Exhaust Temp Indicator at Steering Column
Exhaust Temp Indicator at Steering Column
Author
Discussion

freeclimb

Original Poster:

42 posts

160 months

Tuesday 28th May 2013
quotequote all
Hi all,

i´m a real newbie on Chimaera 400 - just 2 weeks at my garage.
It´s a 1996 RHD Japan import. Came back via Belgium to Germany now.

One question:
There is a red indicator at the steering column named "Exhaust Temp".
The light goes on, giving full throttle and going faster than 110 miles / 180 km/h for more than only 20 or 30 seconds.
Taking back the throttle and driving gently, the light will go off after 2-3 minutes.

German Forum wasn´t able to help - probably not fitted at all 400er?

Where can the sensor-switch be found?
What temperature is beeing controlled?

What will happen, if i ignore this light?
(driving 110 on Highway isn´t that much in germany) :-)

Anyone, who can help me?

Best regards
freeclimb

chris1972

3,597 posts

166 months

Tuesday 28th May 2013
quotequote all
freeclimb said:
Hi all,

i´m a real newbie on Chimaera 400 - just 2 weeks at my garage.
It´s a 1996 RHD Japan import. Came back via Belgium to Germany now.

One question:
There is a red indicator at the steering column named "Exhaust Temp".
The light goes on, giving full throttle and going faster than 110 miles / 180 km/h for more than only 20 or 30 seconds.
Taking back the throttle and driving gently, the light will go off after 2-3 minutes.

German Forum wasn´t able to help - probably not fitted at all 400er?

Where can the sensor-switch be found?
What temperature is beeing controlled?

What will happen, if i ignore this light?
(driving 110 on Highway isn´t that much in germany) :-)

Anyone, who can help me?

Best regards
freeclimb
Pictures?

freeclimb

Original Poster:

42 posts

160 months

Tuesday 28th May 2013
quotequote all
chris1972 said:
Pictures?
Not my car:


My car:

s p a c e m a n

12,076 posts

177 months

Tuesday 28th May 2013
quotequote all
I don't understand why someone would fit an EGT sensor and then just run an LED off of it, is the car still running standard engine management? Have a look at all of the exhaust, as far as I am aware the only standard sensors are the two lambda ones in the Y piece.

chris1972

3,597 posts

166 months

Tuesday 28th May 2013
quotequote all
Its not the immobiliser/ alarm is it? Unless this is something to do with emissions within mainland Europe???

freeclimb

Original Poster:

42 posts

160 months

Wednesday 29th May 2013
quotequote all
This car was sold in Japan.
Maybe some other emission regularities there....

It´s definitively NOT part of the immobilizer - it´s glows when i´m "speeding".
It goes off, when i slow down.

This car was modified after several issues with the original immobilizer.
This was done by a Landrover shop here in Munich.
I do have lot of bills about this works.

If there are no other Chims, fitted with this indicator,
i will take my expert tool and cut that cable.



chris1972

3,597 posts

166 months

Wednesday 29th May 2013
quotequote all
The only thing I've seen similar is this:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Product.do?method=vi...

Else

795 posts

267 months

Wednesday 29th May 2013
quotequote all
chris1972 said:
The only thing I've seen similar is this:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Product.do?method=vi...
That looks like a lambda meter??

Andy

Bassfiend229hp

5,530 posts

279 months

Wednesday 29th May 2013
quotequote all
Else said:
chris1972 said:
The only thing I've seen similar is this:

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/Product.do?method=vi...
That looks like a lambda meter??

Andy
The photos are of a lambda meter but the description is of an EGT meter...

Bassfiend229hp

5,530 posts

279 months

Wednesday 29th May 2013
quotequote all
freeclimb said:
This car was sold in Japan.
Maybe some other emission regularities there....

It´s definitively NOT part of the immobilizer - it´s glows when i´m "speeding".
It goes off, when i slow down.

This car was modified after several issues with the original immobilizer.
This was done by a Landrover shop here in Munich.
I do have lot of bills about this works.

If there are no other Chims, fitted with this indicator,
i will take my expert tool and cut that cable.
I wouldn't cut the cable to the warning light until you've worked out exactly what it is ...

First thing you need to do is get your head under the bonnet and see if you have any additional sensors in the exhaust manifolds ... there *SHOULD* be a lambda sensor in the elbow of each of the two primary exhaust manifolds (that fit between the engine exhaust ports and join to the y-piece) and that should be that - if they are monitoring exhaust gas temperature then you should see an additional sensor somewhere in the manifold fairly close to the exhaust ports. I guess they may have put one in the Y-Piece but that wouldn't give a true EGT reading as that'll be cooler.

Basically - never disable a warning light unless you're damn sure you don't need to know what it's trying to warn you about. biggrin

Phil

tvr marvin

22 posts

165 months

Thursday 30th May 2013
quotequote all
Hello Freeclimb,
I agree with above, you should check what sensor is used, where is it and what sort of electronics is used to switch the light.

