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What is it that your hoping to see in the downstream sensor readings?

A steadier reading maybe? In the old catalytic converter, it was never steady, fluctuating between 15 and 700 mV always. So I'm guessing that the same will happen to this converter as well, eventually. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Here’s my thinking/guess; your original converter was burnt out for whatever reason (likely over fueling or misfire). You replace it with a used one, that was on its last legs and whatever burnt out the original, took this one out as well.

Now, you don’t have to guess whether the converter is bad or not because they can be tested; with the use of a gas analyzer and this math formula.
Pre cat gas minus post cat gas divided by pre cat gas multiplied by 100 equals catalyst efficiency percentage.
Anything below 70% efficient is considered junk.

At the same time the converter is being tested you can determine whether the engine output gases are within acceptable levels; as to not burn out the next converter.

Converters do not die of natural causes; they are murdered.

Acceptable pre converter levels are approximately .5% (1/2) carbon monoxide (CO), 50 parts per million hydrocarbons (HC). As for the other gases O2, CO2 and NOX; well they’ll mostly fall in place, once the CO and HC are with in spec and it is high levels of CO & HC that take out converters.

I know that a DIYer will not likely have access to a gas analyzer but I only charge about ½ hour’s labour to perform the test.
This entails drilling a small test port in front of the converter; taking my gas analyzer samples and then plugging the test port; the post cat samples can be taken at the tail pipe.
I do a fair amount of testing on converters; being an accredited repair facility in Ontario’s emissions testing program. Almost every time I find a bad converter; it’s because the engine wasn’t running properly or there has been some form of engine management work done on the vehicle, very recently.

Dan

Thanks guys, for your views.

I actually was debating about buying a new cat, but the junkyard cat came by and I decided to test it before installing a new one. Looks like what I thought is right, and it died.

If something did kill the cat, where do I start to look? I'll try to get the gases analyzed as soon as possible. But if I do find unacceptable upstream gas levels, what's next?

Thanks again.

But if I do find unacceptable upstream gas levels, what's next?
That all depends on what combination gases are out of line; so to answer your question, I don’t know, not without testing things or receiving accurate test results.
High CO is a product of incomplete combustion of the air fuel mixture. Where all the oxygen has been burnt away; with no oxygen there’s nothing to feed the fire to burn off the remaining partially burnt carbon.
HC is a product of no combustion of all or a portion of the air fuel mixture in the cylinder; in other words raw un-burnt fuel, leaving the cylinder.
There is not a go to thing that will cause higher then “normal” gas readings; but through testing of electronics, ignition & fuel systems and not forgetting that there’s a mechanical engine under all of these systems; you can eliminate the things that are not at fault.

Look at it this way the actual gas readings are like the trunk of a big old tree; at the top of that trunk are hundreds of different branches. You decide on which branch to clime out on, after you’ve performed tests and analyzed those test results. Believe me its not hard to be way out on one of those limbs and then find out you’re wrong.


Dan.

Look at it this way the actual gas readings are like the trunk of a big old tree; at the top of that trunk are hundreds of different branches. You decide on which branch to clime out on, after you’ve performed tests and analyzed those test results. Believe me its not hard to be way out on one of those limbs and then find out you’re wrong.

LOL........How true it is

You seem to be right that your pics and what I found don't match exactly and one place doesn't list a filter at all?


OK - This much of questions is that hose that's off belongs back on with or without a clamp. It's so blower motor doesn't suck in junk mostly to cool it.


Filter instructions appear different and you should be certain before messing it up AND that is really has one. Yes it would be behind glove box and more to take off than your first pic. A YouTube of it was there to sell the filter was some help but wasn't exactly yours?
Links generally not allowed but was just selling their own filter you don't have to buy from them..........



I think it's between where actuator cable goes over to the pivot and righter case where you see foam under like a one inch cover? At bottom of that might be a clip and filter slides out?


Can't say much for sure on this one, sorry to leave you to hunt more or another here may know or have better info for this exact car. Seems the exact one ended that model year? Might have to take old one if where I think it is to match up best bet a NAPA or a dealer will be thrilled of course.


Back to that hose left off: Other types of similar don't use a clamp or design hold rubber into hole. That one appears like a pinch type clamp should be on it? Also appears from foam on cable someone has been there before either for filter or something as it's torn which doesn't matter but indicative that's the spot as that cable does seem to have to move to do a filter.


Hope that's of some help. I'd rather you found more exact instructions and NOT break anything in doing this,


T

Thanks Tom. Yeah I'd actually seen that video in my quest to find my air filter, that's what led me here.

Is it possible for a car not to have one? Wouldn't that cause damage to the a/c (not to mention lungs)?

