Rep Power: 224

Well tonight I was driving had the car on maybe about 20 minutes or so. I've been driving it all weekend. It's about 64 degrees outside, No other engine lights, engine temps are normal. No backfire's or weird sounds from the exhaust/engine. Exhaust system is stock other than intake and exhaust muffler from the rear axle back.

Threw a code p0420 OBDII

Had it checked at autozone,

THE PCM has determined that the catalyst system efficiency for bank 1 is below threshold for the current engine operation conditions. Bank 1 identifies the location of cylinder #1, while bank 2 identifies the cylinders on the opposite bank.

definition catalyst low bank 1

problem causes
1- cay converter defective
2. engine misfire or running condition
3.large vaccum leak
4. engine oil leakage into exhaust-valve guide seals piston rings

I'm just wondering at this point should I just try and reset the emission light and see if it comes on again before going further. Should I be looking into getting another cat or is there somewhere I can go to get a more specific answer?

 
Rep Power: 388

Thats odd.......
Did you take the head off, or take the valves out at all for any reason? What engine internal work have you had done? Did you take it to a shop for any reason such as a 60k checkup where they might have taken the valvecover off and checked valves?

What does the exhaust look like- does it look different then normal or have a different smell to it?

 
Rep Power: 224

no the head hasnt' been removed, haven't taken any valves out, stock internals nothing upgraded, other than my bolt on sri installed 30,000 or more ago. i'm at 121,000 on the motor. Exhaust looks the same and car runs/smells normal

I reset the battery and took it for a drive and it didnt throw this time after about 10 minutes of driving. I went through an area that was really wet and humid, as well as cool so that might of done it. Going from being dry to moist might have done it.

 
Rep Power: 388

It would probably take that long to have it throw the code anyways. Hmm... Yeah, either your seal is bad on your valves or your valve guides are toasted and leaking oil into the cylinder and the first 02 sensor is picking it up... I dont think your cat is toast, but its getting up there and about to fail, I would expect to see the second 02 sensor to throw the code though, not the first one.

 
Rep Power: 279

yea, I get the same code. my check engine goes on for a bit, like maybe a day then goes off, then goes on then off. all the time same code... no idea if something is malfunctioning or what... its annoying. I don't want to spend money to replace something until I'm sure thats the problem. any ideas?

 
Rep Power: 388

Bow down!
http://www.troublecodes.net/articles/catfailure/