spark plug and wire change = problems

[schadler]

Need help...

I changed my plugs yesterday (needed it at 88K). In the process, I damamged a wire, and replaced those too. I now have a rough idle, poor power, and a sulfur smell out of the exhaust. Check engine light flashes, than goes on steady, then flashes again.

I double checked all connections and even brightened the sockets that plug into the distributor cap with emery cloth and cleaner. Plugs are direct OEM platinum, and Wires are OEM. I did one wire a ta time, so they aren't crossed or out of synch.

Any ideas? Is my CAT fried now that I smell sulfure, or will that go away once the misfire problem is fixed?

BTW, I'm going to have the code checked tomorrow...I'm done guessing at this point.

Thanks!

 

[aldive]

Let us know the code(s) and then someone can help you.

 

[schadler]

My bad...

I used a screwdriver to push one of the spark plug wires through a crevice, and damaged the boot. It was arcing through the puncture to the shroud around the plug, causing the misfire (found this out after starting it in the dark...could see the arc). I used the old wire, and it fixed it.

Message to self: bloody knuckles beat a check engine light any day...body heals, parts dont.

 

[00XLS]

Glad to hear you got the problem fixed, a flashing CEL means that there is a misfire condition present that will cause almost immediate damage to the CAT. Atleast thast how I learned it, I doubt that you did any real damage.

 

[schadler]

Hmm, I'd say I drove about a total of a mile while it was flashing. Do you think this is something I should be concerned about? what indications would I have that the cat is ruined? Is this something that could affect performance, or maybe just my emissions test?

BTW, it ran fine after I fixed the wire, and I drove it about 10 miles...the performace was a bit snappier than before...needed less pedal.

Thanks!

 

[RiverRat]

Originally posted by schadler
...body heals, parts dont.

The vehicle computer will tell you if you cat is ruined. No need to be concerned because I'm sure you could have driven around a lot longer before any damage takes place. Next time you have an emissions test you can compare your readings. It's all good.

BTW, nice quote!

 

[00XLS]

Yeah I wouldn't be worried either, I have a "misfire" problem with my blazer for over a year and it only through a CAT code once and never again.

 

[schadler]

Good,

Thanks guys! I smelled sulfur, and I read a post that pretty much said sulfur smell equals ruined cat, so I was worried. But it sounds OK.

BTW, how do cat's become "clogged" as some people say? I thought it was just a bunch of loose pellets inside there. Can soot really build up that quick? I can see where it can become chemically unable to do it's job, but it's hard to imagine a cat clogging. But what do I know.

 

[RiverRat]

Sometimes kittys can become overheated by dumping too much HC (unburned fuel) into them. I'm not sure of the chemical reaction but the kittys don't take too well to all the heat and can be damaged.

 

[schadler]

Well, after several months of thinking I had it fixed, I found out that I had a lesser problem with a punctured boot on cyl 4. For the past few months since my plug change, I've been getting a slight misfire every 10 seconds or so. Not enough to cause a CEL until last weekend when I was towing my boat. With about 1 mile to go the engine started sputtering and gave me a CEL. Went to Autozone and in like 10 seconds he told me it was a misfire on cyl. 4. I pulled the plug and wire. Plug was OK. Examined the wire, and found a pinhole in the boot. Replaced wire and all is well. Now I know to handle ignition wires like I handle my wife's b**bs.

 

[slag]

glad to see you got it fixed.

Rarely will a misfire cause any damage to a catalytic converter. The catalytic converter is already very hot (as it converts the exhaust to C02 and water.

The small amount of unburned fuel will be vaporized typically by the heat of the motor before it can accumulate in the catalytic converter.

Btw, the catalytic converter is a honeycomb maze of platinum and palladium which under heat undergoes a chemical reaction with the exhaust to convert the gases to c02 and water and nitrogen. Some cats have beads of platinum and palladium coated on ceramic pellets in place of the honeycomb.