Hi fellow brick owners,

I own a 940GLE 16 valve (1991) and its a CBU from Sweden. I vaguely aware of the problems related to bad OS. One weekend I slip down under my car to get a better view of the OS. Thats when I realised that this is a case for the X-files agents. My car does not have a Cat or a OS. But there is no problem with the car's performance. My mechanic tells me there is no need to install Cat or OS since my car is not giving me any problem. I assume the previous owner must have done some modifications or may be the car was not assembled with Cat or OS in the first place. I live in Malaysia and our regulation does not make it complusory to have Cat in our cars. I will appreciate if anyone out there can solve this mystery. If mine runs fine without OS why there are many problems being posted here which are related to bad OS? Or is my problem just about to begin? To install Cat and OS or not to Cat and OS? Thats the question. If I need to install cat and OS, what is the OS model? How does it looks like? How many wires it has? Where is the connector in the car? OH HELL !!!! I shouldn't have gone under the car in the first place. Now I'm all worried. PLEASE HELP!!!!

Thanks

velan@hotmail.com

In general, cars are fitted with converters only in markets where it is required to pass emissions laws. Many European countries were just starting to require unleaded fuel at the time your car was made. Depending on its intended place of sale (was it originally sold in Malaysia? or Sweden?)it may have not been necessary. Check the door jambs and underhood labels to see what emission controls were fitted to your car originally. The fact it has wires in the harness does not mean it came with the O2 sensor.

If your car does not REQUIRE unleaded fuel, then it surely was not equipped with these part that die a rapid death when poisened with tetra-ethyl lead.

Hi Gene

Thanks for the reply. I think that I'll let the car run without cat and O2. BTW, the car was made to be sold in Malaysia and at that time we were already using unleaded. Furthermore the petrol flap on the car indicates that the car should only use unleaded fuel. Of course, that does not mean much. As for the info on the door panel I discovered this : YVI944816M1001611. Any idea what it says?

thanks again.

velan@hotmail.com

If your car has had the cat and 02 sensor removed from an OEM application, it would probably get better mileage with the 02 sensor reinstalled.

That being said, Malaysia probably also has a large petrol distribution system that is not set up for nor does it have the capability to segregate unleaded fuel. Therefore a cat/02 sensor engine management system would die a quick death if leaded fuel were used.

Cars ran fine for years without cats or 02 sensors....they simply ran richer than they had to (since there is no way to 'tell' what a particular engine is operating at, the FI map is generic to an engine model and must not be lean).

BTW, it may run fine, but leaded fuel boogers up exhaust systems, sparkplugs, and engine sludge...I haven't forgotten the gray sludge that accumulated in oil pans and lifter valleys of small block chevy's I rebuilt 30 years ago....

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply. After posting my question, I went back and looked for any dangling wires or connectors at the fire wall that may tell that the car was previously fitted with O2. But I did not see any connectors to that effect. However the followings are my observation:-

1. The coolant temp sensor is fitted beneath intake #1 as opposed to intake #2. But beneath intake #2 there is a two wire connector mounted to the block. This connector and cable is different from the connector used for coolant temp sensor. Slightly deeper and below is the knock sensor. There is a connector cable (identical to the coolant temp sensor cable) lying next to the coolant temp sensor. This cable is wrapped up together with all the coolant temp. sensor cable, knock sensor cable and the cable for device underneath intake #2. Any idea what this may be for?

2. I checked around the lub. oil dipstick, but did not see any connectors but now I know where is the RPM sensor though.

3. Underneath the right strut bar there are various big squarish connectors with lots of cables attached (driver side - bear in mind we drive right hand). Here I found another connector (identical to the one used for coolant temp sensor) lying loose there together with one male connector which looks very odd in size. It is roundish and long and at the nip is the male connection the other end is one green wire. Any idea what these are?

If I were to get the cat. and O2 from the junkyard and weld it to the exhaust, which of the connectors I must use? Please help. Thank you for helping me out here.

velan@hotmail.com