Fordmods Logo

catalytic converter failure in boosted applications 

 

Page 1 of 2 [ 22 posts ] Go to page 1, 2  Next

 
 Post subject: catalytic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:38 pm 
Moderator
Offline

Posts: 14489

Joined: 7th Nov 2004

Ride: AU XR8

Location: a shit suburb in sydney
NSW, Australia

hey guys..
has anyone had a catalytic converter fail on regular basis in boosted application??
the first system was a 2 1/2" with a high flow cat, the cat failed after 3 months..
when i upgraded to a 3" system with what was supposed to be a high flow stainless steel metal cat.
now after about 9 months i had a slight whistle over 3000rpm which i thought was just the exhaust gasses being forced out under boost..(didnt think much about it)
well it got gradually worse over the last 3 months and had become a loud high pitch whistle,
i thought it was a boost leak as the car was starting to lose power, after some investigating it was not a boost leak but the cat had started to collapse wedging itself in the pipe restricting the exhaust..
after further inspection i found it was not a metal cat but a ceramic one :evil: ..and being over 12 months now no waranty, :evil: :evil:
so i have temperarily punched the cat out.. well what a difference in performance now. :shock: except its pretty damn loud without a proper cat..
so im going to get a new one asap..
im looking at trying one of the venom 100cpi steel cats..

i had considered the previous tune may had had some affect but it was not running dangerously lean but was having some pinging issues..
any opinions or thoughts on the cat converter situation??

anyway here is a pic..
Attachment:
DSC01910.JPG
DSC01910.JPG [ 314.11 KiB | Viewed 427 times ]

Attachment:
DSC01911.JPG
DSC01911.JPG [ 176.03 KiB | Viewed 430 times ]
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 3:56 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 40

Posts: 1442

Joined: 26th Apr 2006

Gallery: 6 images

Ride: 97 EL XR6

Power: 162 rwkw

Location: liverpool
NSW, Australia

i had a similar problem, the core of the cat had deteriorated and come loose, it was shifting around and restricting flow. the cat was a 4.5" core 200cpi, 3" inlets. the car was tuned to 8psi, but in the end was struggling to get past 6 psi, and was the reason i was about 20kw down on the dyno day

i have now replaced it with a new 5" cat with 3" inlets 100CPI, what a difference!!!!! costed me $170 plus installation

im getting it checked on the dyno at CMS today to see if the car is running safe, as the car is now making 2psi more boost than when the cat was still in good condition!!

 

_________________

07 BF MKII XR6T
310rwkw @ 13psi - Tuned By CMS

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 4:26 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline

Age: 48

Posts: 4604

Joined: 23rd Nov 2006

Gallery: 4 images

Ride: 5.0 AU's and 5.0 Maverick

Power: 139 rwkw

Location: Sydney West
NSW, Australia

Im thinking I also have a collapsed cat in mine.
Since my last trip to WSID where there was a bit of a pop bang during a burnout , I have had a tinny rattle under the car and I cant find it.
Sounds like a heatshield rattling but they all seem to be ok.
Need to jack it up on the weekend and have a look see and a bash around.

 

_________________

xr6turnip wrote:
More people paid for a ride in a VT commodore then an AU Falcon so the VT is superior.
Based on that fact my Mum is the best around!

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:15 pm 
Tyre Shredder
Offline

Age: 43

Posts: 387

Joined: 30th Nov 2007

Ride: AU111 XR6 VCT Supercharged

Location: Brisbane
QLD, Australia

Troyman, I've had exactly the same experience (but took longer to diagnose). My first cat failed and I noticed it, as it had the tinny sound described above. Replace with 3inch metal cat, which I thought would last.

Picked up car from aborted dyno tuning a year ago, to find I'd lost everything above 4500rpm, and I still had a ping despite rich tune. Also difficult starting, etc.

I've just had all this stuff sorted out, and the main issue was a collapsed cat (collapsed in under 1 yr). I suspect it collapsed during the previous dyno tune. After fixing this, plus some other issues, my car has got all its power back (plus some) and revs hard to redline. Start, idle and light throttle are nice too. According to tuner it did this immediately upon clearing out the failed cat....he also attributes the excessive heat build up from blockage to the pinging I was getting. Wish i'd realised earlier!

They seem pretty prone to failure. I believe the typical slight over-cranking required for an engine with aftermarket ecu contributes to cat failure, as well as the exhaust heat from boosted engines.

Joe

 

_________________

FOR SALE! - Supercharged AUIII XR6 VCT, intercooled, T5, big brakes.... details in the 'For Sale' section - ford-parts-for-sale-f17/fs-supercharged-au-xr6-vct-series-iii-intercooled-rwc-rego-t114254.html

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 6:37 pm 
Moderator
Offline

Posts: 14489

Joined: 7th Nov 2004

Ride: AU XR8

Location: a shit suburb in sydney
NSW, Australia

hmm, that may be the answer and fixed the other issue i was having, it had a pinging problem at around 3000rpm which was fixed with the second dyno tune, then a month later it was starting to ping again.. on the last dyno tune alot of timing was removed about 4 deg allround to stop pinging, then yep, the last few weeks it started pinging again,...
except it always starts within a few cranks of the engine..
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:15 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 38

Posts: 582

Joined: 15th Jan 2008

Ride: supercharged eb

Location: Sydney
NSW, Australia

hey troy dont have a fix for your cat problem but since it the new rage to have a stupidly loud exhaust so just keep the punched out cat on there

 

_________________

..My fake plant died because I forgot to pretend to water it..

