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Torque converter glowing red

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  • #954290
    Michael AndersonMichael Anderson
    Participant

      Hey eric. I have a 2006 Hummer H3. It’s a giant problem …. I’ve already changed out the motor and had the transmission rebuild 2 weeks ago. it’s an inline 5 engine and has a catalytic converter connected to the exhaust manifold and one converter towards the rear of the Hummer. The one to the rear the Hummer sounds like a bunch of rocks in a tin can when idling. When I went to the muffler shop to get it changed out, we noticed that the converter was glowing red all the way to the O2 sensor. He told me he did not want to change the converter because there was another underlining issue regarding a fuel mixture running lean or rich which would cause the exhaust system to heat up and glow. So I need to figure that out before I change out my converter. I was wondering if you had any ideas on what it could be? The only check engine lights I get is for catalytic efficiency below threshold. Nothing else. Any help on troubleshooting this would be much appreciated. Thank you for your time.

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    • #954294
      Nightflyr *Richard Kirshy
      Participant

        If there is an issue regarding a fuel mixture running lean or rich which would cause the exhaust system to heat up and glow.
        You first need to look at your fuel trims to determine which, then proceed to trouble shoot the cause.

        #954298
        Michael AndersonMichael Anderson
        Participant

          So we checked everything. Fuel Trim, plugs, injectors. No misfire codes. No Rich codes. No lean codes. No codes at all except for the occasional catalyst efficiency low code that I get and erase here and there. It rattles really bad at idle. So could it just be that my rear catalytic converter is so clogged that it is making itself glow red?

          #954309
          Nightflyr *Richard Kirshy
          Participant

            What are the fuel trims?
            One thing would be to check the heat shield to see if that is the cause of the rattle.
            If the rattle is internal then your looking at a broken substraight that could be restricting the exhaust.

            #954312
            Michael AndersonMichael Anderson
            Participant

              I don’t know what the field terms are it’s at the mechanics. But I definitely know it’s not the heat shield. The rattle is underneath near my transfer case at the catalytic converter. And when I move the catalytic converter or tap it you can hear everything banging around in there.

              #954313
              Michael AndersonMichael Anderson
              Participant

                Sorry I meant to say fuel trims. Also since there’s so much they’re rattling around, it sounds like a bunch of rocks banging around in a soup can. So if it’s doing all that could it actually be that clogged that it’s turning itself red? I just want to make sure I don’t buy a catalytic converter and then it just burn up.

                #954315
                Nightflyr *Richard Kirshy
                Participant

                  You may want to change the title of this thread, your dealing with a cat converter not a torque converter.
                  I suggest you google what the internals of a cat converter look like.
                  Then you’ll understand how it could possibly restrict the exhaust.
                  Considering you really don’t know if the engine is running properly to begin with …
                  Suggest you have your mechanic do some basic checks. Print out of live data including fuel trims, MAF or MAP, operating temp etc.
                  As to the converter glowing, again you’ll need to confirm that the engine is operating correctly to be able to eliminate it as a possible cause.

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