Red-Hot Exhaust
11-17-03, 09:31 AM
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Red-Hot Exhaust
Well guys I have a few questions here and hopefully someone can help. I will start from the beginning.
My car started having some cooling issues about 6 weeks ago. The coolant would boil after I had shut the car off and it would spill out, about, a half a gallon of coolant. Well I replaced the 13psi cap with a 16 psi cap, and that seemed to work for a while. Then a week or so later I went ahead and changed the Thermostat and flushed the system. It worked great for a Month, then about a week ago it did it to me again.
Before I figured the summer heat was just too much, but this time the temps were only around 65`F.
So I parked the car for a few days until I could get around to checking it out.
Well on Thursday I bought a new cap, 13psi this time, and put it on. I drove it around to warm it up good, and then parked it to see if it would do it, it didn't , but the temps were around 40'F.
So then I went out of town for a day and came back yesterday and figured I would try it again, temps back up to 65'F. I get in and the battery is dead....Damn, it has been dying for a while.
So I hook a battery charger to it and turn the key to the on position to take a CD out. Everything went all weird, the Gauges started moving all over the interior lights flickered on and off, all the warning lights started flashing. I turned it off Right away, and broke down and just went a bought a new battery.
Got home hooked up the new battery and turned the key on and everything seemed fine....Alright.
SO I continue and start it up and let it sit and idle for a few. It was backfiring a lot when it was idleing and seemed to smell a lot more than normal. I get out and look undert the hood, and DAMN the Downpipe it RED HOT, I quickly shut the car off and haven't started it since.
I did a quick checkover and everything looks ok, The SparkPlug wires are all connected, no obvious loose connections. Is it possible that when I turned the car on with the charger hoooked up it may have possilby fried something?
Now to sum it all up
1. Coolant boiling problems?
2. Red-hot exhaust, running really rich at idle?
Sorry about the long post, but I think I have all the pertinent info. Any suggestions would be helpful
Marc
My car started having some cooling issues about 6 weeks ago. The coolant would boil after I had shut the car off and it would spill out, about, a half a gallon of coolant. Well I replaced the 13psi cap with a 16 psi cap, and that seemed to work for a while. Then a week or so later I went ahead and changed the Thermostat and flushed the system. It worked great for a Month, then about a week ago it did it to me again.
Before I figured the summer heat was just too much, but this time the temps were only around 65`F.
So I parked the car for a few days until I could get around to checking it out.
Well on Thursday I bought a new cap, 13psi this time, and put it on. I drove it around to warm it up good, and then parked it to see if it would do it, it didn't , but the temps were around 40'F.
So then I went out of town for a day and came back yesterday and figured I would try it again, temps back up to 65'F. I get in and the battery is dead....Damn, it has been dying for a while.
So I hook a battery charger to it and turn the key to the on position to take a CD out. Everything went all weird, the Gauges started moving all over the interior lights flickered on and off, all the warning lights started flashing. I turned it off Right away, and broke down and just went a bought a new battery.
Got home hooked up the new battery and turned the key on and everything seemed fine....Alright.
SO I continue and start it up and let it sit and idle for a few. It was backfiring a lot when it was idleing and seemed to smell a lot more than normal. I get out and look undert the hood, and DAMN the Downpipe it RED HOT, I quickly shut the car off and haven't started it since.
I did a quick checkover and everything looks ok, The SparkPlug wires are all connected, no obvious loose connections. Is it possible that when I turned the car on with the charger hoooked up it may have possilby fried something?
Now to sum it all up
1. Coolant boiling problems?
2. Red-hot exhaust, running really rich at idle?
Sorry about the long post, but I think I have all the pertinent info. Any suggestions would be helpful
Marc
11-17-03, 09:44 AM
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Downpipe and Boost gauge, which is really a mod, but I can keep an eye on the vacuum. Not since I have owned it, no one else has worked on it.
Marc
Marc
11-17-03, 10:23 AM
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hmm wierd. your downpipe was actually glowing red? that is so hot exhaust, could it be clogged somewhere? do you guys think his main cat is clogged?
11-17-03, 10:30 AM
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Probably. How many miles does he have on it? This could be the main cat clogged. At least that would explain the red hot exhaust. Yet I would put back the 16psi cap back. Nice job with the thermostat btw.
11-17-03, 12:00 PM
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Just a tick over 80,000 miles.
I would have gone with the 16 psi cap again, but it was still boiled over a few times. I figure I will give the 13psi cap a shot, if that doesn't work then I will probably gut, or drill out the thermostat.
The car ran great until I tried to drive it yesterday.
Marc
I would have gone with the 16 psi cap again, but it was still boiled over a few times. I figure I will give the 13psi cap a shot, if that doesn't work then I will probably gut, or drill out the thermostat.
The car ran great until I tried to drive it yesterday.
