question about catalytic convereters

[schlit]

Unless you have a chemistry degree and understand what the tolerances are, how the catalyst degrades, and the effects on the environment I think you're talking out of your rear.... an unguided guess at best. Sounds like you're just angry at "the man". Sorry.

 

For the record, the fact that most of the posts on this site are by two people is why I don't visit much....as what I've heard from many other Subaru owners.

[idosubaru]

We can see things differently, this really isn't a big deal or worthy of arguing or cutting people down. Some see a bigger picture, some like to focus on smaller details. There's value and deficiency in both so I'll leave this tangent on that note.

 

Schlit - two replies and both with cutting remarks. I'm sorry you don't like some on this board but a critical bent isn't all that positive, healthy, and beneficial either. It's just a discussion about cars.

[GeneralDisorder]

Unless you have a chemistry degree and understand what the tolerances are, how the catalyst degrades, and the effects on the environment I think you're talking out of your rear.... an unguided guess at best. Sounds like you're just angry at "the man". Sorry.

 

Believe what you like. I'm not angry at anyone and I sleep just fine at night. My cars are all tuned up and run as well as they need to. I'm a minority - laws are for people that obay laws - IE: the majority. Fortunately for me, I have no such mental obligations. I'm a pretty happy person most days - anger doesn't get stuff done in the garage.

 

And to say my *educated opinion* is an unguided guess completely ignores the fact that so is the original poster's. He has no gas analyzer tests to show that there is a significant problem. Thus neither of our "opinions" are much more than a guess really. But past experience and many tale's of P0420 codes here and elsewhere guides my opinion.

 

You have not added a thing to this post other than to attack me. So what's your excuse?

 

For the record, the fact that most of the posts on this site are by two people is why I don't visit much....as what I've heard from many other Subaru owners.

 

That's just plain silly. NOW who's talking out of their rear? And if people don't want to come here because of *me*..... well I guess that's their loss. I'm pretty sure I've helped more people than I've driven away *and* if I have driven anyone away they probably didn't contribute anything but annoyance and repeat questions.

 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it .

 

GD

Edited May 16, 2010 by GeneralDisorder

[99ImprezaOSport]

WOW, What interesting, informative, and general environmental trip it's been. I see a lot of regular, helpful, folks posting here (GD, Nipper, gross, fairtax, johnc, etc...) and would just like to add my 2cents from my experiences.

 

Most posts are from 2 people? I see 2cents

 

Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives. It's interesting how people, who seem to have nothing better to do, complain to no end about things and offer no real solution. (Sound Familiar?)

 

I find that people who pollute look for any and every excuse to do so.

I thought it would never come to this. But the guy threw a Birkenstock!

 

If you do not choose to understand me, forgive my impertinence.

[GeneralDisorder]

But the guy threw a Birkenstock!

 

:lol::lol:

 

I love you man!

 

GD

[heartless]

To the Original Poster - Until you take that car to a shop and get the emission gasses tested - get a GOOD reading on exactly what is being put out your tailpipe and where it stands in relation to accepted levels - then you have absolutely NO IDEA if you are polluting or not.

 

I'm sorry, but that is the plain facts. You all can opine until the sun turns blue, but it is just that - opinion - and we all know what those are like.

 

Go get the exhaust gasses tested!!! Then you can whine and/or complain about this or that not working right - K?

 

hoping everyone has a wonderful Sunday!

[idosubaru]

get a GOOD reading on exactly what is being put out your tailpipe

that's a good suggestion for the OP wanting to keep his pollution in check. excellent. that's how discussion works....discuss, differing opinions...mention that the emissions aren't showing it, then he suggests - go have it tested. actually i'd like to see some numbers, an EJ without rear O2 CEL and one with rear O2 CEL.

[heartless]

.... actually i'd like to see some numbers, an EJ without rear O2 CEL and one with rear O2 CEL.

