My Roe hi-flows don't work after only one summer?

[ZEUS]

I have a Roe 3" cats on my stock '94 with 3" glasspacks. Eliminated the catless smell perfectly when first installed. Used them one summer, now the non-cat smell is back and pretty bad. I'm wondering if they "go bad" that early. I don't use the car that much, and only on the street.
Can this happen?

PS-didn't whiff the pass side yet.
PPS-going for gov. emissions test soon--yikes.

 

[CitySnake]

I've had mine for 5 years and 35,000 miles with no problems.

Sean's great with servicing his parts. You might want to give him a call.

 

[AZTVR]

I would think that the main reason for early catalytic converter failure is being fouled due to the engine running too rich. One way that happens is if the O2 sensors aren't working correctly. Too lean could also over power the cat's ability to convert all of the resultant hydrocarbons to cleaner elements. Lot's of things could lead to damaging the cats, including the O2 sensors, a faulty injector, misfiring plugs, etc.

 

[plumcrazy]

mine lasted about 1 1/2 years. one was see thru and rusted bad and the other was just rusted up pretty bad

 

[RAYSIR]

WOW, never heard of checking Cats by the smell. New one on me. We use an emmission analyzer or a infrared pyrometer. Check temps at 2000 rpm and after about 3 minutes measure temp before and after Cat. It will be at least 20 degrees hotter behind the Cat if they work. About the same temp if not working. But that still doesn't mean bad cats. Can be a mixture problem. Cats smell like rotten eggs when rich run and they are lit off.

 

[Sean Roe]

Ummm, yeah....
You can't determine if the cats are functioning or not based on fuel smell alone.
Do you have a check engine light on for anything?
When was the last time the O2 sensors were replaced?
As they age, they output lower voltage, which is interpreted by the PCM as a lean mixture, causing it to add more fuel.
I've seen cars come in, black smoke coming out the pipes they're running so rich, yet have a lean mixture code.
Cats weren't the problem or cause, it was the oxygen sensors.
Have you run any leaded fuel?
That coats the sensors and the cats.
Just food for thought.

Regards,
Sean

 

[Mike Adams]

AFter market Cats **** !!!. I got a letter from Drive Clean Ontario telling us they do not recommend we suggest customers get after market cats for any make of vehicle

 

[dave6666]

AFter market Cats **** !!!. I got a letter from Drive Clean Ontario telling us they do not recommend we suggest customers get after market cats for any make of vehicle

Are you ****ing with us?

 

[RAYSIR]

AFter market Cats **** !!!. I got a letter from Drive Clean Ontario telling us they do not recommend we suggest customers get after market cats for any make of vehicle

Really ??? Sounds crazy to me. Someone makes the Cats for Dodge. The guts are the same material just different package. Sounds just like saying 'ONLY buy factory tires'. If I was an aftermarket manufacture We would be having some serious discussion with the Government. Good thing we have the Moss-Magnuson Act here in the US.

 

[ZEUS]

Do you have a check engine light on for anything?
When was the last time the O2 sensors were replaced?
As they age, they output lower voltage, which is interpreted by the PCM as a lean mixture, causing it to add more fuel.
I've seen cars come in, black smoke coming out the pipes they're running so rich, yet have a lean mixture code.
Cats weren't the problem or cause, it was the oxygen sensors.
Have you run any leaded fuel?
That coats the sensors and the cats.

----My car has only 15k miles for a '94, with no check engine light. I've never checked/changed the O2 sensors though. (No leaded fuel ever).
One suspicious thing that does occur is whenever gearing down, which I do every so often, say on an off-ramp, it kinda wants to stall and sometimes does if I come to a stop. While gearing down I smell it pretty bad, unlike before. Could this be a clue to running rich?
I do hope its not the cats, I do love them as a replacement to the stock behemoths.

 

[Purdue_Boiler_Viper]

Ummm, yeah....
You can't determine if the cats are functioning or not based on fuel smell alone.
Do you have a check engine light on for anything?
When was the last time the O2 sensors were replaced?
As they age, they output lower voltage, which is interpreted by the PCM as a lean mixture, causing it to add more fuel.
I've seen cars come in, black smoke coming out the pipes they're running so rich, yet have a lean mixture code.
Cats weren't the problem or cause, it was the oxygen sensors.
Have you run any leaded fuel?
That coats the sensors and the cats.
Just food for thought.

Regards,
Sean

Sean, I assume that the stock O2 sensors output lower voltage as a function of use vs. calendar time elapsed. Can you give us a mileage at which they should be replaced?

 

[Rollin4]

----My car has only 15k miles for a '94, with no check engine light. I've never checked/changed the O2 sensors though. (No leaded fuel ever).
One suspicious thing that does occur is whenever gearing down, which I do every so often, say on an off-ramp, it kinda wants to stall and sometimes does if I come to a stop. While gearing down I smell it pretty bad, unlike before. Could this be a clue to running rich?
I do hope its not the cats, I do love them as a replacement to the stock behemoths.

To cure the stalling problem try cleaning the carbon your throttle bodies and IAC. Adjust your throttle body linkage. Hope it cures the stalling problem.

 

[Sean Roe]

I change the sensors on my own car about every two and a half to three years (I've had the '96 GTS for 8 years).
At about that time, I can feel the engine running a little sluggish from being richer on the closed loop mixture.
I only put about 6K miles on the car a year.
I'd have to say it's a bit of time and a bit of mileage together that makes them age.
I can tell you one thing for sure, it’s important for them to be functioning correctly.


Regards,
Sean

 

[ZEUS]

I'm trying that first. How much are they, easy to change?

 

[Sean Roe]

You have to get under the car to change them.
7/8" wrench.
You can get them from a dealer or an auto parts store (NAPA has them).
They may be about $80 each at a parts store, more at the dealer.