catalytic converter?

I went for an oil change at my local garage and when i was paying for my bill the clerk asked when my next inspection was. I stated not unitl October, she said well you better save your pennies. The mechanic said i need two oxygen sensors and a new catalytic converter. All for the low price of $1100, parts and labor included of course. After considering throwing a Moltov cocktail through my 99 sl with

109k, i went to Auto zone, the kid pulled the faults with the computer and said my o2 sensors were reading slow. My check engine light has been on for a little so i assumed it was a sensor of some sort. Here is my question, Should I wait until october and see if i fail emissions then replace it or could the sensor's be bad therefore causing the converter to run inproperly. Or is everything shot and i should just take the hit and try to smile? is there anyway to tell? I don't know this mechanic too well i only trust him to change my oil and balance a tire or two. I just don't know him and haven't dealt with him that much. any help would be great!!!
Reply to
dumbass
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Reading slow? you mean low voltage right. anyway did he say it showed codes for both sensors? o2 Sensors are about 65 a pc and cat conv is 199.00 at autozone so you buy parts find hand wrench person remove and replace.

Ok so your not mechanically inclined call around for a few estimates from smaller car shops and get a price.

Heck a whole system cat and all to the tailpipe is about

550 at midas and another 120 for sensors they have to remove them and reinstall them anyway.

If your light has been on for awhile you are just burning more fuel than you need too. The o2 sensors control the lean/rich burn signal for your computer to adjust the fuel.

Don't know what state your in but in ohio if your light is lit you fail automatically now.

Hope this helps,

Reply to
Tim G

narf ... time replace that bulb with the burned out version!

Seriously tho, I'm in Franklin county and I wasn't aware that we had any etests here - does it vary by county, or is it something the state has recently implemented?

Reply to
richard hornsby

he didn't say it showed any codes just that they are reading slow, at Autozone it was $200 for both sensors, but if i change the sensors are the odds in my favor that i am good to go?

Reply to
dumbass

also, is the sensor behind the converter hard to change? The one in front of the manifold appears that it is just a turn of a wrench. I've had this god awful rattling noise for the past couple of months, someone mentioned that the heat shield could be loose or falling off? Thanks for your help, !!

Reply to
dumbass

Would a '99 still be covered under the EPA warrenty?

No emissions test, then what's it matter?

Oh yeah, every state's doing the check engine light BS now. What I don't get is if the light's that accurate, why do they STILL need to test the car, and if it's because the light's not always right, then why do you have to automatically fail if it's on? Then again, I wonder why people put up with the whole BS in the first place....

Reply to
Philip Nasadowski

Heatsheilds loose? You dont have anything else loose causing an exhaust leak upstream do you? A slow 02 sensor could be getting to much carbon build up for all we know. Been keeping up with your oil changes, plugs, and plug wires? There's plenty of info that can be found searching google.com At a quick glance this may be enlighting to you.

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Reply to
Blah blah

Different counties have it depending on how much pollution. don't panic you'll soon get to do the echeck for 20bucks and feel totally ripped off.

Tim

Reply to
Tim G

nope not at all. just get the loaner tool from auto zone when you buy the sensors and you want to remove them with the exhaust hot or you'll be busting knuckles.

Also wear some gloves. as far as the heat shield could be. do you live in a high salt area lotsa winter driving in it. I wouldn't worry about it just find it and remove it.

Reply to
Tim G

I would get the sensors fixed and then see what happens. It is hard to believe that your catalytic converter that is only 5 years old would be bad. Did you damage it in anyway, like some kind of a puncture? Too bad you have 109K miles on your Saturn, Saturn Warranties all emission control parts for 7 yrs/ 70,000 miles! Good Luck!

Reply to
WGRG3

I could be wrong but I believe that (by Federal law,) catalytic converters have an 8-year, unlimited mileage warrantee.

As I said, I could be wrong, but this is certainly worth checking into.

- David

Reply to
David Gintz (formerly newdive

They check the On Board Diagnostic computer to make sure it thinks that everything is within spec and that no trouble codes have been set. They also query to make sure that the owner did not just recently disconnect the battery to perform a soft reset to mask a known problem. Lastly, they send a command to illuminate the check engine light since otherwise people would just pull the bulb or put in a dead one to try to pass the emission test.

Bob

Reply to
Bob Shuman

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