From bone stock i've noticed the cat and nearby exhaust piping would get red hot. I thought it must be high exhaust temps + the heat from oxidizing partially burnt hydrocarbons... but now i have an innovate wideband.

When the engine is turned off and the WB02 is still on it reads ~17:1 along with crackling meaning there is a full fire going on. My shifter gets very uncomfortable to touch just cruising in vacuum.

Leaky injector? Firing on 1 rotor? It has always done this from stock. So it's likely not my minor mods. (DP, PFC, AFR, AST, Batt reloc, catback, block off unplug air pump).

Injector leaking? One rotor firing only? crank position sensor dead? I've also done a full service...no help.

Some say this is 'normal'... this can't be. Shifter uncomfortable to touch after fairly modest driving? really? Also, purely subjective..... the car is slow. Never felt faster than 150bhp I think this may be related.

Its a J-spec 98 RB btw

AFRs when warm are about 12-13 idle.
13 acc
14 cruise
can drop to 11 on wot then rise to 13..... This is on 99+ PFC default map.

Please help. Car is pissing me off.

 

I'd be looking at that Catalytic to get the replaced if you can.
Two things are coming to mind here..Unburnt fuel or a "worn out or plugged" cat.
SGT Blue should know more about this.Maybe he will chime in on this matter.

You should not have a Glowing RED cat..it is Dangerous.

 

How is it running? Loppy idle, rough? I noticed a member earlier today recommended a compression check before all else. Well known vendor as well to a similar issue as you describe. Styx hit the nail pretty good as well.

 

No matter what, that cat does need to be replaced. If it's glowing hot, you've melted the guts of it, at least, and it will only exacerbate the problem from there.

When you do that, plug the air pump back in. These may or may not be the end-all issues, but they're not improving your situation, either.

 

compression test
check injectors
check coils


obviously you will also want to either replace (or delete) the cat as well.

 

Cheers guys.

I was driving today decided to rev it out of frustration (first time with downpipe and PFC) and it backfired then suddenly the AFRS changed and the gear stick started cool.

It seems it was definitely blocked.

cheers again.