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The catalytic converter usually has an Oxygen Sensor before and after the converter. The hot exhaust gases of the exhaust heat up a catalystic and the voltage is proportional to Oxygen. By measuring before and after the catalytic converter, you have a sense if the Catalytic converter is working correctly in cleaning up the exhaust. The exhast to be cleaned up correctly requires the PCM to sometimes run Lean fuel mixture, to clean up NOx, and sometimes Rich mixture to clean up HC (Hydrocarbons). So PCM cycles the fuel mixture between rich and lean many times in the process of driving, so that to get optimal efficiency of the catalytic converter. However, if you have a vacuum leak, your engine will run LEAN and the PCM will compensate and force it to run rich instead. After a while, by running rich too much, you are throwing unburned fuel into the exhaust pipe, causing Catalytic converter to become Red hot and causing it to fail. So in short, running Rich, not lean, can cause converter failure.

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13y ago

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Related Questions

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Why is the back converter is glowing red after changing both O2 sensors on a 2000 ford explorer xlt v6?

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