Yep, Still Not Working!

[Marc.]

I hate this sub-forum, I only ever come in here when I need to research and issue. This, ergo, means that yes, my car is still fucked.

So, from the other topics - car is struggling to run. It sounds like a poor man's V8 or a shitty Impreza (I'm not saying Impreza's are s**t, just that my 182 sounds like one that's a dog).

With @Cub. helping, we plugged the car in, and have subsequently replaced 2 injectors (3 & 4, if you're interested) and the pre-cat lambda sensor. That seemed to temporarily solve the issue of it running too rich, stalling, sounding rough etc.

Since then, I've had the worrying smell of eggs from the cat, and now the crap running has come back. This morning it did it intermittently, but now it's doing it all the time. Apart from the noise (which sounds like it's coming from the exhaust area as opposed to the engine) the other telltale sign is that my EML is flashing (it's normally on constantly as I used to run a decat) and now it also seems to lurch / judder whilst running.

What the hell could be up with it? The only fault code that Cub's RS Tuner was giving once we replaced everything was for a heat sensor, DF0038 I think.

Why is my car so crap? And bar driving it into the Thames, how can I fix it?

 

[ADS_V6]

had similar prob on a saxo vtr and it was the cat knackered,not a expert but it stunk of eggs eg sulphur

 

[JamesBryan]

DF038 is a downstream sensor, so the one after the cat.

Could be a Stored or Present fault though.

 

[bashracing]

Sounds like cat has collapsed due to it running very rich and saturating the cat with unburnt fuel which has partially blocked the exhaust,
fit a decat if you have one handy (if not knock the old crap out ghetto decat style), clear the fault codes and the only one that should return is catalyst efficiency low.

 

[MicKPM]

I seriously doubt the CAT has actually collapsed. You need to check the injector trigger and ignition dwell times to see what's happening. Then, if all is well here and you're sure the timing is okay move on to the other things often overlooked: fuel pressure and compression/leak down tests needed.

 

[R14LYX]

Where are you based? Your welcome to come try the manifold from my car and see if it cures it?

 

[Marc.]

That was the only present error code on the RS Tuner. I think Cub. along with Dan@SJM ran through fuelling etc through the Tuner and that was okay.

In terms of the cat, I replaced that lasts August - with a generic aftermarket part (from my local HiQ during its MOT).

The exhaust being partially blocked does hold some ground, I took it back to work just now and it alternated between running okay, and too rich - I've discovered that the jumpy / lurching that I described seems to be it switching between running normally, and like crap.

I do have my decat pipe, so I shall have that put in and see if that makes a difference.

 

[MicKPM]

A blocked CAT won't make the car run rich though. The sulphur smell will be unburnt fuel entering the CAT which is most likely due to incorrect ignition (so spark plug, lead, coilpack).

Have you checked the wiring for signs of damage? Are ignition drivers 1 & 2 firing ok?

Diagnostic kit is okay but on this age car you still need to do some physical work I'm afraid.

 

[MicKPM]

Another thing to check, spark plug wells... Any build up of fluids (oil, water, etc) as this will cause missfires

 

[Marc.]

I'd have to have a look at all of those.

The engine sounds absolutely fine, it's 100% exhaust related. The wiring around the spark plugs etc all seemed okay, nothing jumped out in the engine bay, or underneath.

There was an awful lot of fluid (which at the time I assumed was water) dripping from the exhaust when Cub and I were changing the lambda and injectors, I thought that wasn't anything out of the ordinary at the time.

 

[MicKPM]

Take the CAT off and run the car to see if it fixes it but I've never seen a genuine CAT collapse to date.

 

[Gally]

That thing needs napalmed Marco!

 

[markoc]

I would also investigate more into the ignition side of things. An ignition component breaking down and allowing unburnt fuel into the exhaust could be the problem. The fact that your CAT is possibly damaged could be the result of the problem and not the problem itself.
Let us know how you get on.

 

[Budgie]

I'll give you £500 for it. <3

 

[bashracing]

A blocked CAT won't make the car run rich though.

