Tom@sri-unix (07/20/82)
This is getting rediculous! Somebody originally posted a message asking about his "ENG" (sic) light. I gave him a reply discussing the "EGR" light (which comes on every 15k miles and is reset by pressing recessed button on a black box connected to the speedo cable). Now all I see is ranting and raving about the "CAT" light, and nobody ever asked about that. Anyway, for the record, early (no fuel injection) Rabbits had catalytic converters and heat sensors: the CAT light would go on if the converter got too hot. In 1979 (I think) the emmission regulations got strict enough that catalytic converters were required again in 49-State models. But now there is no heat sensor. I guess the fuel injection system is precise enought that the converters will not overheat. You may be interested to know that overheating problems were apparently common to all cars at that time. One Detroit manufacturer stated that the smouldering of the floormat in the car was the warning that the converter was malfunctioning! Rabbits without catalytic converters have a "CAT" light on the dash, but there is no bulb (or socket for that matter) behind the bezel. Tom Almy decvax!teklabs!tekchips!toma (or) ucbvax!teklabs!tekchips!toma
wagner (07/25/82)
Not to be too gloomy, but I would watch out for overheating catalytic converters on non-fuel injected rabbits. I saw one go up in flames on the highway once on my way back from Ithaca. The driver must have had a little time, because he got to the side of the road and out of the car. But the car went up fast. If you think where the converter goes in relation to the fuel tank, you can see why. It sprayed fuel all over the shoulder (read car in the right-hand lane if he hadnt gotten off the road fast!). Saw two more cars go up in flames in California on my recent trip there. Does this happen more often in the states than up here where it is colder, or was this just coincidence (3 to 0)? Michael Wagner, UTCS