cat going bad?
January-8th-2003, 02:56 PM
#1
...master of the obvious.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Posts: 197
cat going bad?
evryonce in a while i smell that sulfur bad eggs smell. i would think that it means a cat is bad. right? what causes a cat to go bad? could this be n20 related?
January-8th-2003, 03:35 PM
#2
Master of All Things :{D
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: southeast texas, near houston
Posts: 4,118
no it does NOT mean your cat is bad....it generally will smell like that when you run your car hard...or just get the cat REALLY hot....I never really smell it on my car...but I passed up a freind from work the other day.....just blew by him.. and the next day he told me "hey, that thing you drive really stinks...I mean it smells!" lol I was wasting no time getting around him....had it hammered down.
its normal...don't worry about it.
its normal...don't worry about it.
January-8th-2003, 05:14 PM
#3
Protege Enthusiast
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 113
I had the same problem, and I talked to Mazda about it. They gave me a copy of their service bulletin.
I wish I could get a scan of this, but my web cam does a crappy job of it so here goes. Sorry that it is going to be long.
Description:
On some vehicles, a sulfer smell or "rotten egg" odour may be noticed coming from the exhaust system. The odour is usually noticed after a cold start, fast idle, extended peroids of idling and full throttle acceleration. Sulfer smell is not an indication of an engine concern and will not cause reduced driveability or durability of the engine or any engine components.
-The sulfer smell is caused by high ammounts of sulfer in the gasoline being used in the vehicle. Sulfer is normally eliminated during the refining process, but regulations of sulfer in gasoline differs from Province to Province. Vehicles using fuel containing high amounts of sulfer will most likely emit sulfer smell from the exhaust.
-When high sulfer fuel is burned, there is a chemical reaction in the catalytic converter causing the sulfer to oxidize. As the vehicle is driven, the oxidizing reaction odour in the converter will decrease with time and distance travelled.
Recommendations:
Caution: Replacing the catalytic converter will not eliminate sulfer smell and replacement will just extend the period of time needed for the converter to 'age' allowing it to reduse sulfer smell to an acceptable level.
Switch to a different brand of fuel and drive the vehicle at least 160 kilometers. Monitor the decrease or increase in sulfer smell.
-Do not add any type of 'fuel additive' as this could add sulfer to the fuel and cause/increase the odour.
-Try to avoid extended periods of short trip driving or aggressive acceleration.
-Request information from your local fuel dealers on the amounts of sulfer in their gasoline. Try to use fuel containing the lowest amounts of sulfer.
-Visit gasoline company websites to stay informed on any changes in fuel or environmental regulations.
-A website to check is: www.epa.gov
I wish I could get a scan of this, but my web cam does a crappy job of it so here goes. Sorry that it is going to be long.
Description:
On some vehicles, a sulfer smell or "rotten egg" odour may be noticed coming from the exhaust system. The odour is usually noticed after a cold start, fast idle, extended peroids of idling and full throttle acceleration. Sulfer smell is not an indication of an engine concern and will not cause reduced driveability or durability of the engine or any engine components.
-The sulfer smell is caused by high ammounts of sulfer in the gasoline being used in the vehicle. Sulfer is normally eliminated during the refining process, but regulations of sulfer in gasoline differs from Province to Province. Vehicles using fuel containing high amounts of sulfer will most likely emit sulfer smell from the exhaust.
-When high sulfer fuel is burned, there is a chemical reaction in the catalytic converter causing the sulfer to oxidize. As the vehicle is driven, the oxidizing reaction odour in the converter will decrease with time and distance travelled.
Recommendations:
Caution: Replacing the catalytic converter will not eliminate sulfer smell and replacement will just extend the period of time needed for the converter to 'age' allowing it to reduse sulfer smell to an acceptable level.
Switch to a different brand of fuel and drive the vehicle at least 160 kilometers. Monitor the decrease or increase in sulfer smell.
-Do not add any type of 'fuel additive' as this could add sulfer to the fuel and cause/increase the odour.
-Try to avoid extended periods of short trip driving or aggressive acceleration.
-Request information from your local fuel dealers on the amounts of sulfer in their gasoline. Try to use fuel containing the lowest amounts of sulfer.
-Visit gasoline company websites to stay informed on any changes in fuel or environmental regulations.
-A website to check is: www.epa.gov
January-8th-2003, 06:01 PM
#4
formerly chastan
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: California, USA
Posts: 2,350
I also found this bulletin on theMans site (under 2nd gen).
http://web2.airmail.net/emann/proteg...000002146.html
Of course, it's a US version, as our regulations don't vary from "Province to Province," but "state to state"
http://web2.airmail.net/emann/proteg...000002146.html
Of course, it's a US version, as our regulations don't vary from "Province to Province," but "state to state"
