CAMPAIGN: RESTRICTED CATALYTIC CONVERTER 4.1L V-6

GENERAL MOTORS HAS DETERMINED THAT CERTAIN 1981 AND 1982 ELECTRAS, LESABRES, REGALS, AND RIVIERAS EQUIPPED WITH 4.1L V-6 ENGINES MAY DEVELOP A RESTRICTED CATALYTIC CONVERTER RESULTING IN POOR ENGINE PERFORMANCE OR A NO-START CONDITION. TO PREVENT THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS CONDITION OCCURRING ON VEHICLES INVOLVED, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WILL REQUIRE REPLACMENT. VEHICLES INVOLVED MODEL YEAR MODELS INVOLVED 1981 ALL "A", "B", "C", "E", "K" MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 4.1L (VIN CODE 4) ENGINES. 1982 ALL "B", "C", "E", "K" AND "G" MODELS EQUIPPED WITH 4.1L (VIN CODE 4) ENGINES. VEHICLES THAT HAVE HAD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED WITH PART NUMBERS 25056620 CONVERTER ARE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS CAMPAIGN. PARTS INFORMATION PARTS ARE TO BE OBTAINED FROM GMWDD USING THE FOLLOWING PART NUMBERS: DESCRIPTION PART NUMBER KIT, CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH UPPER BEADS 25056983 (INCLUDES FILL HOLE PLUG) *PACKAGE, LOWER BED BEAD 25056903 (AS NEEDED TO FILL CONVERTER) CLAMP, CONVERTER FRONT EXHAUST 1259609 (IF NEEDED) BOLT, INTERMEDIATE EXHAUST PIPE TO 11502877 CONVERTER (TWO PER VEHICLE, IF NEEDED) BOLT, EXHAUST HANGER TO CONVERTER (TWO PER VEHICLE IF NEEDED) 11504596 *A LOWER BED BEAD PACKAGE, WHEN USED ALONG WITH THE BEADS REMOVED FROM THE OLD CONVERTER, WILL COMPLETE APPROXIMATELY TEN (10) VEHICLES. ADDITIONAL FILL HOLE PLUGS, IF REQUIRED, MAY BE ORDERED USING PART NUMBER 8998202. TO ENSURE THESE PARTS WILL BE OBTAINED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, THEY SHOULD BE ORDERED FROM GM PARTS (GMWDD) ON A C.I.O. ORDER WITH NO SPECIAL INSTRUCTION CODE, BUT ORDER ON AN ADVISE CODE (2). SPECIAL TOOLS A. CONVERTER BEAD REPLACEMENT TOOL KIT EACH DEALER WAS SHIPPED DURING MARCH, 1983, ONE (1) COMPLETE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEAD REPLACEMENT TOOL KIT J-34155, NO CHARGE. EACH KIT CONSISTS OF: J-34155-1 SIFTING PAN (1) J-34155-2 STORAGE PANS (2) J-34155-3 FUNNEL (1) IN THE EVENT ADDITIONAL KITS ARE REQUIRED BY THE DEALER, THEY MAY BE PURCHASED FROM: KENT-MOORE TOOL DIVISION KENT-MOORE CORPORATION 29784 LITTLE MACK ROSEVILLE, MI 48066 B. CONVERTER PLUG INSTALLER CONVERTER PLUG INSTALLED J-34118, PART OF THE 1984 ESSENTIAL SERVICE TOOL PROGRAM. TECHNICAL PROCEDURE A. INSPECTION 1. INSTALL SEAT AND FENDER COVERS AND RAISE VEHICLE ON HOIST. 2. DETERMINE PART NUMBER OF CONVERTER ON VEHICLE. SEE FIGURE 1 FOR LOCATION OF CATALYTIC CONVERTER PART NUMBER. A. IF CONVERTER IS PART NUMBER 25056620, IT SHOULD NOT BE REPLACED. LOWER VEHICLE AND INSTALL CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL, PART C OF THIS PROCEDURE. B. IF THE CONVERTER IS NOT IDENTIFIED AS PART NUMBER 25056620, IT SHOULD BE REPLACED AS INSTRUCTED IN PART B OF THIS PROCEDURE. PART B - CONVERTER REPLACEMENT CAUTION: THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER BEADS CONTAIN PLATINUM, PALLADIUM, AND/OR RHODIUM. ADDITIONALLY, THE BEADS MAY BE FINELY COATED WITH LEAD COMPOUNDS. THEREFORE, PRECAUTIONS SHOULD BE TAKEN TO MINIMIZE DUST GENERATION DURING THE REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE. THESE PRECAUTIONS INCLUDE: - CATALYST DUST SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY WETTING WITH WATER PRIOR TO BEAD REMOVAL, AS DESCRIBED IN STEP 4. - THE USE OF A SUITABLE DUST MASK, RUBBER GLOVES, AND SAFETY GLASSES IS RECOMMENDED WHEN HANDLING CATALYST BEADS. - APPLICABLE OSHA STANDARDS SHOULD BE REVIEWED. - ALLOW CONVERTER TO COOL BEFORE HANDLING. 