I've got a 2002 s type 3.0 and it's been running rough and jerking while going down the road. It is giving codes p0430 and p0133. I had a vacuum leak for quite a while. I fixed the leak and the codes disappeared. A few days later, I got the p0430 and p0133 codes and it jerks and misses while going down the road. Could this be an oxygen sensor problem or do I need a new catalytic converter?

 

Just to clarify, I don't know if it was throwing the p0430 and p0133 codes before I fixed the vacuum leak. I just assumed the vacuum leak was the problem.

 

anyone?

 

You don't say what your mileage is, and what you did to fix the vac leak or where that leak was coming from.

Once you get past your newbie status you can use the search feature and find the many threads that speak on the same topic.Many with pictures.
On my 01 3.0 I had the same problems and it looked like sensors and converters but turned out to be leaking IMT rings and bad coils.
Since you need to take the intake off to change the rings do all 6 coils and plugs and start there. My engine was running rough and got the same codes but the missfiring coils were the main culprit. There is a rubber hose under the intake that is very prone to leak(mine did).

 

+1

Hope that the P0430 is only because the car is fooled by the P0133.

You could look at the O2 sensor's functioning with an OBD tool which can do live data - such as the cheap elm327 - or just plan to change the sensor instead of or if the other ideas don't work. They suffer in the horrible exhaust gas. I think Ford equivalents are in the FAQs and are fairly cheap. Be aware they can be "welded" in (due to the heat) very tight. Very.