Health reading of the catalytic converters in Durametric

[Ahsai]

Hi all,

Does anyone know if Durametric can indicate the health of the catalytic converters? If so, which value I should look at and how to interpret those? I'm sure the dealer can do that with their factor tester since a tech told me before.

TIA

[Loren]

The health of catalytic converter would be measured just like the DME does. That is, you would compare the O2 sensor before the cat to the O2 sensor after the cat. The Porsche OBD II manuals have diagrams of the proper waveforms and readings. Any OBD II reader that can plot those readings is all you need and both Durametric and the Porsche PST2 or PIWIS testers can do that too.

[Ahsai]

The health of catalytic converter would be measured just like the DME does. That is, you would compare the O2 sensor before the cat to the O2 sensor after the cat. The Porsche OBD II manuals have diagrams of the proper waveforms and readings. Any OBD II reader that can plot those readings is all you need and both Durametric and the Porsche PST2 or PIWIS testers can do that too.

Hi Loren,

Thanks for the answer and yes, I understand you can do it manually like that. I was just wondering ifthe DME can run some tests and show a consolidated value that indicates efficiency directly.

[Loren]

Not exactly that I recall. Certainly the smog tests (if your state does them) reports the efficiency (or lack there of).

[wvicary]

I've never used the Porsche Testers but you should be able to force the readiness statues which will test the O2 sensors and cat convertors. The convertors are monitored by the secondary O2 sensors but they also need to reach a certain temp, be able to hold that temp for a certain amount of time and have a oxygen reserve.

Each vehicle has it's specific set of operating parameters and it takes some experience to interpret the results.

What issues are you have that has brought about the question?

[Ahsai]

I've never used the Porsche Testers but you should be able to force the readiness statues which will test the O2 sensors and cat convertors. The convertors are monitored by the secondary O2 sensors but they also need to reach a certain temp, be able to hold that temp for a certain amount of time and have a oxygen reserve.

Each vehicle has it's specific set of operating parameters and it takes some experience to interpret the results.

What issues are you have that has brought about the question?

Actually no current issues at all :) I was just trying to establish a baseline (if there's a way) to monitor how quickly/slowly the cats will deteriorate. There is a built in automatic (not triggerable by user) Cat efficiency test but it has a binary output (Passed/Failed). I was looking more for some continuous value that tells you how good/bad the cat is performing even before it triggers any CEL. Kind of like mode 6 data that tells you the acutal value before the value crosses the "failed" threshold.

[wvicary]

There is no real baseline to monitor as the convertor is so dependent on the health of other components. It either does it job or can't.

[logray]

Aside from monitoring the post cat O2 sensors (which the DME does for you), I don't think there is much you can do. I've read you can remove them and shake them, and if they have an internal breakage and rattle significantly then that is a sign they are on their last leg, if not already gone.

[wvicary]

You can measure the difference between inlet and outlet temps. If the unit is working correctly you can expect to see approx a +50 C higher temp on the outlet. Keep in mind this spec is a rule of thumb and only to be taken after you have purged the convertor and gotten it up to temp.

[Ahsai]

Yea, I've tried both measruing the inlet/outlet temp and the post cat O2 sensor reading. All are normal.