If the exhaust gasses can't escape the back pressure in the manifold will hold the carbon dioxide rich air in the cylinder, which in effect stops the fuel that's being injected into the cylinder completing full combustion due to lack of oxygen.

 

[Marc.]

That thing needs napalmed Marco!

Somebody at work suggested fire as a potential solution. I obviously told him that would be insurance fraud, and thus illegal. I also told him I'd get back to him.

I'll give you £500 for it. <3

Don't be so stupid - I'd be ripping you off.


I'll swap over to the decat and see what that does. If that fails, I'll look at the ignition next (with a match and beer bottle of petrol)

 

[Marc.]

Take the CAT off and run the car to see if it fixes it but I've never seen a genuine CAT collapse to date.

It's not a genuine Renault CAT - it's probably made at the same factory as Linglong tyres, to be honest. I only replaced the previous one because it had a crack in it - to be fair that was only at the edge, it could probably get welded by a half decent garage, if that can be done at all.

 

[bloke]

That was the only present error code on the RS Tuner.

i personally wouldn't trust rs tuner as a diagnostic as far as i could throw it, had two phase 1's in, both with management lights on, tried rs tuner on them and said no faults on both cars!!

 

[MicKPM]

If the exhaust gasses can't escape the back pressure in the manifold will hold the carbon dioxide rich air in the cylinder, which in effect stops the fuel that's being injected into the cylinder completing full combustion due to lack of oxygen.

That's basically how an EGR valve works which in turn actually lowers emissions but would this also cause the sulphurous smell? If the AFR was indeed detected as being rich the ECU would attempt to counter this by trimming the fuelling and ignition.

I honestly don't think its a CAT issue and needs the basics confirming properly and scientifically before moving on. Not that I've seen the car though, I'm just saying it's highly unlikely at this stage with other things to check first.

 

[Gally]

Somebody at work suggested fire as a potential solution. I obviously told him that would be insurance fraud, and thus illegal. I also told him I'd get back to him.

Flol! Good luck sorting it mate. They're great cars when they're working.

 

[Marc.]

Flol! Good luck sorting it mate. They're great cars when they're working.

Are they? It's been so long I can't remember

 

[Dan@SJM]

The offer of recovery to me still stands

 

[Marc.]

The offer of recovery to me still stands

If the decat doesn't sort it, I think it'll be heading your way!

 

[Cub.]

This car is annoying me now! Lol!

It didn't have any signs of wear to the leads / wiring etc, but I haven't had a great look at it as we were working on it on the drive as the garage is busy.

Swapped the injectors and lambda, as per the RS Tuner codes, and it actually ran really well for 10 mins. Then decided to start misfueling again.

You want the decat back on anyway, so I'd do that, and if it doesn't fix it, get it to Dan's. I've exhausted my patience with it! FLOL!

 

[Marc.]

This car is annoying me now! Lol!

It didn't have any signs of wear to the leads / wiring etc, but I haven't had a great look at it as we were working on it on the drive as the garage is busy.

Swapped the injectors and lambda, as per the RS Tuner codes, and it actually ran really well for 10 mins. Then decided to start misfueling again.

You want the decat back on anyway, so I'd do that, and if it doesn't fix it, get it to Dan's. I've exhausted my patience with it! FLOL!

I've had a look myself, the leads don't seem to be suffering any damage. My mechanical knowledge extends to changing wheels and opening the bonnet though, so what do I know?

Yeah, I'll sort the decat at some point soon and hopefully that'll sort it. The car seems really sluggish, and the Rev needle wobbles on its (slow) journey round the counter. That's on top of the flashing EML and horrific noise

 

[Stefan.]

Silly question. But have you taken it to a specialist preferably on here?

 

[Marc.]

Not yet, Cub. is pretty handy and we've taken a look at it together (my role was pretty much just to look). But if the decat trick doesn't work, it will be - for any major work (bar MOT's) it always has gone to a specialist.

 

[Ander3670]

Did this ever get sorted and if so what was the issue

 

[Marc.]

Yep, was injectors. Cat issue seems to have subsided once the lambda was changed.