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 7:19 pm 
Moderator
Offline

Posts: 14489

Joined: 7th Nov 2004

Ride: AU XR8

Location: a shit suburb in sydney
NSW, Australia

naa i want to keep it at a reasonable noise level, that way when i do open it up people dont hear it from 2 streets away
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:02 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 71

Posts: 3555

Joined: 7th Nov 2004

Gallery: 4 images

Power: 482 rwkw

Location: Penrith
NSW, Australia

This can be an issue with tune.. If too rich the fuel is burnt in cat..
The same effect if timing is too retarded..
The fix apparently is to set ECU so it varies AFR so it cools cat and gives better EPA exhaust..
Flucuating AFR from rich to lean helps cat..
At Sema there was an exhaust stand where there was two cats [Single exh to twin 2 1/4] one slightly behind the other .. Half the exhaust flow went through front cat from one pipe while the bigger rear cat flowed both front pipe 3" single so No2 could be burnt again.. So cats could run cooler with better EPA...

 

_________________

As in ZOOM 126 edition
331 Dart block,3.25/ 4340 steel crank, Oliver rods,TFS ported track heat heads, TFS track heat inlet Twin SC61 turbo's
Project 1UZ-EF has started.. S475 Turbo 4.0 V8 Mustang Celica.....

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2010 10:42 pm 
Moderator
Offline

Posts: 14489

Joined: 7th Nov 2004

Ride: AU XR8

Location: a shit suburb in sydney
NSW, Australia

thanks..
what would be considered to rich?? its usually around a constant 12.5-13:1 afr except for on deceleration (fuel cut) and cruising at any speed where engine is around 2300rpm then its around 15:1 afr...so it does fluctuate a little..
i drove it tonight and i will be fitting a new cat asap due to the pungent smell from the exhaust.. :roll:
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalytic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:17 am 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 40

Posts: 1442

Joined: 26th Apr 2006

Gallery: 6 images

Ride: 97 EL XR6

Power: 162 rwkw

Location: liverpool
NSW, Australia

i got my car dynod last night at CMS to check if it was safe, not even close to being safe, the cat was flowing that well that 8deg timing had to be removed across the whole range and extra fuel added in the bottom end

the car made the same power at the same boost as the original tune (8psi), but made over 100nm of torque low to mid range, and 50nm top end,i now hold about 900nm from 3000 to 4000 rpm, and the power curve is much fatter! car feels AWSOME!

i cant imagine what another 4psi will make this car feel like!

 

_________________

07 BF MKII XR6T
310rwkw @ 13psi - Tuned By CMS

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalytic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:34 am 
Moderator
Offline

Posts: 14489

Joined: 7th Nov 2004

Ride: AU XR8

Location: a shit suburb in sydney
NSW, Australia

so you had to remove timing after fixing the cat??

thats interesting, i unblocked my cat and all signs of pinging have gone!!
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalytic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:43 am 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 40

Posts: 1442

Joined: 26th Apr 2006

Gallery: 6 images

Ride: 97 EL XR6

Power: 162 rwkw

Location: liverpool
NSW, Australia

sure did, it started pinging at 3000rpm and we decided not to finish the run for obvious reasons.
the the turbo was biulding alot more boost alot quicker, and also earlier in the rev range

 

_________________

07 BF MKII XR6T
310rwkw @ 13psi - Tuned By CMS

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalytic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 10:37 am 
Moderator
Offline

Posts: 14489

Joined: 7th Nov 2004

Ride: AU XR8

Location: a shit suburb in sydney
NSW, Australia

FAST-XR wrote:
sure did, it started pinging at 3000rpm and we decided not to finish the run for obvious reasons.
the the turbo was biulding alot more boost alot quicker, and also earlier in the rev range


ok that makes sense.. mine being supercharged was still making the same boost but was not getting rid of the gasses fast enough..
Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalytic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:14 pm 
Tyre Shredder
Offline

Age: 43

Posts: 387

Joined: 30th Nov 2007

Ride: AU111 XR6 VCT Supercharged

Location: Brisbane
QLD, Australia

Exactly what was happening to mine troy. My tuner was surprised my car ran at all with how blocked it was.

With clear cat, intercooler, tune, etc, I can't get it to ping anywhere or under any condition. Hopefully stays this way!

Might be worth talking with Venom about the cat failures you've had, and see which of theirs will be most durable.

 

_________________

FOR SALE! - Supercharged AUIII XR6 VCT, intercooled, T5, big brakes.... details in the 'For Sale' section - ford-parts-for-sale-f17/fs-supercharged-au-xr6-vct-series-iii-intercooled-rwc-rego-t114254.html

Top
 Profile  
 
 
 Post subject: Re: catalytic converter failure in boosted applications
Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:24 pm 
Getting Side Ways
Offline
User avatar

Age: 40

Posts: 1442

Joined: 26th Apr 2006

Gallery: 6 images

Ride: 97 EL XR6

Power: 162 rwkw

Location: liverpool
NSW, Australia

go for a 5" 100cpi like i did, best flow you can get, i got mine for $170

 

_________________

07 BF MKII XR6T
310rwkw @ 13psi - Tuned By CMS

Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:
Sort by  
 Page 1 of 2  [ 22 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

 

 

It is currently Fri Nov 22, 2024 11:37 am All times are UTC + 11 hours

 

 

(c)2014 Total Web Solutions Australia - Australian Web Hosting and Domain Names