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[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=52895]A couple of things we need to get straight. First, a rotten egg smell does NOT mean that your catalytic converter is bad. The rotten egg smell is from the sulphur in the gasoline and has NOTHING to do with the catalytic converter other than the catalytic converter separates out the sulphur which is the reason you smell it.
Second, the ECM does NOT control the spark, the ignition module does. According to the wiring diagram that was posted you get a signal from a hall effect sensor, probably in the distributor, and that signal is sent to the ignition module. From there the module fires the coil. The ECM does monitor the ignition signal and can adjust timing but the actual work is done by the driver in the ignition module. That being said I’d be looking to the ignition module for the problem if you’re not seeing a primary signal on coil negative. It could also be that the hall effect sensor is not sending a signal to the module so that signal should also be checked.[/quote]
As far as I can tell on my car, the ignition module is a part of the ignition coil so the the lack of a pulse when cranking should be before that somewhere. The wires that I have to test for the pulse goes straight to the ECM.
Is there a way to check a hall sensor? I don’t really see anywhere to probe. I know where the sensor is, I just don’t know what I should do to test it. Is it possible it could be the crank sensor or the camshaft sensor or just one or the other? From what I can tell too, the sensor should be giving a CEL code if it’s bad which is not and makes it more confusing. The crankshaft sensor is supposed to give a CEL after cranking for 6 seconds if it’s bad but it’s not. Could it be an engine ground somewhere? I found some but I’m not sure I found all the grounds.
Thanks for the help!
Edit: Ah, the one in the distributor should be the camshaft sensor. That looks like a bugger to get at IIRC.
[quote=”EricTheCarGuy” post=52895]A couple of things we need to get straight. First, a rotten egg smell does NOT mean that your catalytic converter is bad. The rotten egg smell is from the sulphur in the gasoline and has NOTHING to do with the catalytic converter other than the catalytic converter separates out the sulphur which is the reason you smell it.
Second, the ECM does NOT control the spark, the ignition module does. According to the wiring diagram that was posted you get a signal from a hall effect sensor, probably in the distributor, and that signal is sent to the ignition module. From there the module fires the coil. The ECM does monitor the ignition signal and can adjust timing but the actual work is done by the driver in the ignition module. That being said I’d be looking to the ignition module for the problem if you’re not seeing a primary signal on coil negative. It could also be that the hall effect sensor is not sending a signal to the module so that signal should also be checked.[/quote]
As far as I can tell on my car, the ignition module is a part of the ignition coil so the the lack of a pulse when cranking should be before that somewhere. The wires that I have to test for the pulse goes straight to the ECM.
Is there a way to check a hall sensor? I don’t really see anywhere to probe. I know where the sensor is, I just don’t know what I should do to test it. Is it possible it could be the crank sensor or the camshaft sensor or just one or the other? From what I can tell too, the sensor should be giving a CEL code if it’s bad which is not and makes it more confusing. The crankshaft sensor is supposed to give a CEL after cranking for 6 seconds if it’s bad but it’s not. Could it be an engine ground somewhere? I found some but I’m not sure I found all the grounds.
Thanks for the help!
Edit: Ah, the one in the distributor should be the camshaft sensor. That looks like a bugger to get at IIRC.
Is there anyway to tell how a connector is numbered? I found the pinout for the ecm here:http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/Campingart/jettatech/techset/index.htm
but the harness has 3 rows of contacts that make it up so I’m just not sure how it’s wired to actually probe it.
Is there anyway to tell how a connector is numbered? I found the pinout for the ecm here:http://faculty.ccp.edu/faculty/dreed/Campingart/jettatech/techset/index.htm
but the harness has 3 rows of contacts that make it up so I’m just not sure how it’s wired to actually probe it.
Thanks for the websites, I think it’s the ECM in my car though. I can’t figure out how to get the cover off to get to it but it seems from reading online that if it doesn’t blink it means it’s not getting a ground signal from the ECM. :/ I’m assuming it’s not cheap either if it’s that. Hopefully I can figure out how to get the cover for it off to get to it.