1. LOOSEN CLAMP AND DISCONNECT AIR PIPE FROM CONVERTER. 2. DISCONNECT INTERMEDIATE EXHAUST PIPE AND HANGER FROM REAR OF CONVERTER. 3. REMOVE CLAMP AND DISCONNECT CONVERTER FROM FRONT EXHAUST PIPE. 4. STAND THE OLD CONVERTER UPRIGHT ON THE INLET END AND POUR 16 OUNCES OF WATER INTO THE OUTLET END TO CONTROL CATALYST DUST. 5. USING A HAMMER AND CHISEL, REMOVE THE FILL HOLE PLUG FROM THE LOWER BED. (THE SMOOTH SIDE OF THE CONVERTER IS THE LOWER BED SIDE). SEE FIGURES 1 AND 2. 6. HOLD THE CONVERTER OVER A CLEAN PAN (J-34155-2) AND EMPTY THE CATALYST BEADS BY SHAKING. IT MAY BE NECESSARY TO TAP THE CONVERTER BELT FLANGE WITH A HAMMER TO LOOSEN THE BEADS. 7. POUR THE BEADS INTO A SIFTING PAN (J-34155-1) AND SIFT TO REMOVE UNDERSIZED BEADS. UNUSABLE BEADS AND DUST CAN BE RETURNED VIA EXCHANGE PROGRAM DESCRIBED IN GMWDD BULLETIN IB NO. 83-138. 8. PROP THE NEW CONVERTER UP AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE WITH THE LOWER BED FILL HOLE AT THE TOP. 9. USING FUNNEL J-34155-3, POUR THE SIFTED BEADS INTO THE LOWER BED OF THE NEW CONVERTER. (SEE FIGURE 2.) TAP BELT FLANGE WITH RUBBER MALLET TO ALLOW BEADS TO SETTLE. CONTINUE FILLING AND TAPPING UNTIL CONVERTER IS FULL. IF ADDITIONAL BEADS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETELY FILL THE LOWER BED, IT WILL BE NECESSARY TO OBTAIN A LOWER BED BEAD KIT FROM THE PARTS DEPARTMENT. EXCESS BEADS FROM THE KIT SHOULD BE SAVED IN A CLEAN CONTAINER FOR FUTURE USE. 10. LAY THE CONVERTER DOWN ON A FLAT SURFACE WITH THE LOWER BED FILL HOLE ON TOP. 11. INSERT THE FILL PLUG INTO THE LOWER BED FILL HOLE. THE FILL PLUG OUTER RIM MUST REST AGAINST THE CONVERTER BODY. 12. INSERT TOOL J-34188 INTO FILL PLUG AND TIGHTEN TO A TORQUE 47 N.M (35 LB. FT). (SEE FIGURE 3). 13. INSTALL NEW CONVERTER IN VEHICLE REVERSING REMOVAL PROCEDURE (STEPS 1, 2, AND 3) AND USING NEW BOLTS AND CLAMP AS REQUIRED. TORQUE FRONT CLAMP NUTS TO 35 N.M (26 LB. FT.), INTERMEDIATE PIPE TO CONVERTER BOLTS TO 20 N.M (15 LB. FT.) AND HANGER TO CONVERTER BOLTS TO 52 N.M (38 LB. FT.). 14. LOWER VEHICLE AND INSTALL CAMPAIGN IDENTIFICATION LABEL, PART C OF PROCEDURE.

General Motors bulletins are intended for use by professional technicians, not a "do-it-yourselfer". They are written to inform those technicians of conditions that may occur on some vehicles, or to provide information that could assist in the proper service of a vehicle. Properly trained technicians have the equipment, tools, safety instructions and know-how to do a job properly and safely. If a condition is described, do not assume that the bulletin applies to your vehicle, or that your vehicle will have that condition. See a General Motors dealer servicing your brand of General Motors vehicle for information on whether your vehicle may benefit from the information.