Safety Warning
DIY auto repair can cause serious injury, fire, or vehicle damage. These guides are for informational purposes only. Always follow OEM torque specs, wear PPE, and consult a certified mechanic if you are unsure. You are solely responsible for your safety.
Air Injection System
The CCC system uses a 3-way catalytic converter to reduce harmful emissions. The rear half of the converter needs additional oxygen to operate, so the air injection system is designed to supply air to the converter as well as the exhaust manifold.
During warm-up, the system supplies air to the exhaust manifold, which helps to complete combustion in the manifold and heats the oxygen sensor rapidly. When the sensor has reached operating temperature, air can no longer be supplied to the manifold, since the additional oxygen would "fool" the oxygen sensor; preventing it from determining the mixture.
An air switching timer (on firewall) is used by the CCC to provide air switching. As soon as the engine coolant sensor indicates to the computer that coolant is warm, it starts a 70 second timer. At the end of 70 seconds, a signal is sent to a vacuum solenoid, which allows vacuum to operate the air switching valve. Air is directed "downstream" to the converter. If the engine is warm when started, the 70 second timer begins immediately. See Figure .
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When to See a Mechanic
Stop DIY work and contact a certified mechanic immediately if any of the following apply:
- • You smell fuel, burning insulation, or see smoke.
- • Brakes feel soft, pull hard to one side, or make grinding noises.
- • The engine overheats, stalls repeatedly, or misfires under load.
- • You are missing required tools, torque specs, or safe lifting equipment.
- • You are not confident in the next step or safety outcome.