Hey guys.
Lately the car (EL V8) has been getting warmer then usual. It has no power below 3000rpm. Once you hit 3000rpm power comes on like ive got a laggy turbo.

(ie, no power, hit 3000rpm whilst cruising, then it starts pulling twice as hard)

Now, back late last year the car went to heathcote for the first time and did about 5 runs. After that i noticed the car would get warmer and was sluggish ever since.

On one of the runs i also heard something shoot and rattle in the exhaust like it was s**t falling out of one of the cats.

Last week i have noticed it has used a tiny bit of coolant (never has before).
So.. Does it sound like ive blown a headgasket, or the cats have s**t themselves? Heat+Sluggish= magna style performance
Any ideas? By the way the cats are 10 years old so are definately in need of replacement.

i'd look at cats first

i doubt the head gasket would reduce the power as when mine went in the old eb it was all fine, just no coolant is all. so id say cats, they be pretty old.

have you checked your timing is correct?? or timed it correctly with the car in diagnostic's mode?
if u put the car on stands tap the cats with a soft hammer and if you hear stuff rattling around ur cats are naffed

nah i havent touched the timing.
I will get under it tommorow and see if i can hear anything.

efgoofy! long time no see mate

its just a quick test, its not fool proof but it is fairly easy to do,

all i can think is timing, cats or even a possible bad earth on the block as the earth wire slowly corrodes away, the more rev's / charge the easier it would be to jump a break in the wire

if you can get your hands on a timing light, put the car into diagnostics and check to see if she timed,
windsors are fairly reliable.... to me if it was a cat it would struggle all through the rev range not just power on at 3,000+

my 2 cents


Tezza

yer just make sure its in diagnostic mode when you check timing! tezza knows all about that

Greg

Ok guys. Finally jumped underneath it and gave the cats a little tap. First off just with my hand, and it was noticeable straight away that one of them wasn't right as i tapped it lightly and it sounds likes its in 1000 pieces inside and makes a terrible noise And thats the side i thought i heard s**t rattling around on the 2nd run at heathcote

Time to find some cats somewhere!