General condition of vehicle? Can you replace vehicle for the amount of repair? Do you like vehicle?
yeah depends on miles the car is rare hard to get ahold of
Yes it can if the oil gets in the catalytic converter when due to bad rings or head gasket burned the oil gets on top of the pistons!
It more than likely is the heat shield on top of the converter. It probably has broken loose.
Possible but not likely.
Disconnect the frontand rear o2 sensor electrical connectors. Separate the catalytic converter from the flex-pipe. Remove the fasteners between the catalytic converter and the exhaust manifold. Disconnect the EGR tube from the catalytic converter. Remove band from the front of the catalytic that holds it to the bracket on the front of the engine block. Remove fasteners holding exhaust manifold to head.
The new catalytic converter and gasket for my 2005 outback wagon was $830 installed at an independent Subaru specialist. Are you sure that yours is not covered under warranty (80,000 miles, I think)
The heat generated by the converter can back up into the engine and damage it. Cause it to overheat, blow a head gasket or damage the heads.
Most likely a faulty gasket in the oil system, a faulty catalytic converter or a faulty component in the exhaust system.
Could be the header pipe which usually contains a catalytic converter.
Is it water ( condensation ) or is it antifreeze. If it is antifreeze it should be smoking WHITE out of the exhaust pipe and if it is then you have either a blown head gasket or a leaking Intake manifold gasket.
Not likely because: Code p0420 refers to a problem with your catalytic converter. The engine computer is able to test that converter by using an oxygen sensor before and after the converter. The computer can only test the converter under very specific driving conditions. If the computer determines that it is a good time to test the catalytic converter it will run the test. It compares the oxygen sensor readings in front of the converter to the readings behind the converter to see if the catalytic converter is functioning properly. If it is not functioning properly it will trigger a p0420. Sometimes if a catalytic converter is on the virge of failing it may fail one test and pass the next. This will cause your check engine light to come off and on every once in a while when the test is performed.
If it was removed then YES.