Catalytic converter

[DHerman]

I am receiving a check engine light on my 2003 Sport Trac. I had it checked on a computer and it said it was the oxygen sensor. I now am understanding there are four of them. I also have read that the Cataletic converter may be going bad and there is a sensor after the converter. I am in Panama and I have been told several times to remove the Cataletic converter. My engine will run cooler and I will get better gas mileage. What will happen if I remove the converter? Will this oxygen sensor give me problems if I remove the converter?

 

[WidgetTrac]

Just wondering, do they still have leaded gas down there?

The ST has several cats in series, 4 altogether on mine, so what would happen probably depends on which one and whether it was really bad or if the problem is just a bad sensor. The computer reads the o2 levelv and uses the data to fine-tune the air/fuel ratio and other functions, and if the data it sees is out of range the result could be as mild as a check engine light that wont go off. There might be a possibility that the error would force it into closed-loop mode, which is crappy compared to when it's running right.

If all your o2 sensors are identical, you could try getting one new one and then swapping it out one at a time until you find the bad one, if that's the problem.

Also, you can unbolt the y-pipe from the big cat and look inside and see if it's all clogged up. No way to look at the others without cutting pipe.

 

[ncranchero]

What was the code, is the first question.

Is there still leaded gas in Panama?

FYI, Emission equipment removal is a no-no discussion here as it's illegal in the USA. IDK about Panama but but it's still a verboten subject here.

 

[DHerman]

Gas

No they use the same ggas as the states uses. 91 or 95 octane. No 87 here though. It is not ilegal to remove the converter here but I would like to keep the Air clean if possible. Parts are tuff to come by here.

 

[snoranger]

I am receiving a check engine light on my 2003 Sport Trac. I had it checked on a computer and it said it was the oxygen sensor. I now am understanding there are four of them. I also have read that the Cataletic converter may be going bad and there is a sensor after the converter. I am in Panama and I have been told several times to remove the Cataletic converter. My engine will run cooler and I will get better gas mileage. What will happen if I remove the converter? Will this oxygen sensor give me problems if I remove the converter?

You were lied to... You will not get better mileage and your engine will not run cooler without the cats. You will cause more pollution and have a check engine light all the time if you remove the cats.


What is the actual code? That will tell you which O2 sensor to check.