If it helps, I'm in Australia, is it possible the setup is different for over here?

There's a few things about this car that have thrown me and I never thought something as simple as cabin air filter would be on that list.

After spending a while looking at it, I've come to the conclusion there really isn't anything that can actually be accessed other than those two clips on the first photo (but I'm sure there's a lot more to do to get into that) or the 5 screws on what I suspected might be the air filter. I really don't see where else it could go. Is there any harm in undoing those 5 screws or am I potentially opening up a whole new can of worms?

And thanks, the hose has been reconnected. I have no idea why it's off but it must have been that way for a while.

Actually, I be very surprised if it DID have one. They are pretty rare in those smaller cars.

Yeah it's right hand drive, and the air flow is completely normal. The only reason I'm pretty keen to get to the air filter (if there is one) is that the car has had a musty smell since the day I bought it. After a while I realised it was coming from the vents. The smell can range from a just a general and mild stale air kind of smell, to a full on "this smells like cat pee" kind of deal, usually when I first start the car. I've run two different types of a/c bomb through it and all that seems to do is buy me a couple of weeks before the smell is back. It just get the feeling it isn't healthy to be breathing this air continually.

So in my mind, I feel like I need to check the air filter for mould or something. I don't really know what else to look for to track the down the source of this smell. I really don't know much about car a/c systems so I'm trying to figure it out as I go along.

Odor thru air ducts is a problem. Products sold for it with assorted help. Some you spray in panel vents some everywhere.


I suggest a product similar or exactly Lysol with setting to "fresh" air, non recirculated first down thru vent by wiper blades where they turn on hood and let that run thru then spray everywhere inside.


This can also be wet from under carpet that may have to come out to fully dry out and also treated.


Real problem. If it's being a mold issue and getting wet all the time you may not win till that is sealed. Air ductwork cleaning could be extensive work.


If humid enough also check when A/C is needed that water drips if A/C is blowing cool air normally that it drips to the ground not wet the carpet. That could be cleared out.


Cabin filter could only help if wet and moldy now then question and fix is why and what to fix so it doesn't do that.


Last ditch you may need to seek pro help. There is some luck with ozone generating machines left in car.


If food something and or constantly being wet and not dried out you might not win this battle well or for any long time.


A living mold you will have to disinfect or it will come right back. Good luck. Rare but some folks get rid of cars over this if bad enough,


T

Ah I see, you've definitely cleared some things up for me there. I'll give the Lysol thing a go and start hunting for damp spots.

I was afraid this wasn't a quick fix, even when I was just going with swapping over an air filter.

Summer is just around the corner here and the a/c is going to be seeing a lot of action so I've been trying to get on top of this ASAP.

Thanks very much for your help Tom, I greatly appreciate it, and you too HT.

The smell is coming from mold that has grown on the evaporator core itself so spraying stuff in vent isn't going to do much of anything. They make some kits for this type of stuff. One of them is a foam that is shop up the drain tube. It expands, covers the evap and then drains out. What I have done sometimes is fill a bug sprayer with Lysol and drill a small hole in the evap case so I can insert the wand and spray down the evap directly.

Just thought I'd come back to update on the situation and maybe help anyone else who's in the same predicament.

Basically it turns out the cabin filter housing is the thing I suspected (even a dealer didn't realise it so my car must be a little quirky). You basically remove the 5 screws holding the cover in place and it's a much larger panel that comes off than the standard cover behind the glove box.

There was no filter in there, just a mass of old leaves and dead bees etc. So I cleaned all of that out and ordered a filter for an 02 Accent not knowing if it would even remotely resemble the filter my car needs but it fit perfectly thankfully.

I took out the filter again, put the cover back and sprayed some disinfectant into the air intakes like you recommended. We don't have Lysol in Australia, we have something that looks pretty similar. I ended up buying this Valvoline a/c spray from my local auto store.

So I did that and replaced the new filter and so far so good, haven't had that smell come back as of yet. So fingers crossed the job is done.

Thanks again for all your help, and hopefully this will help someone else in the future.

If it didn't have an easy access door to the filter then it wasn't designed to have one. The basic shape is there because some models did have it but yours did not.

The problem seems to be resolved so I will close this now as solved to keep the spammers out.

Note on Lysol: If hard to find brand try to find exact ingredients in another. I just know that by brand works and do use a "store brand" that's just as good. Idea is you MUST kill mold bacteria not just cover up an odor,


T

IF the car has one, it will be vertical, on the right side.

Nice find HT. I see that now as what I first thought is the vertical cover behind cable and would pull tab at bottom, top would pull down to reveal filter? Then the issue would be to match it up to the correct new one, T