The only thing that has me puzzled still though is how there’s no CEL code when I turn on my car.
Thanks for the websites, I think it’s the ECM in my car though. I can’t figure out how to get the cover off to get to it but it seems from reading online that if it doesn’t blink it means it’s not getting a ground signal from the ECM. :/ I’m assuming it’s not cheap either if it’s that. Hopefully I can figure out how to get the cover for it off to get to it.
The only thing that has me puzzled still though is how there’s no CEL code when I turn on my car.
Alright, so I’m not getting electric at the plugs and ignition coil seems alright but not positive. The wiring coming into the ignition coil I checked and it’s getting 12v when I turn the engine to on. The problem is though, usually to test it they say to run a light across the contacts with the key to on and it should be a solid light, which it does. The problem comes in however is when I crank the engine, the light does not blink, it stays lit the whole time. Does anyone know what that could mean? I don’t know enough about it to know what would make it not blink when you’re cranking. The guy at the autopart store told me thought it could be the ignition module, the cam sensor, or the crank sensor but he wasn’t sure and he didn’t want me to spend the money and not be sure if it would fix my problem. Does anyone know what could cause it not to blink when cranking? I’m just not sure so I can’t even test anything unfortunately.
Alright, so I’m not getting electric at the plugs and ignition coil seems alright but not positive. The wiring coming into the ignition coil I checked and it’s getting 12v when I turn the engine to on. The problem is though, usually to test it they say to run a light across the contacts with the key to on and it should be a solid light, which it does. The problem comes in however is when I crank the engine, the light does not blink, it stays lit the whole time. Does anyone know what that could mean? I don’t know enough about it to know what would make it not blink when you’re cranking. The guy at the autopart store told me thought it could be the ignition module, the cam sensor, or the crank sensor but he wasn’t sure and he didn’t want me to spend the money and not be sure if it would fix my problem. Does anyone know what could cause it not to blink when cranking? I’m just not sure so I can’t even test anything unfortunately.
[quote=”Tran” post=49798]from what i learned..rotten egg smells means ur cat is working properly or could be misfiring. All those raw fuel dump into heated surfaces catalyst..chemical reactions occurs, hydrogen sulfate is the smell. Anyway you dont you start checking the basic first like sparks, could be ignition coil? Smell rotten egg in exhaust..i assume there fuel being sprayed in..catalyst converter clogged up is possible, take out O2 sensor or part of the exhaust could be a b%%Ch..test the easy things first..hope it help !! :cheer:[/quote]
I didn’t think it was this but it may just be… The reason I ruled it out was I did a tune up (new plugs, wires, rotor, cap, etc.) 20k miles ago and I even got the nicer plugs and wires for it. I tried to get Bosch parts since there wasn’t much difference but I just checked when I got home from work and I’m getting no spark. My ignition coil went about 2 months ago and I replaced that no problem and everything was fine so I though with all the parts being so new it couldn’t be that but I’m not getting a spark at the wire. I’ll have to start probing with the multimeter tomorrow to see what’s not giving it power.
Thanks again to everyone who’s responded, you’ve all been a huge help!
[quote=”Tran” post=49798]from what i learned..rotten egg smells means ur cat is working properly or could be misfiring. All those raw fuel dump into heated surfaces catalyst..chemical reactions occurs, hydrogen sulfate is the smell. Anyway you dont you start checking the basic first like sparks, could be ignition coil? Smell rotten egg in exhaust..i assume there fuel being sprayed in..catalyst converter clogged up is possible, take out O2 sensor or part of the exhaust could be a b%%Ch..test the easy things first..hope it help !! :cheer:[/quote]
I didn’t think it was this but it may just be… The reason I ruled it out was I did a tune up (new plugs, wires, rotor, cap, etc.) 20k miles ago and I even got the nicer plugs and wires for it. I tried to get Bosch parts since there wasn’t much difference but I just checked when I got home from work and I’m getting no spark. My ignition coil went about 2 months ago and I replaced that no problem and everything was fine so I though with all the parts being so new it couldn’t be that but I’m not getting a spark at the wire. I’ll have to start probing with the multimeter tomorrow to see what’s not giving it power.
