Catalytic converters blown from poor running condition

[Day]

maybe the 191,000kms is the big clue/culprit, maybe time to renew many things

Hi vin999
Surely the cats would be ok at 191. My last ve calais had 500k on the clock with no cats required.

 

[Day]

maybe the 191,000kms is the big clue/culprit, maybe time to renew many things

Mechanics advise drive it until it dies.

 

[syked]

I took it to a mechanic who scanned and advised both catalytic converters not functioning. Both converters have no chemical catalyst activity.both rear 02 sensors reporting correctly

Did the mechanic read live data on the all 4 O2 sensors and if so what was the result?

The front O2 sensors should fluctuate between high and low mV (rich & lean) and the rear O2 sensors should stay at high mV. If the rear O2 sensors also fluctuate the same as the front O2 sensors then you definitely have issues in the catalytic converters

Did they check the temperature of the catalytic converters at the entry and exit..if so what were the temps?

What were the long term fuel trims?

 

[Day]

			Did the mechanic read live data on the all 4 O2 sensors and if so what was the result? The front O2 sensors should fluctuate between high and low mV (rich & lean) and the rear O2 sensors should stay at high mV. If the rear O2 sensors also fluctuate the same as the front O2 sensors then you definitely have issues in the catalytic converters Did they check the temperature of the catalytic converters at the entry and exit..if so what were the temps? What were the long term fuel trims? Hi syked they only provided me with this mate. They didn't provide the raw data.

 

[syked]

Right. Sounds like they did read live data because they mentioned fuel trim and injector pulse.

High positive fuel trim can be traced to MAF and O2 sensor faults,
vacuum leaks / unmetered air from intake gaskets/hoses, clogged or dirty
fuel injectors or other fuel delivery issues and physical exhaust / catalytic damage causing restrictions.

 

[Day]

Right. Sounds like they did read live data because they mentioned fuel trim and injector pulse.

High positive fuel trim can be traced to MAF and O2 sensor faults,
vacuum leaks / unmetered air from intake gaskets/hoses, clogged or dirty
fuel injectors or other fuel delivery issues and physical exhaust / catalytic damage causing restrictions.

Thanks syked no mechanic wants to touch it mate. Should I take it to holden ? Could it be due to carbon deposit build up?

 

[Fu Manchu]

All you can really do is clean injectors out, clean the top end, make sure the MAF and filters are clean, throttle body clean, get some new spark plugs and coils. New intake gasket. Check hoses for vacuum leaks.

Grab some second hand cats from a wrecker.

 

[mechanic]

What does it mean by ' the trouble codes have been programmed out'?
Is the ECU modified with a tune or something?
Is the engine modified?

 

[Fu Manchu]

Maybe means they cleared the codes?

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

The best check for a functioning cat is a temperature test. Take the car to an exhaust shop and ask for a cat test. They should drive it around the block to get the cats hot, then take a temperature reading at the front of each cat and directly behind them. The temp at the rear should be at least 10% hotter than the front, if it's about the same or colder then the cats are not working. Just because the sensors say the cats aren't working doesn't mean they aren't sensors only read what they can read. They are a good guide but diagnosis or replacing parts should not be 100% reliant on what a sensor or a code tells you. It just tells you where to look.

Oh, and cats can't "blow", they either wear out or melt and block up. An OEM cat, by law, only has to last 80,000km, aftermarket 40,000km. 191,000km is good, but having said that, a well maintained car will see cats last almost indefinitely, there are always outside factors that cause cats to fail.