Marc
11-17-03, 12:07 PM
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I dont know if the laws are strict about pollution. (here in florida it isnt w00t) Anyways get an exhaust ASAP and check to see if thats your problem. You cant really see the cat without killing it. Either way an exahaust is good.
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11-17-03, 12:13 PM
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Are you talking like a Mid-Pipe, or Catback.
They just changed the sub-division I live in, into another county that does not require emission testing. However the Albuquerque City Council is trying to pass a law, that if you work in Alb. you have to get a emission test...******.
Thanks for the help so far guys.
Anymore Ideas on why my coolant may be boiling still?
Marc
They just changed the sub-division I live in, into another county that does not require emission testing. However the Albuquerque City Council is trying to pass a law, that if you work in Alb. you have to get a emission test...******.
Thanks for the help so far guys.
Anymore Ideas on why my coolant may be boiling still?
Marc
11-17-03, 12:32 PM
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Fix the exhaust first to see if the heat from that exhaust is what is causing your temps to rise to boiling. BTW do you have the stock radiator? If you do I would recommended getting an aftermarket one. Ive sat in 95 degree bumper to bumper traffic with perfect temps. (BTW VERY IMPORTANT CHECK IF YOUR FANS WORK!!!)(Turn on the A/c and see if they spin)
11-17-03, 12:38 PM
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I will check out the exhaust tonight. I really don't have the money to go out a buy a whole new exhaust. I just got the DP on 2 weeks ago.
Yes I do have the stock radiator, I was going to buy a Koyo but I was out of a job for 2 months, got behind on bills.
The fans work, I pulled the AC relay so I can run the fans on high when it gets real hot.
Another thing that may be causing it, I think, May be the fact that I do not have the plastic undertray. It was missing when I bought the car, and I have been meaning to get one, But back to the whole money thing.
Anyways, Thanks again, keep it coming.
Marc
Yes I do have the stock radiator, I was going to buy a Koyo but I was out of a job for 2 months, got behind on bills.
The fans work, I pulled the AC relay so I can run the fans on high when it gets real hot.
Another thing that may be causing it, I think, May be the fact that I do not have the plastic undertray. It was missing when I bought the car, and I have been meaning to get one, But back to the whole money thing.
Anyways, Thanks again, keep it coming.
Marc
11-17-03, 01:10 PM
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I didnt have the plastic undertray and it didnt do any difference. I know an exhaust can be pricey but try to get the cheapest to get by with for now. Worst comes to worst just gut your cats.
11-17-03, 01:51 PM
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generally, atleast this is how it is w/ my r6 and my 400ex... if im running lean, my exaust pipes glow red after I've been riding.
find somone that has an a/f meter and hook it up to your downpipe and see what the reading is. I plan on doin this with my bro tonight or tomorrow since I recently put a midpipe on my car, just to be safe.
but yea, if your a/f mixture is low this will cause your **** to get reallllly hot
find somone that has an a/f meter and hook it up to your downpipe and see what the reading is. I plan on doin this with my bro tonight or tomorrow since I recently put a midpipe on my car, just to be safe.
but yea, if your a/f mixture is low this will cause your **** to get reallllly hot
11-17-03, 05:45 PM
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I fugured it is running really Rich, and the mixture was still on combusting/igniting in the DP, hence making it Extremely Hot.
It was only idling for 2 mins, and it smelled horribly like hydrocarbons, unburned fuel, So I do not think it was lean.
Thanks for the help.
Anybody else have any suggestions?
Marc
It was only idling for 2 mins, and it smelled horribly like hydrocarbons, unburned fuel, So I do not think it was lean.
Thanks for the help.
Anybody else have any suggestions?
Marc
11-17-03, 05:54 PM
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lean runs hotter than rich. When looking for an exhaust upgrade you want something that eliminates the pre-cat. and while thats off either get a high flow cat or check the one you have to see if it is clogged. THere were problems linked to the precat that is why newer japanese models eliminated it before they even sold it at the dealerships.
11-17-03, 05:58 PM
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I know Lean runs hotter than rich, However when the exhuast is glowing like that it means that it is probably running rich and it is still burning in the exhaust.
I already have a DP, and it ran fine up until the other day. I could not imagine the Cat went from good to bad in 1 day.
Thanks
Marc
I already have a DP, and it ran fine up until the other day. I could not imagine the Cat went from good to bad in 1 day.
Thanks
Marc
11-17-03, 08:25 PM
#17
No it's not Turbo'd
All indications point to the cat, two ways of checking it, drop it and run with wide open exhaust, just make sutre you don't boost too hight (Boost Creep) or take an old oxygen sensor, drill it out and put a boost gauge on it , you can then measure exhuast backpressure, anything over 6 PSI is a clogged cat...
The backfireing thing sounds like the ECU isn't reading one of the sensors correctly and adding fuel to an okay mixture... check ECU codes if the check engine light flashes... make sure that noone played with any of the ECU connectors... Dunno, it's possible one of the Injectors is busted... but you usually lean out not enrich the mixture... Allthough on my '94 once I put a DP on, it would backfire when cold and I would rev the engine, and then when really hot when I went from Wot to Vacuum.... so the backfireing might be normal with DP, but the Red hot exhaust points to backpressure...
