[Shop-talk] High Hydrocarbons

[Karl Vacek]

O2 sensors are pretty cheap, and I've changed the one on my '93 Suburban
every 50,000 or so.  Given the similarity of vehicles and years, I'm
guessing it's pretty much identical to the setup on your truck.  Suburban
almost always runs better with a new O2 sensor.  The sensor should be on the
driver's side of the Y pipe at the back of the engine - easy to get to under
the hood.  I think it takes a 7/8" box wrench?

As far as the cat, there's a YouTube video where a guy uses a gallon of
alcohol in half a tank (regular car - 10 gallons?) of gas and claims it
usually cleans his converter pretty well.  For harder cases he takes the cat
out and soaks it overnight in a bucket of water with regular laundry
detergent, hoses it out, and reinstalls it.  YMMV   ;-)

When my cat went out on the Suburban (at maybe 150,000 miles?) I replaced it
with a rebuilt original.  Passed emissions better than new - really - and
wasn't loud like the tiny Walker ones that cost just as much.  Still passed
easily till a couple of years ago the People's Republic of Illinois finally
stopped testing pre-OBDII vehicles.

Karl


-----Original Message-----
From: eric at megageek.com
Subject: Re: [Shop-talk] High Hydrocarbons

Is there a way to test O2 sensors?  I'm guessing the cat isn't poisoned
since it doesn't smell.  How do I check a crankcase rebreather?  This is a
91, so there is no OBD II Connector.