Date:         Sun, 18 Aug 2002 06:36:06 -0700
Reply-To:     Ron McLean <ronalanmclean@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Ron McLean <ronalanmclean@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Cat dead?:, was: O2 Sensorama
In-Reply-To:  <000101c245f5$be286e60$6701a8c0@gumby>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

What about our cat? What if there's no unleaded gas in
Honduras like they say? Wouldn't that just bugger
things up nicely? Or, can I use a straight pipe like
every other car?

What do I do with the O2 sensor if I have a catalytic
converter failure? (Be nice, that may be where I'm
at).

What would the symptoms be if the catalytic converter
died in my van?

Ron

--- "G. Matthew Bulley" <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
wrote:
> O2 sensor not important, eh? Just for 'clean air
> wack-o's' eh?
>
> From a functionality/engineering perspective, the O2
> sensor is eyeballs
> of the fuel injection system. Without it, the ECU is
> practically blind.
>
> Think of it this way, your FI system has three basic
> components;
> sensors, injectors, and a brain to guide the
> quantity of fuel injected.
> In the category of "sensors" you have some that pick
> up semi-extraneous
> data on temperature around the motor, air flow
> coming in, etc. which it
> crunches into a firing solution for the injectors.
>
> The "final analysis" or QC for the fuel system is
> the O2 sensor. It sits
> in the exhaust stream and measures EXACTLY how the
> combustion process is
> working.
>
> The O2 sensor is the ONLY sensor in the FI system
> that actually measures
> how well the system is achieving its goal of
> delivering maximum HP and
> efficiency with each cylinder firing. The rest of
> the sensors are all
> "preliminary" data that proceeds the firing cycle.
> Does this make sense?
> The O2 sensor is like a QC guy at the end of a
> factory assembly line
> with a hotline to all of the production stations in
> the factory, and
> authority to tell each of those stations what to do
> to improve the
> product coming out of the factory.
>
> It is so vital to the operation of your engine, that
> VW put a warning
> light on the dash that reminds you to replace it
> every 30k. VW is not a
> warning-light-happy company. Failing to replace The
> 02 sensor eventually
> leads to the van reverting to the very lame "limp
> home" program in the
> EFI ECU. This limp home program has been known to
> ruin/melt catalytic
> converters because it tends to run very rich. It
> also fouls plugs, and
> yields poor mileage, and poor performance.
>
> So, if you haven't splurged for the amassively
> expensive ($30) O2
> sensor, stop being a cheapskate. Go get the sensor.
>
>
> Developing business and guiding change since 1996,
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Bulley-Hewlett
> Marketing & Communications
> Business: www.bulley-hewlett.com
> AIM = IExplain4u
> Phone: +1.919.658.1278
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List
> [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
> Of Dan Erlandson
> Sent: Saturday, August 17, 2002 9:18 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: A few unrelated questions
>
> Hey everyone,
>
> Just joined the list... great info.
>
> My 91 GL has 167 K on it with a rebuilt engine and
> rebuilt auto tranny.
> It
> is running fine these days, but a couple of
> questions
>
> 1.  I seem to read in the postings that the O2
> sensor has some impact on
> the
> smoothness of the running of the engine.  I guess I
> thought it was just
> an
> emissions issue.  If it has never been replaced then
> I should replace
> it?
>
> 2.  The fresh air fan, a.k.a. defroster/heater  fan
> for the front seems
> to
> have gone bad.  Smoke and bad fumes when you turn it
> on.  No problem as
> long
> as it isn't on.  Bentley indicates that you have to
> pull the whole
> dashboard
> in order to access the fan.  I ordered one from VW
> and am close to
> starting
> the procedure.  Any advice?  Also picked up a couple
> of the shear bolts
> that
> hold the steering column to the dash (as per
> Bentley).
>
>
> -- Dan Erlandson
> Flemington, NJ
> > danoer1@eclipse.net


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