 

My point exactly! go get some numbers - lets see where it stands.

all that stuff has been replaced - more than once in some cases - Why - did he ever go get exhaust gas readings?? my bet is "no"

 

Numbers I would like to see:

1. Acceptable/required levels

2. the two specified by Gary.

 

I would be happy to offer numbers here, but 1. we dont have required emissions testing here, so very few shops will even offer to do it, and 2. I only have the one O2 sensor

[StructEngineer]

To the OP, what was the physical condition of the aftermarket cats after they went bad? Did they look coated? How do your spark plugs look? You gotta give us some more clues.

 

When did you start having this issue in relation to the headgasket change?

 

I dont understand why people are getting offended and making cutting remarks that this guy doesn't want to use anti foulers. I can understand how the forced opinion of 2 people on this site can be annoying.

[Jachin111]

Hello GeneralDisorder,

 

I read your post from 2010 regarding punching out the catalytic converter and fooling the O2 sensors. I'm wondering what kind of parts I need to fool the CEL into turning off after cutting out the catalytic converter and where I can find them.

 

I'm a newbie to Subaru and not very mechanical. My car is a 1997 Subaru Legacy Outback. I need to get it past the 'Out-of-Province' inspection here in Alberta, Canada...which means getting that CEL to shut off. 

 

It is definitely on because of the catalytic converter and everything else has passed inspection. A new Cat Conv costs a lot and a lot to install. I need a cheaper fix. Do you know where these simulator parts can be bought and if they work to trick the CEL?

 

Any help is appreciated!!

[brus brother]

Man this is a contentious topic. Too close to politics or something I guess?

 

You might not pass your own standards in regards to your own question. You belittled and judged him...based on....how can you call him "missing something", why did you completely miss his point? You are missing the discussion completely, this has nothing to do with GD polluting. Communication 101 people - analogy, metaphor, please work with us here and have some level headed discussion, it might require some high level reading though!

 

One way to be quantitative is for folks familiar with Emissions testing states where you see that older Subaru's (or other cars) have essentially the same emissions as newer ones. Even though they're not crapping out about O2 sensors all the time - older Soobs only have 1 O2 sensor, newer ones have a system of 2 and even 3 O2 sensors.....but no lower emissions, the catalyst is still working the same in the converter. They can have the same emissions levels with the Check Engine Light on. That light does not mean you're polluting. That's not how it works.

Interesting read.

I always like to hear from the guys in the trenches here as I too see the occasional flashing warning lights and every unknown new noise as potentially resulting in my car flipping end over end and causing at least moderate bodily harm.

My 0420 showed up at 105K on a fairly well maintained car. Unfortunately my 05 Outback has 5 O2 sensors and the cheaters don't work (I've tried)!

I too am old enough to remember burning eyes from emissions from various environmental sources and am glad to contribute to a world that betters its condition even if I am just one grain of sand on the beach.

The "power of one" is recognizable if that one person throwing the cigarette out the window mentioned earlier, on a dry SoCal day, starts a fire that burns down your house!

OK, enough of my Geezer Grousing.

This post has devolved into opinions (yeah, we all have one of those too) on what is tolerable.

Perhaps the old tail pipe sniffer test could allay some concerns but my State relies on the OBDII output. I guess I would be more comfortable with flashing the ECU if I knew the real number of how far my system was out of tolerance.

Cardoc on Subaru Outbacks does a fine job of analyzing 0420 here and helps individuals analyze some of the parameters if Charm wants to analyze his problem further. You never know when the aha moment may present itself.

[ivans imports]

Seems to be the worst on 99-03 foresters almost all the ones I see have a 420 code and have determined that the ecus were not callabrated correctly for are climate here in BC is just to mutch elevation changes for ecu to compensate for. The 420 code is to sensitive. I do see 420 on the odd outback / legacy but way more on foresters. And never on imprezas I blame poorly setup ecus Or the cars are stoned all the time !