Hello all. I am new to TJ (and Jeep) forums so I hope I'm posting in the right place.
I recently had P0306 engine code (later found out one hot morning while firing up the Jeep. Check engine was flashing. I drove approximately 3 miles to have the code read (P0306). I then drove another approximate 3-5 miles to the shop with the check engine flashing, vehicle bogging a bit after standstills (stop lights) but drove fine to the shop while up to speed.
Mechanic changed out all 6 spark plugs as well as the coil back and told me it was good to go. I picked it up a couple days later and began driving it home (on highway this time) and as soon as I turned on the high way, the vehicle began to bog and throw the flashing check engine light again (assume it was still P0306). I drove it back to the shop and they said they did not tighten one of the plugs all the way, tightened it, took it for a drive and stated the Jeep was now officially good to go.
I picked it up and it runs fine and have driven several hundred miles on it since then. However, I now notice a slight rattle noise on idle which appears to be coming from the passenger side skid-plate/exhaust/converter area, and like I said it runs great. My research leads me to believe this rattle could and likely is the catalytic converter and driving on P0306 could compromise the converter (which I did do to get from auto parts store once and then to mechanic a total of twice, about 10 miles total, maybe a bit more).
My question is this: Did my driving from point A to point B to get the problem fixed with the check engine flashing ruin my converter(s)? How long can I drive on it before the converter goes AND is it safe to? Or should I look at replacing the converter ASAP? I have read people running on rattling converters with no problems for a while sometimes years. I love my Jeep and want to make sure it continues to run great but don't want to spend a sh!t ton of money on something like a converter (or multiple) if I don't have to and if I can expect to get more life out of them.
Thanks all in advance for the responses. Again, I hope I'm in the right place.
Approx. 145k miles.
I recently had P0306 engine code (later found out one hot morning while firing up the Jeep. Check engine was flashing. I drove approximately 3 miles to have the code read (P0306). I then drove another approximate 3-5 miles to the shop with the check engine flashing, vehicle bogging a bit after standstills (stop lights) but drove fine to the shop while up to speed.
Mechanic changed out all 6 spark plugs as well as the coil back and told me it was good to go. I picked it up a couple days later and began driving it home (on highway this time) and as soon as I turned on the high way, the vehicle began to bog and throw the flashing check engine light again (assume it was still P0306). I drove it back to the shop and they said they did not tighten one of the plugs all the way, tightened it, took it for a drive and stated the Jeep was now officially good to go.
I picked it up and it runs fine and have driven several hundred miles on it since then. However, I now notice a slight rattle noise on idle which appears to be coming from the passenger side skid-plate/exhaust/converter area, and like I said it runs great. My research leads me to believe this rattle could and likely is the catalytic converter and driving on P0306 could compromise the converter (which I did do to get from auto parts store once and then to mechanic a total of twice, about 10 miles total, maybe a bit more).
My question is this: Did my driving from point A to point B to get the problem fixed with the check engine flashing ruin my converter(s)? How long can I drive on it before the converter goes AND is it safe to? Or should I look at replacing the converter ASAP? I have read people running on rattling converters with no problems for a while sometimes years. I love my Jeep and want to make sure it continues to run great but don't want to spend a sh!t ton of money on something like a converter (or multiple) if I don't have to and if I can expect to get more life out of them.
Thanks all in advance for the responses. Again, I hope I'm in the right place.
Approx. 145k miles.
