10-22-2009, 03:07 PM
Hurting your car---- depends on how the ECM is programmed. If it's programmed to run insanely lean, you may end up with a shorter engine life.
I agree with the commentary that the issue may be the O2 sensors. Some cars have a sensor inside the Catalytic converter that can tell when the Cat is dead, but most do not. What led the mechanic to diagnose a dead Cat ?
Note also that Catalytic converters are warrantied, by federal law, for 8 years or 80,000 miles. I believe it's independent of ownership, so even a used car with less than 8 years of life or 80K miles qualifies.
I once bought a car that had the cat removed and bypassed. I foolishly believed the guy's tale that it wasn't a problem. It wasn't where he lived, but it WAS where I lived. (Emission rules may vary by county and state). "Fortunately" it was totaled in an accident before I had to have it emission tested.
I agree with the commentary that the issue may be the O2 sensors. Some cars have a sensor inside the Catalytic converter that can tell when the Cat is dead, but most do not. What led the mechanic to diagnose a dead Cat ?
Note also that Catalytic converters are warrantied, by federal law, for 8 years or 80,000 miles. I believe it's independent of ownership, so even a used car with less than 8 years of life or 80K miles qualifies.
I once bought a car that had the cat removed and bypassed. I foolishly believed the guy's tale that it wasn't a problem. It wasn't where he lived, but it WAS where I lived. (Emission rules may vary by county and state). "Fortunately" it was totaled in an accident before I had to have it emission tested.