Illegal Catalytic Converter question...

[Doc8404]

all this to save $200?
try www.rockauto.com
but call them and make sure it's for the CA model...
just went round and round with them about my manifold for the galant, great service...the manifold manufacturer has hundreds of thousands of stores selling the DOHC manifold as the SOHC....dumba$$es

 

[The Critic]

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lucky you're not in NY now....anything 1996 and newer gets hooked up to a computer, via the OBDII

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CA has the OBDII and tailpipe sniffer I believe, but then again, I've always had my father take the car in.

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all this to save $200?
try www.rockauto.com
but call them and make sure it's for the CA model...
just went round and round with them about my manifold for the galant, great service...the manifold manufacturer has hundreds of thousands of stores selling the DOHC manifold as the SOHC....dumba$$es

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No luck there, IIRC. Either way, I did a few other mechanical repairs and got the Saturn to pass this time around, so I won't have to deal with it for another two years.

 

[Tempest]

Sounds like a chance for a test of ARX since we know the Saturn is borderline? 2 bottles of ARX will cost you less than that $50 converter, and won't have to get under the car to weld anything.

 

[mormit]

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Showing high Hydrocarbons (HC) at idle (only at idle)...high enough to not pass CA Smog Check II.

Have to get prepared...if new OE pre-catalytic O2 sensor doesn't solve it...CAT is next on the list.

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I would bet that the O2 sensor will take care of it if HC is all that is out of whack.

Generally, from what I've seen, when the catalytic converter is bad HC and CO are a little off and NOx is way bad.

Check for vacuum leaks when you change the sensor.

 

[Merkava_4]

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A smog tech will not look for a cat converter CARB EO number. They'll look to see that the cat is there, but that's it.

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I agree with that assertion, and besides that, the car still has to pass smog with some kind of cat; legal or not legal.

 

[garageman402]

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Showing high Hydrocarbons (HC) at idle (only at idle)...high enough to not pass CA Smog Check II.

Have to get prepared...if new OE pre-catalytic O2 sensor doesn't solve it...CAT is next on the list.

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Hey Critic,

If the smog tech will work with you, you can do a pre-test first.

My experience with cats is that they work better when hot. One guy I went to ran it at 2000RPM for 5 min. then pre-tested it. It passed, so we repeated the process for the real test.

They don't have the treadmill test in Santa Cruz, do they? They do here in the 9 bay area counties (except parts of Sonoma and Solano counties). You may be better off at a Test-Only station, because they can't sell you any repairs. A regular station might fail it just to sell you a new cat.

You like Santa Cruz better than Sac?

Good Luck,
Bob

 

[The Critic]

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Sounds like a chance for a test of ARX since we know the Saturn is borderline? 2 bottles of ARX will cost you less than that $50 converter, and won't have to get under the car to weld anything.

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And exactly what would that do? I have RX sitting here, but what effect would that have?

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They don't have the treadmill test in Santa Cruz, do they? They do here in the 9 bay area counties (except parts of Sonoma and Solano counties). You may be better off at a Test-Only station, because they can't sell you any repairs. A regular station might fail it just to sell you a new cat.

You like Santa Cruz better than Sac?

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The car already passed without needing a new CAT (see above), but I have no clue as to what they require in Santa Cruz. I'm still in Sacramento currently but will be in Santa Cruz beginning in September.

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I would bet that the O2 sensor will take care of it if HC is all that is out of whack.

Generally, from what I've seen, when the catalytic converter is bad HC and CO are a little off and NOx is way bad.

Check for vacuum leaks when you change the sensor.

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Anyway, I replaced the plugs, wires, PCV, coolant temp sensor, and leaking spark plug tube seals and I was able to pass smog this time. I'll deal with it two years from now. Funny thing is, it passed with flying colors on the 15MPH HC test unlike last time. It seems like my problem has shifted to the 25MPH side this time, as I barely passed on that HC test.

 

[cowsareholy]

i just had my car inspected and smog checked last month. i removed the y-pipe and cats not to log ago and went with a catless hi-flow y-pipe. he never even looked under the car. im quite sure CA is tougher to pass but heres what i got
HC GPM LIMIT (2.25) READING (0.58) CO GPM LIMIT (23.74) READING (4.29) NOX GPM LIMIT (3.25) READING (1.46) CO2 GPM NO LIMIT, READING (632.72). the car is a 1994 ford taurus sho with a yahama 3.2l v6 ODB1

 

[Tempest]

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And exactly what would that do? I have RX sitting here, but what effect would that have?

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ARX Frank and others have said that a clean engine puts out less pollutants. I think that since we know your car is on the edge, it might be a good chance to test that theory.

If true, it might save the cat you already have on it.

 

[Anduril]

If you want a clean engine, I'd suggest running a couple tanks of fuel system cleaner as opposed to ARX. It's usually fuel system deposits that increase emissions, as opposed to oil sludge.