Thanks for that clarification and the relationship to the 02 sensor. After
a few months of inactivity, I just got my Westy Syncro (1987) going again.
Everything is functioning fine, though the 02 sensor came on and stayed on.
I just assumed that it was the mileage thing kicking in and was going to do
the reset. I assume if I reset and it comes back on its the sensor, and if
it stays off it was the mileage thing. Am I correct? Thanks.

At 09:40 AM 5/10/98 -0700, David Marshall wrote:
>There are a few mays you can do it.  Cats run at a very spacific temp
>range.  Outside of that they will eventually melt or get plugged.  If your
>O2 sensor dies the oxygen content of your exhaust changes and so does the
>temprature therefor killing your cat.  Cranking without starting I don't
>think will quickly kill the cat bacuase they are designed to take a small
>amount of abuse when you start you car up.  Usually the cold start feature
>makes the mixture richer for a few minutes and this won't kill the cat.
>Prolonged driving at the wrong temp will kill it.
>
>At 00:48 5/10/98 -0700, Joseph Tu wrote:
>>Hello,
>>
>>I was wondering how you can mess up your cat. conv. Will cranking the
>>engine over repeatedly without it starting mess up a cat? All possible
>>ways, please do tell.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>
>>Joe
>>
>>
>
>-- David Marshall, Quesnel BC, mailto:david@volkswagen.org --
>   -- 78 1.8L VW Rabbit, 80 2.0L VW Caddy, 87 Audi 5KQ  --
>   -- 85 1.8L VW Cabrio, 88 1.6L VW Syncro Double Cab   --
>   -- Volkswagen Homepage http://www.volkswagen.org     --
>     --  USE DAVID@VOLKSWAGEN.ORG WHEN SENDING EMAIL  --
>

"Once in a while you get shown the light in the strangest of places if you
look at it right"

Hunter/Garcia