Thanks again to everyone who’s responded, you’ve all been a huge help!
[quote=”Wayne613″ post=49783]If you yank it…Might as well try to clean it with scotty’s method mentioned at the 1 and 2min marks here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5icTmYItwiE%5B/quote%5DEh… I watched that yesterday but I’m not wild about the idea of pouring lacquer thinner into my gas tank. I don’t think this would even work if it’s not starting though would it? I would think that can only work if it’s still running but giving you the error code. If it’s not starting it can’t move any of that to the cat to try and clear the blockage. The other cleaning stuff is fine but I just want to diagnose, if there’s no way to do it without cleaning then I’ll do it but I don’t mind buying a cat, just don’t want to buy and then it still doesn’t run.
Would it run without the cat attached? I don’t mind replacing the cat I just want to make sure that’s the problem before replacing it is all. Is there any sensor or anything that if I remove the cat it still won’t run? If I can at least getting it idling again and I know it’s the cat then I’m good. I know there’s usually a sensor by the cat, just not sure if it will stop it from running for any reason if the cat isn’t connected.
[quote=”Wayne613″ post=49783]If you yank it…Might as well try to clean it with scotty’s method mentioned at the 1 and 2min marks here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5icTmYItwiE%5B/quote%5DEh… I watched that yesterday but I’m not wild about the idea of pouring lacquer thinner into my gas tank. I don’t think this would even work if it’s not starting though would it? I would think that can only work if it’s still running but giving you the error code. If it’s not starting it can’t move any of that to the cat to try and clear the blockage. The other cleaning stuff is fine but I just want to diagnose, if there’s no way to do it without cleaning then I’ll do it but I don’t mind buying a cat, just don’t want to buy and then it still doesn’t run.
Would it run without the cat attached? I don’t mind replacing the cat I just want to make sure that’s the problem before replacing it is all. Is there any sensor or anything that if I remove the cat it still won’t run? If I can at least getting it idling again and I know it’s the cat then I’m good. I know there’s usually a sensor by the cat, just not sure if it will stop it from running for any reason if the cat isn’t connected.
[quote=”LanEvoX” post=49767]I would actually if you can; take off the cat and see if you can see a clog. If your exhaust system is clogged up to where the exhaust gasses can’t get through it will eventually stall the engine, just like if you were not able to exhale your breath you would pretty much sufficate and well eventually die. Same thing with your engine. Since you don’t have a infared thermometer or a better quality OBDII reader, I don’t know of any other ways to check the cat besides taking it off the car and inspecting it for any clogs. I am supprised a cel didn’t come on and throw out a code. usually it would if the computer does not see any to hardly any O2 in the exhaust so it would try and compensate that by adding or removing fuel.
But that’s my best bet. take the thing off if your able to and inspect it.
I hope this information helps you![/quote]
No, that helps a lot. I’ve never worked on a cat before so I wasn’t sure that if it was clogged if it would be visible. I’ll try to pull it off, hopefully it’s not too stuck on. Thanks for the help!
[quote=”LanEvoX” post=49767]I would actually if you can; take off the cat and see if you can see a clog. If your exhaust system is clogged up to where the exhaust gasses can’t get through it will eventually stall the engine, just like if you were not able to exhale your breath you would pretty much sufficate and well eventually die. Same thing with your engine. Since you don’t have a infared thermometer or a better quality OBDII reader, I don’t know of any other ways to check the cat besides taking it off the car and inspecting it for any clogs. I am supprised a cel didn’t come on and throw out a code. usually it would if the computer does not see any to hardly any O2 in the exhaust so it would try and compensate that by adding or removing fuel.
But that’s my best bet. take the thing off if your able to and inspect it.
I hope this information helps you![/quote]
No, that helps a lot. I’ve never worked on a cat before so I wasn’t sure that if it was clogged if it would be visible. I’ll try to pull it off, hopefully it’s not too stuck on. Thanks for the help!