98 Windstar van. While servicing it, he noticed the y-pipe was cracked, so he took it down to the local muffler shop to have them weld it. The guy at the shop said he could weld it, but we might want to check with Ford, since that pipe was part of the convertor system. Sure enough, the dealer wanted to look at it to make sure it wasn't damaged by abuse, but then they agreed to replace the whole front section. I think it cost them about $800 and it was all paid for under warrenty.

[projectSHO89]

Federal emissions warranty is 8 years from the in-service date or 80K miles.

Steve