Postby VStar650CL » Tue Jun 07, 2022 2:30 pm
You'd be getting downstream codes if it was a malfunctioning cat. That's the downstream sensor's whole mission in life, to tell you if a cat is going bad. We techs have a saying about it, "The front sensors are for the ECM, the rears are for the EPA." The fronts are mixture detectors and they're essential, the ECM needs them to run the engine. The rears are metaphoric tits on a bull, take them away and the car can still run fine.
However, that's not to say the cat can't be responsible for your issue. It just won't be because it's malfunctioning. P1273 is a lean code that usually isn't from a vacuum leak or bad fuel, instead it usually indicates something further down the system is leaking. So partially plug your exhaust pipe and check for cracks, pinholes or bad gaskets on your bank1 manifold and cat. That's the next most likely culprit.