Mark: Hi, it's Mark Bossert. I'm here with Bernie Pawlik, Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver. Vancouver's best auto service experience. Voted best in Vancouver by their customers, 25 times for auto repair. And we're talking cars. How are you doing Bernie?
Bernie: Doing very well.
Mark: So 2013 Subaru Outback, what was going on with this particular vehicle?
Bernie: This vehicle came to our shop for a maintenance service, couple of other issues. And among the other issues was the check engine light was on. So we did a diagnostic on it. And found that it needed a catalytic converter replacement. And how we came to that conclusion, there's various trouble codes stored, whenever your check engine light comes on. We have a computer that can read those codes and from there make a determination of what's wrong with it, by monitoring data and doing further tests. You need to be very clear just because it has a code for something doesn't mean that component is wrong.
Occasionally, there's a certain code that will show up and you go, yep, that's that part for sure, because we know that from experience and how it monitors it. But this one is different. So the code is a catalytic converter efficiency code. This is a common code as vehicles get old and catalytic converters wear out, and it's basically telling you the catalytic converter is not doing its job. It's not cleaning the emissions like it's supposed to and needs to be replaced. It should be replaced since in British Columbia by law, you don't have to fix that. It used to, but not anymore.
Mark: So what kind of mileage are we looking at that catalytic converters start to fail at?
Bernie: Well, this vehicle at about 250,000 kilometres. So it's up there, a fair bit of mileage. And I was actually looking at the work order we did on the vehicle. And we, I guess when the vehicle was in a year previously, I guess the light had been on and this code was there. So the owner had chosen not to do anything at the time. We just made a note of it, but you know, once you get up in around the 200,000 kilometre range, this is kind of where it happens, but sometimes it'll happen earlier. And one thing that'll kill a catalytic converter faster than anything is an engine misfire. So if you ever notice your engines running rough or the check engine light is blinking, which will usually be associated with a rough running engine. That's when you should fix that problem immediately because catalytic converter failure happens very quickly after that if you don't fix it.
Mark: So if I don't have to fix it, why would I, aren't these quite expensive? People are stealing them.
Bernie: Yeah. It's an expensive job. Never known anyone to steal a Subaru catalytic converter by the way. You know, I'm sure it's happened, but they're kind of a, you know, we'll see some pictures in a minute, but yeah, they are very expensive to fix. And in any jurisdiction that doesn't have emission laws you know, emission testing, you basically don't really need to fix it.
But I mean, I don't like it when my check engine light's on, on my dash, you know, it's bothersome, you know, and when it's on, if another problem occurs, you don't know that that problems occurred because the light is already on for something else. So I think to me, a lot of times people fix them because they just want their cars to be in good running and good working order.
Mark: Pretending the problem has gone away doesn't mean, like putting tape over the check engine, like doesn't make the problem go away in other words.
Bernie: No, it doesn't. That's for sure.
Mark: All right. What are we looking at here?
Bernie: Yeah. So this is the old catalytic converter removed from the vehicle. They're expensive on Subarus, on these model Subarus, because the converter is close coupled with the rest of the exhaust, so if we look at those black openings there, that's where the exhaust manifold bolts right up to the cylinder heads.
So we're getting the hot exhaust right out of the engine. It goes through those metal pipes. It's nicely formed pipes. It's basically a header goes into a collector where all exhaust mixes, and then it goes into that rusty thing on the end, and that's the catalytic converter. One of secrets to low emissions on vehicles, you know, over the last probably two decades is to put the catalytic converter very close to the source of the heat, the exhaust system, because catalytic converters need heat to start.
Back in the seventies when they started putting them in, catalytic converters were halfway under the vehicle and it would take a few minutes for the engine to warm up sufficiently for the converter to actually light up. So it makes a lot of sense to put the converter close by, but it's more expensive and trickier to repair.
Mark: So what is the catalytic converter actually doing?
Well as exhaust flows past the catalytic converter, it basically converts pollutants like carbon monoxide, leftover hydrocarbons, this is basically unburnt fuel and oxides of nitrogen, which is basically a part of the combustion process. It converts them all into basically CO2 and water. So it basically cleans it. It's kind of miraculous. I mean, as the exhaust flows past it, I mean, and it's moving fast, especially when you accelerate hard, basically it's a chemical reaction, that's what a catalyst does. It just causes a chemical reaction. They use precious metals, which is why people steal them because, you know, a good catalytic converter from a dealer, you know, the actual load of precious metals is high. So the more precious metals, the better it works.
Mark: So we have some other pictures here. There's the converter.
Bernie: There's a converter and a closeup. And you can see a couple of holes in the converter, one on the left. One on the right. This is where your oxygen or air fuel ratio sensors go. What those do, the air fuel ratio sensor, where you've got that marked out right now, that's basically the front oxygen sensor, and it actually measures the fuel ratio coming out of the engine, and so it can tweak and adjust the fuel mixture, you know, more fuel, less fuel, it'll adjust that.
On the left side, there's an oxygen sensor, and it measures the oxygen content coming out of the converter, and from there, it can tell whether the converter is actually working properly, and it's basically this sensor that'll tell the computer the efficiency is off on the converter. It's not working properly, it needs to be replaced. Also, you know, in a good working converter, it can also fine tune the fuel mixture for minimal optimum emissions, I guess we'd say.
And there's another view of the unit upside down. Now, if you're to look under your Subaru, you won't see this thing because it's basically covered in heat shields. And so the heat shields are not on this piece because we transfer them over to the replacement converter. But yeah, it's basically shrouded in heat shields. Again, it's important to keep the heat in, contained and get right into the converter. So that's what it does you know, for best efficiency.
Mark: And you just purchased a new one of these from Subaru?
Bernie: No, we bought an aftermarket converter. Original equipment converters are very, very expensive for the most part. Sometimes we use them, depends on the car. But mostly we use aftermarket converters, they're generally pretty good. They last a long time. An aftermarket one won't last as long as an original one, but you know, for the time, again, 250,000 kilometres, 11 year old car. How long is a person going to, you know, you got to kind of think how much life, you know, you have left.
Mark: Calculating the cost benefit ratio.
Bernie: Yeah, exactly.
Mark: And after repair, oxygen sensors all said everything was okay?
Bernie: Yeah. Yeah. And the check engine light was out and all good.
Mark: So if you're looking for service for your Subaru in Vancouver, the guys to see are Pawlik Automotive. You can book online at pawlikautomotive.com, or you can call them at (604) 327-7112 to book your appointment. You have to book ahead. They're always busy. Pawlik Automotive in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Thanks so much for watching and listening. Thanks Bernie.
Bernie: Thanks, Mark. Thanks for watching.
