stingray454 wrote:
I have the software, and I loaded your file. I'm new at this, so I don't know what I'm doing yet. I figured out how to replay everything. I see 2 fail codes in the test tab, both called MANUDEF with a CID of $21. I have no idea what any of this means, and the software doesn't explain anything. Since I don't have my car's data yet to compare it too, its tough for me to comment.
That's odd. Loading the same file into my system, no item shows up under tests with the TID of $21, nor with the name ?MANUDEF?. I have two FAIL results. The one we seem to be most focussed on right now is ?$10 CATRAT2?,
?$10 Catalyst Rear to front Ratio Bank 2 is 0.8 to 1 with maximum limit of 0.6 has FAILED?. Anyone know what, exactly, this means?
I spent some time today chatting with a mechanic. He thinks I should focus on fixing the EGR, and that there's a good chance that that's the real cause of the entire problem. I'm thinking now that perhaps another possibility is that the cat and the EGR are two separate problems, having nothing to do with one another. Anyway, the cat doesn't seem to be causing, at least not directly, any DTCs; I've so far only seen P0402, which points at the EGR valve. My mechanic doesn't think a clogged cat would cause increased EGR flow, as I had theorized.
There was a known issue with defective cat converters on 95's and 96's where the catalyst material would disintegrate and plug up. I had this happen to my '96 at 40k miles. They were covered under the federal emissions warranty and all three cats were replaced for free. Your mileage puts you out of that warranty however.
On the other hand, perhaps there's some reason to hope that if this problem was going to affect this car, it will already have done so long ago, well before it came into my hands with 109,320 miles. I guess I'm back to wondering what this ?rear to front ratio? is, and whether having a ratio of 0.8:1 when it should be no more than 0.6:1 is consistent with a clogged condition.
There should be 2 cats on your car - a precat next to the exhaust manifold, and the main cat under the car. Both should be replaced. Figure about $500 in parts if you do it yourself.
Is that what they cost from a Ford dealer? Any hope there's a cheaper aftermarket source? I suppose this is the sort of thing that is best not obtained from a junkyard.
