bad cat?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,387
Likes: 4
From: Nashville, TN
bad cat?
i am getting a strange smoke at startup. it doesnt smell at all like oil, and its not coolant (started the car cold with the fill cap off and no bubbles, and the coolant level has never changed), yet it has this strange thick smell that i have never smelled before.
the car put down horrible numbers on the dyno (180's whp at 6-7psi nonseq, otherwise stock), the power dies off horribly in the topend as well...
i am thinking that possibly the smoke, the low numbers, and the topend power fall-off are all related...
anyone have any input on this?
the car put down horrible numbers on the dyno (180's whp at 6-7psi nonseq, otherwise stock), the power dies off horribly in the topend as well...
i am thinking that possibly the smoke, the low numbers, and the topend power fall-off are all related...
anyone have any input on this?
Rotary Freak
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,690
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From: nyc+li, ny
very likely. unbolt it from the downpipe and shine a flash light in there to try and get an idea of what it looks like. if you see a fine mesh like material, it might be ok. if it looks like a hair clogged shower drain, its clogged.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 451
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From: Indianapolis, IN
Assuming you still have the stock boost control system and your boost is not getting over 7 psi, I'd lean towards a cat. Is the smoke white? It sounds like your car is running very rich and the cat is clogged, does it sort of have a sulfur smell, or a rotten egg smell driving the car? The cat is basically a metal honeycomb, if you cant see through it its dead, you don't have a precat anymore do you? They have a nasty habbit of disintegrating and plugging the main cat.
Lives on the Forum
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 9,617
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From: Dallas
I had my stock main cat fail one day while at the track.
https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...06&postcount=3
https://www.rx7club.com/showpost.php...06&postcount=3
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,387
Likes: 4
From: Nashville, TN
Originally Posted by BMike
Assuming you still have the stock boost control system and your boost is not getting over 7 psi, I'd lean towards a cat. Is the smoke white? It sounds like your car is running very rich and the cat is clogged, does it sort of have a sulfur smell, or a rotten egg smell driving the car? The cat is basically a metal honeycomb, if you cant see through it its dead, you don't have a precat anymore do you? They have a nasty habbit of disintegrating and plugging the main cat.
i actually replaced the precat about 2 weeks ago with a downpipe so that is taken care of, but theres no telling how long the precat had been on there...
no i'm not running the stock boost control system, i did the full non-sequential mod and i'm running off the wastegate spring.
yeah its like a sulfur smell i suppose. and friends say my car smells like a rotting rhinoceros when they're driving behind me.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 451
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From: Indianapolis, IN
I'd definately lean towards cat then as your problem, though it sounds like it may be caused by excessive fuel. You need to make sure that is addressed before you replace the cat or another one wont last long either. You still have the airpump right?
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 9,387
Likes: 4
From: Nashville, TN
yes i still have the trusty airpump.
what do you mean by excessive fuel? i have been getting decent gas mileage (around 20mpg) with a dead o2 sensor so it definitely could be worse.
what do you mean by excessive fuel? i have been getting decent gas mileage (around 20mpg) with a dead o2 sensor so it definitely could be worse.
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Rotary Freak
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 2,690
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From: nyc+li, ny
Originally Posted by jacobcartmill
yeah its like a sulfur smell i suppose. and friends say my car smells like a rotting rhinoceros when they're driving behind me.
I had that too before I checked/replaced the cat in my last FD.
