Testing a Catalytic Converter

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Petros
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Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by Petros »

found this great clip on Youtube, his demo car is an '86 Tercel of all things too! Good procedure, simple and effective. I thought for both reasons it needed a link from this site.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzyvL5tQ ... AAAAAAAACw
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ARCHINSTL
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by ARCHINSTL »

It's interesting - especially since he is under an ancient car without safety glasses - and drilling into metal as well. Dumb. Been there, done that - and visited the ER with ? in my eye; bigga bucks and even bigger scare.
Actually, in my case, I was wearing good safety glasses - but the ? lodged in my eyebrow (not that I have Edward Teller eyebrows, though).
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takza
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by takza »

Though Scotty is just full of energy...it's a wonder he's still with us? Getting under a car with just a trolly jack under it is a NO-NO. These ALL lose hydraulic oil over time and just when you least expect it they will go up all right...and then when you are under the car they can also GO DOWN.

Otherwise that's a good idea for sure. So I wonder if they sell just the tip used there for the test...I have a vac and pressure gauge already. And do you use a sheet metal screw for the hole if the cat tests OK?
Last edited by takza on Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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takza
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by takza »

ARCHINSTL wrote:It's interesting - especially since he is under an ancient car without safety glasses - and drilling into metal as well. Dumb. Been there, done that - and visited the ER with ? in my eye; bigga bucks and even bigger scare.
Actually, in my case, I was wearing good safety glasses - but the ? lodged in my eyebrow (not that I have Edward Teller eyebrows, though).
Tom M.
I've worked under cars on rusty old exhausts lots of times without safety glasses...but then I wear regular glasses. Exhaust work is one job I hate....espec since I was just using a hacksaw...etc. Now have an angle grinder and a cutoff saw.

On the other hand I once poked an eye with nothing more than a long pine needle when walking thru some trees and it took at least 6 months for that to clear up.

Good idea to be very careful....takes next to nothing to cause much pain and expense?
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arbskynxnex
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by arbskynxnex »

That is a pretty cool little video.

Stuff in the eyes can happen on even the most mundane tasks. The worst I ever got was while changing the oil this xmas on my sister's 4runner. The oil hit the drain pan and splashed right into my eyes, oh the burning. Flushed it out with water and soap though and all was better. The second worst is walking through 2nd growth forest for work and having the small dead limbs poke you in the eye, one of those actually slid between my eye and eye lid.
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dlb
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by dlb »

well geez, if we're talking about eye pokes, i've got you all beat. when i was 16 i crashed a quad and wound up flying face-first into a tree. there was a branch at eye level that did impact my eyeball itself--keep in mind i was traveling probably around 15-20 km/h--but luckily did not pierce it. instead, it slid over my eyeball towards my nose where it finally lodged right in the crotch area of my eye socket (for lack of a better description) and pierced between 2-3" into my face. the quad and i rolled down a bank and after a minute the sight in my uninjured eye more or less came back but then i realized my other eye couldn't see anything. i felt my face and found the offending stick still protruding from the wound. not knowing anything at the time, i pulled it out. the blood gushed. i did notice that i could see red with the injured eye though so i felt reasonably sure that the eye was at least not pulp. i began the long walk home.

finally i got picked up by a stranger in a pickup with his two young children. the kids were horrified and screaming. they drove me back to my family's friends place. it took about 3 hours to get me to hospital from there, and the injury required two hours of surgery; 60 stitches inside my face to close the wound from the inside out, and then just 3 stitches on the outside to close it. i'll scan and post a pic or two of the healing process.

back on topic: good link, peter! useful stuff.

*edit* scanned some pics. these are probably 4 or 5 days after the accident.

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4wdchico
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by 4wdchico »

A vac gauge connected to manifold vac can be used to diagnose a plugged exhaust system also.

See scenario #14 in the following link:

http://www.secondchancegarage.com/public/186.cfm

No jacking, groveling, drilling or steel shavings in the eye...

The vac gauge is the most underutilized diagnostic tool that there is. Very cheap and easy to use also.
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dlb
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by dlb »

4WDC, can you post a link to a decent vac gauge? i've heard them mentioned numerous times but am totally unfamiliar with them. i wouldn't mind grabbing one to have on hand.
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by 4wdchico »

dlb wrote:4WDC, can you post a link to a decent vac gauge? i've heard them mentioned numerous times but am totally unfamiliar with them. i wouldn't mind grabbing one to have on hand.
My vac guage is about 30 years old. So, not like I have a bunch of experience with what is out there these days. The Bourdon tube pressure gauge, see link below, is very accurate, but will come out of calibration if dropped. So buy a decent one with rubber armor around it and a way of securing it from falling off stuff. Then treat it like the fragile jewel that it is and don't let anyone else even hold it. You will probably have a fine diagnostic tool for life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pressure_measurement

They are often still sold as vac/fuel pump testers. But the pressure test function is for low pressure fuel pumps as found on carbed cars, not modern FI systems.
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by danzo »

Those eye gouge pics are awesome, dlb. My parents would have nailed me to a cross if I had locks like that at 16. If there was a Foghat 33 1/3 LP in the background you would totally be out of "Dazed and Confused" circa '77! But we're glad you recovered, it could have been worse. Was this the germ for you to become a paramedic?

Chico thanks for the vac gauge link. Not too much decent info to be found in shop manuals.
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by Lil Beast »

A good Vac gauge and pump is a good tool to have around many things can be tested and done with it, worth every penny. Since I bought my Mityvac kit, saved me a lot a time in diagnosis engine internal and pin point a problem before getting to it, Lots can be done. Bleeding brakes no more assistant, filling ABS, turbo waste gate adjust, testing misc. Vac line, and lots more. I'll see if can scan my manual at my friend's and post it if any are interested.
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by takza »

dlb wrote:4WDC, can you post a link to a decent vac gauge? i've heard them mentioned numerous times but am totally unfamiliar with them. i wouldn't mind grabbing one to have on hand.
I have both of these....

http://www.harborfreight.com/mityvac-va ... 39522.html

Works real well...but plastic can crack...still works though....after a lot of use....search online for best price?


http://www.harborfreight.com/fuel-pump- ... 93547.html

Makes a good mpg gauge using the vac reading....have used quite a bit....
Last edited by takza on Thu Jan 12, 2012 4:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
Give a boy a gun-give a biatch a cell phone-and pretty soon you almost got yourself a police state.

Orwell said: War is peace! Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength...

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dlb
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by dlb »

takza, those are both the same link.
takza
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by takza »

Fixed.
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Re: Testing a Catalytic Converter

Post by splatterdog »

The Mityvac hand pump does come in metal too. And also in a vacuum/pressure model. The Harbor freight brand pressure/vac gauge is plenty for the casual user

Not too sure about that Scotty guy. His vids seem like a hilbilly infomercial. Auto tech forums are none too kind either. Everyone at IATN got a kick about washing out a bad(not plugged) cat for a P0420 code. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5icTmYItwiE He says he's been doing this for 30 years. I didn't know we had p0420 codes before 1996.

Then, on another vid about replacing a bad cat, he didn't mention that the aftermarket cat he put on will likely only keep the code away a year or so as those cheap cats also have much less active ingredients than OE.

I'm amazed he made it this far on beat up jacks and no stands!

DLB- Ouch! Seen something similar once. A drunken friend just had to wrestle a tree branch into a fire. It fought back and puntured his eye socket too, not as bad though. Myself, I've had metal, rust, torch/welding slag, a screwdriver tip, melted undercoating and probably a few other things in my eyes. With and without eye protection. The most painfull by thing by far was a gnarly chunk of freshly cut big toenail!
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