QuestionQUESTION: hello, im looking at buying a 97 mitusubishi eclipse gsx, it seems to run perfect, and sounds smooth, the check engine light has been on for almost 2 years, the owners bought the car and the light turned on, on their way home, from buying the car. the seller said that the cat had been taken out, so there was a o2 sensor that wasnt plugged in, im hopeing that the sensor is whats triggering the check engine light to come on. thanks any imput on this would be great
ANSWER: Mick: Don't have any idea what you are talking about with the cat bit. Sorry. The way to know what that check engine light is all about for sure, is to have the car coded. In that if you got an AutoZone close by, they will coded the car for free and then you would know for sure. Just how well do you know these people and can you trust them to be honest with you on that light. If the light came one when they were bring the car home, why did they not take it take to whereever or whoever they bought it from ask about the light? Just what the heck is a cat? In a car, I have never heard of such a thing. I would ask the owner to have the car coded that is when they hook the computer of the car with the check engine light that is on, hook it up to the inshop computer and it kicks out whatever the problem is in the car. The computer is what kicked that light on because it found a problem in the system. I would have this checked out, but then I have no idea how much you are buying the car for, but do you want to start out already with an headache? It could be the sensor well the o2 sensor is the problem with the light and sooner or later that is going to cause problems with the way the car runs. Could you please explain the cat bit to me? I just have never heard of such a thing and would like to know more about it. My email address is (oppedal50@yahoo.com) I mean I have worked on cars a lot of years but this cat bit is a new one to me. God bless: Linda
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QUESTION: by the cat, i mean the caddilac converter in the exhust system,this guy belives that there is a sensor there thats not lugged into the caddilac converter, since he had the stock one removed and i think it either has a high flow after market one, or a straight pipe was welded in. the car has 98000 miles and he said the timeing belt looked good, these people im buying the car seem to be pretty honest, they are asking 7000 for the car but i hav talked them down to about 6400, he had aggreed on fixing the caddilac converter, i hope the shop he brings it too can take care of it, and get the check engein light to turn off
AnswerMick: Are you in the United States or someplace else? Because in the states it is against the law to remove that catalytic converter, because now that car is putting out all kinds of nasty things into the air. So don't be sharing this with to many people. I am not sure if a shop will agree to work on the car, but maybe if the catalytric converter is being put back in. As I think it is around $10,000.00 fine if the shop is caught taking one off and putting in a pipe. Or if for some season a cop or DOT was to check your car once it is your car. Hopefully you have no plans to move because some states will have to check things out like that before you can get the plates for your car. In most cases when a straight pipe is put in they remove the catalytic converter; really to be honest here, I don't think the guy can sell the car to you without it having that in place. You know with time that car will start to have problems because it does not have the catalytic converter in it. Here is what my repair manual says about the catalytic converter.... because of the a "federally mandated" the car has to have a catalytic converter in it at all times. What that does for your car is that it reduces hydrocation, carbon monoide and oxides of nitrogen emissions. But now the car is kicking out all this into the air, still if no one checks; no one is any wiser would be the guy that put on the straight pipe, but I would not want to be caught with that. With time though without the catatlytic converter your fuel milage will not be as good and you will start to have other problems with the car because the car is set up to run with that catatlytic converter in place. I do not think the man you are buying the car from will replace that part, as it is very costly. I am sure this is the car you want, I guess my one question to these people is why are you selling the car if you like it so much? I mean when I buy a used car, I often will ask that. I mean if it is such a great car then why sell it. Just please becareful here, but then if you are not in the states. Then it would be ok. But the states have some high fines for such things. I know my shop will not remove the catalytic converter from a car, we will of course fix it if it is bad but always puts in a new catalytic converter, the car does not leave the shop without one. Please becareful here with this car. God bless: Linda