Plus all you need is a midpipe muffler or highflow cat... either way it's usually about as expensive as a DP... and I'd rather wait to get it checked than risk the engine on it...
-DC
The backfireing thing sounds like the ECU isn't reading one of the sensors correctly and adding fuel to an okay mixture... check ECU codes if the check engine light flashes... make sure that noone played with any of the ECU connectors... Dunno, it's possible one of the Injectors is busted... but you usually lean out not enrich the mixture... Allthough on my '94 once I put a DP on, it would backfire when cold and I would rev the engine, and then when really hot when I went from Wot to Vacuum.... so the backfireing might be normal with DP, but the Red hot exhaust points to backpressure...
Plus all you need is a midpipe muffler or highflow cat... either way it's usually about as expensive as a DP... and I'd rather wait to get it checked than risk the engine on it...
-DC
11-17-03, 08:28 PM
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Make sure your ast cap and filler cap are in the correct locations. Ast cap has the spring and the filler cap only has a rubber seal.
The only time I have ever seen exhaust get that hot is when the cat or muffler is clogged
The only time I have ever seen exhaust get that hot is when the cat or muffler is clogged
Last edited by fedupfd3; 11-17-03 at 08:30 PM.
11-17-03, 08:36 PM
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Yeah, I am not going to drive it until I can figure it out. I am sure the caps are in the correct positions, Pressure on the AST.
Is it possible to check the ECU codes without a code reader.
I think it may be a bad sensor, since my idle has always been a little screwy. It will stay in high idle until I tap the gas sometimes.
I will probably crawl under the car this weekend and pull the the exhaust and check it out. Also go through all the sensors to see if I have a bad one somewhere.
Thanks for the help guys, Anymore suggestions on the boiling coolant.
Marc
Is it possible to check the ECU codes without a code reader.
I think it may be a bad sensor, since my idle has always been a little screwy. It will stay in high idle until I tap the gas sometimes.
I will probably crawl under the car this weekend and pull the the exhaust and check it out. Also go through all the sensors to see if I have a bad one somewhere.
Thanks for the help guys, Anymore suggestions on the boiling coolant.
Marc
11-17-03, 10:03 PM
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maybe your water pump isnt working correctly, this could cause hot spots in the coolant i would think. you could have more then just one problem causing your issues. i dont think the two are really related. im almost positive that the exhaust heat is from a clogged pipe. and i think the coolant is something else.
11-18-03, 08:44 AM
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I am running a 50/50 mix for the winter, it can get pretty cold in NM during the winter. I will probably buy a new water pump soon.
Thanks for all the help guys, keep it coming.
Marc
Thanks for all the help guys, keep it coming.
Marc
11-28-03, 10:54 PM
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Well time to revisit this thread.
I got my cat off tonight and it looks fine, not a single crack, or misplaced piece of ceramic anywhere.
So, now what else could be causing this extremely rich idle and glowing DP.
I think I am going to tow it to the dealer and have them run a diagnostic on it, unless IO can pull the codes myself....which I will check on.
I hope nothing happened to the ECU, no real way of checking unless I swap it for a known good one....anyone got one they want to get rid of?
Would it cause any harm if I took it out and test drove it. I am hoping that once the car warms up that it will not run so rich....Could it possibly be a Bad o2 sensor?
Anyways...any more help would be great...
Marc
I got my cat off tonight and it looks fine, not a single crack, or misplaced piece of ceramic anywhere.
So, now what else could be causing this extremely rich idle and glowing DP.
I think I am going to tow it to the dealer and have them run a diagnostic on it, unless IO can pull the codes myself....which I will check on.
I hope nothing happened to the ECU, no real way of checking unless I swap it for a known good one....anyone got one they want to get rid of?
Would it cause any harm if I took it out and test drove it. I am hoping that once the car warms up that it will not run so rich....Could it possibly be a Bad o2 sensor?
Anyways...any more help would be great...
Marc
12-13-03, 04:12 AM
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Originally posted by Fatman0203
Fix the exhaust first to see if the heat from that exhaust is what is causing your temps to rise to boiling. BTW do you have the stock radiator? If you do I would recommended getting an aftermarket one. Ive sat in 95 degree bumper to bumper traffic with perfect temps. (BTW VERY IMPORTANT CHECK IF YOUR FANS WORK!!!)(Turn on the A/c and see if they spin)
Fix the exhaust first to see if the heat from that exhaust is what is causing your temps to rise to boiling. BTW do you have the stock radiator? If you do I would recommended getting an aftermarket one. Ive sat in 95 degree bumper to bumper traffic with perfect temps. (BTW VERY IMPORTANT CHECK IF YOUR FANS WORK!!!)(Turn on the A/c and see if they spin)