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Subject: small-list Digest V2000 #32
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small-list Digest Sat, 18 Mar 2000 Volume: 2000 Issue: 032

In This Issue:
Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Re: [Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters]
Fuel Pumps-In Tank

----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Keith Christensen" kendra.com>
Subject: Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 00:21:42 -0800

Just having gone thru an expensive troubleshooting episode that involved 3 s
hops...

('88 Bronco II, but damned near same exhaust system)

Yes , the catalytic converter ('cat') can be tested for clogging/backpressur
e ('BP')by drilling a small hole and inserting a probe, but this episode sho
ws that either the test and/or the interpretation can be bogus.

My cat showed it's problems by making the injection go intermittently "full
rich/full on" (massive black smoke, loss of power at anything less than full
-throttle). I knew I had a "deteriorated exhaust system' - holes in the muf
fler, seams on the cat starting to break, tailpipe looking like swiss cheese
...

First shop (small independent) tested it, showed no problem *by their interp
retation* They replaced the "O2" sensor, and threw in the towel. Told me to
take it to a Ford shop.

Second (Ford dealer) tested the cat -said OK , but replaced the HGO sensor.
The engine ran far better, but it STILL went thru small episodes of black sm
oke.. they said the 'puter just needed to "relearn" the new sensor..

I 'spent the big bucks' ( I know I had to anyway- just sooner than expected)
and had the cat/muffler/tailpipe-resonator replaced... no BP check, so there
's no way of qualifying the Ford/Indie shop's readings, but the muffler guy
spotted the BP test holes as fresh. He cuts open the cat as an autopsy and
finds thae back screen in the post-fire section 3/4 plugged and part of the
internal "bed" support in the prefire section broken so that it could (and d
id) move into the bottleneck between pre-post chambers.

Agreed, he's not tested it, but his feel is that this cat would have tested
in the high end of OK as long as the vehicle wasn't being 'loaded' by actual
driving. Put a 'true' driving load on it and crap happens!

I think he's right-- it runs better now than it has in 4 months, the low-en
d torque is at least 40% more than berore.

NOW, the computer system does have something to "relearn", and it's running
FAR better!


------------------------------
From: "Ron,Marge,Ted" sunlink.net>
Subject: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 00:15:09 -0500
>Hi All,

> Since I don't usually drive my wife's 94 Explorer much, it takes me awh
ile to notice any changes in it. Well >it seems to me that it is running kin
d of sluggish, especially on the hills here in PA. We use to get about 22 >m
pg on a trip with it, but last weekend, we took a trip and only came up with
18 mpgs! In the past, we had >problems with it pinging, so I think I may hav
e over did it with injector cleaner trying to get rid of carbon >build-up. M
y gut feeling is that the sluggish performance and drop in gas mileage may b
e due to plugged >up catalytic converters because of over use of injector cl
eaners. My question is, is there any way to test for a >defective cat conver
ter other than just replacing it? Thanks for any help!
>
> Ron


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------------------------------

From: "Stephen Bozzone" rockzone.com>
Subject: Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters
Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2000 12:46:10 -0500

Keith,

What is this "HGO" sensor? I've never heard of it before.

Thanks,
Stephen Bozzone
1988 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer
http://www.ford-trucks.com//lc/lc.php?action=do&link=http://rockzone.com/mud/truck.shtml
ICQ: 196843 / AIM: RudeSkam69
"Don't ask me to justify my life..." - Bad Religion

----- Original Message -----
From: Keith Christensen kendra.com>
To: ford-trucks.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 18, 2000 3:21 AM
Subject: [small-list] Re: Constipated Catalytic Converters


> Just having gone thru an expensive troubleshooting episode that involved 3
s
> hops...
>
> ('88 Bronco II, but damned near same exhaust system)
>
> Yes , the catalytic converter ('cat') can be tested for
clogging/backpressur
> e ('BP')by drilling a small hole and inserting a probe, but this episode
sho
> ws that either the test and/or the interpretation can be bogus.
>
> My cat showed it's problems by making the injection go intermittently
"full
> rich/full on" (massive black smoke, loss of power at anything less than
full
> -throttle). I knew I had a "deteriorated exhaust system' - holes in the
muf
> fler, seams on the cat starting to break, tailpipe looking like swiss
cheese
> ...
>
> First shop (small independent) tested it, showed no problem *by their
interp
> retation* They replaced the "O2" sensor, and threw in the towel. Told me
to
> take it to a Ford shop.
>
> Second (Ford dealer) tested the cat -said OK , but replaced the HGO
sensor.
> The engine ran far better, but it STILL went thru small episodes of black
sm
> oke.. they said the 'puter just needed to "relearn" the new sensor..
>
> I 'spent the big bucks' ( I know I had to anyway- just sooner than
expected)
> and had the cat/muffler/tailpipe-resonator replaced... no BP check, so
there
> 's no way of qualifying the Ford/Indie shop's readings, but the muffler
guy
> spotted the BP test holes as fresh. He cuts open the cat as an autopsy
and
> finds thae back screen in the post-fire section 3/4 plugged and part of
the
> internal "bed" support in the prefire section broken so that it could (and
d
> id) move into the bottleneck between pre-post chambers.
>
> Agreed, he's not tested it, but his feel is that this cat would have
tested
> in the high end of OK as long as the vehicle wasn't being 'loaded' by
actual
> driving. Put a 'true' driving load on it and crap happens!....

---

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