Catalytic Converter

[SSTibet]

Folks, finally we found why the SES warning light is coming up in my car; fault finder says "Right side O2 sensor". Since my catalytic convertors are empty (previous owner did that) my mechanic says the fault light will repeat unless we install the convertors back again. He also says the engine stumbling at normal working temperature will go away... He has the left convertor as a second hand and I need to find the right convertor.

I found the right hand convertor in Ecklers and there is a special remark saying "On 1995's with OBDII you should use the part number 41104 on the right side. OBDII is identified by an 02 sensor behind the converter."... What does that mean??? Is "behind" used for physical location of the sensor??? I thought all 95 Vettes are OBDII compatible? Is that not the case? And one last question, how do I find cheap, second hand convertors?

I need all the advice you can provide.

:cry :cry :cry

 

[FX GS]

That is not necessarly true. You DO NOT have to replace your converters.Get a pair of O2 simulators mounted and the SES light will go out (if the reason they are on is REALLY the case)
Thats alot cheaper than purchasing replacement converters.

And running without converters will not cause "stumbling"

 

[-=Jeff=-]

I agree with FX GS and to add, if you are under the car looking at the exhaust, OBDII cars will have 4 O2 sensors, 2 ont he pipes before the catalytic and 2 after. FX GS is suggesting the Simulators for the 2 sensors located after the catalytics.

The Mechanics scanner may have found the o2 before the right cat to be bad, I would suggest replace both right an dleft sensors before the catalytics and that should fix your problem, along with the o2 simulators for the o2s behind the catalytics as well

 

[SSTibet]

Some More Questions...

Thanks for the advice, but I have a few more questions folks. I hope you can bear with me...

By "stumbling" I mean an unstable engine idling as if the engine may stop at any second, the hood shaking, and also fuel odour inside the car... All of these happen when the car is driven after 10 - 15 miles or so. However it is intermittent and does not happen every time I drive the car.I have no problems what so ever with cold idle. Sorry if I used the word "stumbling" incorrectly.

1. Hayne's manual says whether the car is OBDII can be understood by the number of terminals in the "Assembly Line Data Link" (or something like that, which is located under the driver's knee bolster. I could hardly count mine (the connector is so difficult to see and also small) and I counted 16 terminals (two rows of eight). According to Hayne's this would be OBDII (not OBDI). Any comments???

2. Is there any other thing in the car that will tell me it is OBDI or OBDII (other than 4 oxygen sensors and the connector)?

3. What is the part number and supplier for "O2 simulators"?

I hope I am not getting you bored with this...

 

[-=Jeff=-]

Thanks for the advice, but I have a few more questions folks. I hope you can bear with me...

By "stumbling" I mean an unstable engine idling as if the engine may stop at any second, the hood shaking, and also fuel odour inside the car... All of these happen when the car is driven after 10 - 15 miles or so. However it is intermittent and does not happen every time I drive the car.I have no problems what so ever with cold idle. Sorry if I used the word "stumbling" incorrectly.

1. Hayne's manual says whether the car is OBDII can be understood by the number of terminals in the "Assembly Line Data Link" (or something like that, which is located under the driver's knee bolster. I could hardly count mine (the connector is so difficult to see and also small) and I counted 16 terminals (two rows of eight). According to Hayne's this would be OBDII (not OBDI). Any comments???

2. Is there any other thing in the car that will tell me it is OBDI or OBDII (other than 4 oxygen sensors and the connector)?

3. What is the part number and supplier for "O2 simulators"?

I hope I am not getting you bored with this...

Not sure on the Simulators part #s. But you can get them from Ecklers, or Mid America I am pretty sure.

But I am still pretty sure 1996 is the First year for OBD II Officially, infact my friends 1994 vette has the 16pin connector and is OBD I and it has only one sensor behind one of the Catalytics and I don't think it is really used with OBD I. I think the 1994 and 1995 are mutts as They have a lot of the OBD II stuff but still operate on OBD I. We have emissions testing here and they will plug in the computer only on OBD II cars, which they state as being 1996.

As to your engine problem, does this 'Stumbling' occur at idle only? Did you reset the IAC correctly after cleaning it? iis the SES Light on when this happens?

 

[ShaneL]

You can get the simulators from TPIS their part number is 300-275 (this if for the flat connector version check on your car to be sure). They cost approx. $80.00 for a set.

 

[SSTibet]

I have not checked how many O2 sensors I have (to determine whether it is OBDII or OBDI); I am pretty sure the car is OBDI - got lots of inputs from the forums...

Stumbling occurs at both idle and driving and the SES light may be on or off during stumbling. For example, I took the car to repair shop last Friday and it sat for an hour or so (engine not running) and then I drove to another shop for something else; it started stumbling after a kilometer or so driving and SES light was not on... I would say that the engine was not warm yet either `cause the car was parked for the whole time at the first shop.

Any comments???

 

[jsinga]

If I were you I'd do 2 things 1st, and they cost under $10.
1. Get a bottle of good fuel injector cleaner. Techtron or Redline, (I'm sure there are others)
2. Get a bottle of gas line dryer, which is plain ol methol alcohol if you can get it, not rubbing alcohol it is already 60% water.
Anymore fuel is pretty clean but what you are describing might be caused by some water in your gas tank.
Anyway it won't cost much to find out.

JS

 

[SSTibet]

I had my O2 sensors replaced last weekend . there are 3 sensors on the car; one on the driver side (before the cat) and 2 on the passanger side (one before and one after the cat). I had read somewhere in CAC that the O2 sensor on the passenger side, which is after the cat, does not emit any signals to the PCM, I replaced it anyways :L (I would replace this one with an O2 simulator if I could find one here - there was not any in the spare part shops)...

This new mechanic has the diagnostic computer and he told me that all 3 new sensors are now functioning - he had also checked them before. I also fueled up the car from a good gas station and put some injector cleaning compound in the gas. So far so good, no CES fault light or engine stumbling... Hope it goes on like this.