I assume there is a thermocouple ("Thermoelement" in German) somewhere at the joint of the four separate tubes of the manifold (I guess).
Thermocouples are usually used in EGT applications because they can withstand temperatures above 1000°C (Thermistors like the water temp sender can't), however, they need some pretty complicated electronics to read out a temp. Exhaust gas temp is an indicator for air-fuel-ratio, but does not work in rapid load changing applications like a car (too slow a response).
This may make your search for the truth easier, but I still have no clue why someone would measure exhaust gas temperature. I also don't see why a hot exhaust could be harmful to anything (except the known TVR underbonnet temperatures).
Good luck...

However: When you do the German Autobahn run, watch out! Never do that with the top up because you may loose the solid roof section. You should also know that you will get very high oil temperatures because the engine has only 5L of oil. When I drive 120km/h on a sunny day (25°C) I get 110°C oil temperature very quickly.

Have fun!

Marvin

freeclimb

Original Poster:

42 posts

160 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
Thanks for the comprehensive answers to a newbie,

First: I tuned old Beetles for a long time - and finally studied this topics and got my engineer diploma. So i agree with the last two replies.

Remarkable, that no one else does have this indicator - why me???

Water Temp stays around 70° even when this light goes on.
Oilpressure around 35-40 PSI....

I will wait for better weather and investigate the exhaust system.

....and join the japanes club forum...

Trevor450

1,936 posts

177 months

Friday 31st May 2013
quotequote all
Japanese card are generally electronically limited to something like 110 mph. Maybe it is an overspeed warning because they couldn't fit a limiter to TVRs.

freeclimb

Original Poster:

42 posts

160 months

Sunday 9th June 2013
quotequote all
[quote=Trevor450]Japanese card are generally electronically limited to something like 110 mph. Maybe it is an overspeed warning because they couldn't fit a limiter to TVRs. [/quotet]

Then it would go on if above 110 and go oft below - and not waiting for to cool down after speeding.

freeclimb

Original Poster:

42 posts

160 months

Tuesday 11th June 2013
quotequote all
Finally!

low sun an using the sun visor banned my eyes to the silver sticker on it.



A colleague of japan did the translation for me:


The text on the sun visor says:
Important
Please take time to to read the owner's manual regarding "Exhaust System Over Temp Warning Light". (warning light for overheated exhaust temp)

- EXT TEMP warning light glows when exhaust temperature is abnormally hot.

- This lamp glows for a few seconds every time you turn the ignotion switch "ON".

- If this lamp glows while driving, please visit designated service shop for check-up.


He added, that this issue, discussed in japanese forum, is only seen on race-track use.

Speeding up to 200km/h - glowing
Releasing throttle makes the lamp go off.
It´s probably a Japan-only feature.

...lucky me, as flat-out is allowed on almost all highways here...

Bassfiend229hp

5,530 posts

279 months

Tuesday 11th June 2013
quotequote all
Well bugger me ...

... of course the next question is, why is it telling you the exhaust is abnormally hot and what is "abnormally hot"?

After all - there are white dwarves that put out less heat than a set of Chim manifolds!

andy43

13,192 posts

283 months

Sunday 10th May 2015
quotequote all
Jap market 1997/8 Griffith here - I also have the exhaust temp sensor and a bit of a search threw this thread up.

Sensor location : base of Y piece...



Exh gas temp warning lamp on steering column...



NZ fan

312 posts

163 months

Monday 11th May 2015
quotequote all
That light is a "catalitic converter overheat warning" the catalitic converter starts to make some nasty gasses when it overheats and I believe in Japan it is an offence to drive with this light on. The reason it comes on at high speed is because the engine is no longer in closed loop control at higher rpm ( ubove 3400 rpm I believe) and is running on a slightly rich map which overheats the cats. A partially blocked cat. Will get hot and bring it on as will a non firing cylinder with un burnt fuel entering the system. My car is from Japan and had this system on it until I removed it. We see a lot of Japanese imports here in NZ and they all had this system until the late 90,s

dazee

314 posts

153 months

Monday 11th May 2015
quotequote all
Not got that on mine at all and had never heard of it until now. Mine is a '99 though so requirements may have changed.

Can't say I'm surprised. All big power motorbikes here are imports to get around the 100hp restriction. Would assume similar limitations applied to cars.

QBee

22,468 posts

173 months

Monday 11th May 2015
quotequote all
I regularly hammer mine on track days, where the engine runs with the fans on the whole time in summer but the engine temp never goes above 92-95 degrees indicated, even with the air temp around 30 degrees. Whoever is getting 110 degrees needs to get his engine cooling system and temp sensor checked IMHO.

Oil pressure in mine is similar to the OP on the road, but hammered on track in hot weather it can drop to about 15-20 psi. I have fitted a 9.5 litre Mulfab baffled sump to reduce risk of engine damage under extreme conditions - well worth the circa £300 I paid for peace of mind.