Still glowing

[Ballsy]

Ive tried the search filter but its not working. After i had problems with a glowing cat i got advised that could be the lambda sensors so i changed then both and plugged the laptop in and reset the maps and all was well for a wee while but when i took the car out again last nite it was back, its really holding back under 3k revs

Any ideas

[TT Tim]

Have you run it long enough for the adaptives to 're learn' their setting?

Failing that, a cat can glow because it's collapsed or that unburnt fuel is going down the exhaust.

I'm sure someone else will be along soon to give some other options.

ATB

Tim

[gazzab]

Take the cats out, check em and then put in bypass pipes!

[427james]

Totally agree. The amount of times mine has developed a mis which would have scrapped the cats is frightening!

Take them out man!

[Ballsy]

heres a wee pic off the laptop, does anybody know what it means?

[simonsparrow]

Ballsy said:

heres a wee pic off the laptop, does anybody know what it means?

Dificult to say, but the adaptive values are very far apart at that particular point, they should ideally be within a few points of each other (3-5%).

I had glowing cats with a failed sensor, but sounds like you could have something else going on.

[TT Tim]

Mine started to run like a pig, with the cats overheating on 2 occasions, setting fire to the oil soaked shielding under the car.

Mine was due to the plugs fouling and unburnt fuel being pumped down the exhaust causing the cat to overheat.

I tried changing and swapping lambda sensors etc. etc. at the time trying to find the cause, in the end it was valve stem seals fouling the plugs on the middle 2 cylinders.

You should check, HT leads, make sure they're seated both ends securely, remove the plugs and see how they look, evidence of fouling will be obvious.

All the above are free checks, if you can hold a spanner, anything more complicated and you can then take it to a garage.

HTH

Tim

[Peppe]

Ballsy said:

heres a wee pic off the laptop, does anybody know what it means?

Hi Ballsy !

How long time has time engine been running when You took this graph ?

To me it looks as if only one of the lambdas is working. When both works You get "spikes" from both of them now it seems as just only one is giving the spikes.
When I start my car it takes about ten seconds before the first Lambda starts to work and the other one starts about five seconds later.

Peppe

[Ballsy]

The time is shown along the bottom of the graph, i have changed both of the lambda sensors and reset the adaptives and the car runs fine but after a while i seem to get a missfire from the drivers side bank and the cat starts glowing again!! Gonna have a wee look at the plugs(altho there brand new plugs),leads and coil packs at the weekend and see if i can source the missfire

[Extra 300 Driver]

Ballsy said:

The time is shown along the bottom of the graph, i have changed both of the lambda sensors and reset the adaptives and the car runs fine but after a while i seem to get a missfire from the drivers side bank and the cat starts glowing again!! Gonna have a wee look at the plugs(altho there brand new plugs),leads and coil packs at the weekend and see if i can source the missfire

If they are new plugs you may have a bad connection on one of the HT leads. Mine were difficult to get seated correctly, with a reassuring 'click' as they clip on the plug.

[mikesr]

Have you tried the tie wrap test on the exhaust manifold header pipes?
Start engine from cold, touch tip of tie wrap to each in turn and repeat until it leaves a mark of melted plastic.
If it leaves a mark its hot and hence that cylinder is firing.
No mark - cold hence not firing and dumpng fuel to give that nice unhealthy glow to the cat.

I think thats the way it works. If not can one of the gurus step in

[Tangoed]

I prefer using fingers, it burns! But its bloody hard.

Edited by Tangoed on Friday 12th January 10:14