XPost: alt.home.repair, ca.driving   
   From: kludge@panix.com   
      
   Paul in Houston TX   wrote:   
   >   
   >If you have access to a laser temp device or can borrow one... they seem   
   >to be everywhere nowadays... if the cat is doing its catty thing then   
   >the outlet temp will be a lot higher then the inlet temp.  Run it for a   
   >15 sec or more at ~2000 rpm then measure the temps, ~300-400F inlet and   
   >600-800F outlet.  If the ratio is lower then it may not be catalyzing   
   >very well and will give high HC readings at the tail pipe.  In the old   
   >days a good working cat would start grass fires.  Now they are better   
   >shielded so try to get the temp reading of the cat and not the shield.   
      
   And the vehicle is long past the age where it should need a new converter.   
      
   But that doesn't mean you shouldn't make sure there is no possibility of   
   something else damaging the converter.  Because you don't want to swap out   
   the converter and find the problem is fixed but returns.   
   --scott   
   --   
   "C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)