Catalytic converters must be warm before they can work properly. On a cold start the PCM provides a rich mixture to keep the cold engine running.
All that extra fuel goes into the catalytic converter. But the exhaust isn't very hot, because, ah, the engine is pretty cold. GM has employed several strategies to fire up the catalytic converter quicker and reduce cold start emissions. One way is to use a secondary air pump that pumps outside air directly into the catalytic converter.
One example of this would be when an automatic vehicle in placed in gear. To prevent the added drag from the torque converter and transmission from reducing the idling speed, the PCM will command the idle control valve to allow more air to enter the engine, while at the same time, adjusting the injector pulse width to inject more fuel to suit the increased amount of air. Note that the idle air control valve is closed by the PCM when the throttle plate is opened to prevent excess air from entering the engine.
OBD B3979 code and tailpipe testing are two different approaches to identify vehicles in need of repair. The OBD system looks for broken or malfunctioning emissions control components and door handle switch circuit open, while tailpipe tests sample a vehicle's exhaust to see if it is above or below certain prescribed limits. Given the robust nature of today's emissions control components, it is entirely possible for an individual component to B3979 malfunction without leading to an immediate increase in emissions at the tailpipe. In such cases, other components (like the catalyst) can temporarily compensate for the part that is broken however, these other components can only do double duty for so long before they, too, begin to malfunction. In addition, OBD also monitors for B3979 and other malfunctions in the fuel system problems that traditional tailpipe tests were not designed to identify. Most state and local areas also include a gas cap pressure test as part of an emission inspection.
Difficulty Level (Expert)
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Repair Time (35 Min.)
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| Cost Prediction : $ 50-100 |
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B3979 is a kind of Body Trouble Code
Auto body problems aren't always easy to spot. Diagnosing auto body problems sometimes requires a little know-how. In this section you'll find articles dedicated to teaching you how to diagnose auto body problems. |
You can view according B3979 DTC for your car model. We selected several models to see obd2 solutions click and view it.
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