Discussion
Can anyone offer me some advice on this?
Was at a track day in my Duratec 500 today. It was a sessioned day, first 20 min session was fine, car had 40 mins to cool down and then I was out again. After about 15 mins of this session, I noticed exhaust get considerably louder and loss of power. Came into the pits immediately, and saw that the cat was smoking. It had got **really** hot, so hot in fact it had warped the skin on the body of the car.
Got the car home and whipped the plugs out, if we call cylinders 1-4 from front to back, 1 had some metal filings around it, and 2 and 3 were both corroded. 1/2 were noticably blacker than 3/4.
Started it up again and it seemed to be running on 2.5 cylinders. The exhaust for 1 was slightly warm, 2 was stone cold, and 3/4 were hot. Taken some photos of the plugs and warped skin, all online here:
http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/473116/2/_To%20Copy...
I am still in warranty til October, so not losing too much sleep, but would like someone to tell me it is likely something very simple!
Obviously today was pretty warm, 25c or so I would guess, probably the hottest track day I've run the car at.
ETA - I should say on the photos that the first one of the plugs they're arranged 4-3-2-1 from left to right. Then the one taken from reverse angle they're 1-2-3-4
Was at a track day in my Duratec 500 today. It was a sessioned day, first 20 min session was fine, car had 40 mins to cool down and then I was out again. After about 15 mins of this session, I noticed exhaust get considerably louder and loss of power. Came into the pits immediately, and saw that the cat was smoking. It had got **really** hot, so hot in fact it had warped the skin on the body of the car.
Got the car home and whipped the plugs out, if we call cylinders 1-4 from front to back, 1 had some metal filings around it, and 2 and 3 were both corroded. 1/2 were noticably blacker than 3/4.
Started it up again and it seemed to be running on 2.5 cylinders. The exhaust for 1 was slightly warm, 2 was stone cold, and 3/4 were hot. Taken some photos of the plugs and warped skin, all online here:
http://www.dropbox.com/gallery/473116/2/_To%20Copy...
I am still in warranty til October, so not losing too much sleep, but would like someone to tell me it is likely something very simple!
Obviously today was pretty warm, 25c or so I would guess, probably the hottest track day I've run the car at.
ETA - I should say on the photos that the first one of the plugs they're arranged 4-3-2-1 from left to right. Then the one taken from reverse angle they're 1-2-3-4
Edited by edb49 on Saturday 5th June 19:34
The plugs don't look too bad - the corrosion is probably because the plugs have been sat in water (probably from washing the car at the end of the blat?)
The symptoms sound like you have lost the spark in one or two cylinders - this could be a loose or broken loom/connector or a coil pack failing.
See here for a 2nd opinion: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200803...
Get it back to Caterham
Steve
The symptoms sound like you have lost the spark in one or two cylinders - this could be a loose or broken loom/connector or a coil pack failing.
See here for a 2nd opinion: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=200803...
Get it back to Caterham
Steve
edb49, I've nothing to add to the last comment, he's spot on from what you describe. Unburnt fuel due to a loss of ignition on 1 or more cylinders.
But I have a tip for you after seeing the corrosion around you plugs.
When you wash your car, let the engine cool, and place a plastic bin liner on top of your engine, to stop the water which passes through the bonnet louvers from dropping onto your engine.
Then give the engine plug leads etc. a light spray with WD40, and wipe it down.
It'll stop any corrosion like that in the future.
Also give the plug caps a spray inside where they push on, it'll stop any moisture getting in there, and cuasing missfires.
As said before, get it back to CC.
Hope you get it sorted soon.
ETA, a cat is about 300 quid, same as a bypass pipe.
But I have a tip for you after seeing the corrosion around you plugs.
When you wash your car, let the engine cool, and place a plastic bin liner on top of your engine, to stop the water which passes through the bonnet louvers from dropping onto your engine.
Then give the engine plug leads etc. a light spray with WD40, and wipe it down.
It'll stop any corrosion like that in the future.
Also give the plug caps a spray inside where they push on, it'll stop any moisture getting in there, and cuasing missfires.
As said before, get it back to CC.
Hope you get it sorted soon.
ETA, a cat is about 300 quid, same as a bypass pipe.
Edited by mickrick on Sunday 6th June 08:17
sjmmarsh said:
ebd
If the cat was that hot (to distort the skin), then there is a good (bad) chance that it will be damaged - the only way to tell is test the emissions once the misfire is fixed.
Sorry that I cannot bring better news.
Steve
I thought as much to be honest.If the cat was that hot (to distort the skin), then there is a good (bad) chance that it will be damaged - the only way to tell is test the emissions once the misfire is fixed.
Sorry that I cannot bring better news.
Steve
Edited by sjmmarsh on Sunday 6th June 16:41
It is unusual as I have not heard of this happening before - even if the cat was glowing red hot, I would have expected the heat shield to deform before the skin - also, you don't mention any blistering of the paint.
The R500 does have thinner aluminium skin as part of the weight saving, so it could have been damaged before the misfire?
Steve
The R500 does have thinner aluminium skin as part of the weight saving, so it could have been damaged before the misfire?
Steve
sjmmarsh said:
It is unusual as I have not heard of this happening before - even if the cat was glowing red hot, I would have expected the heat shield to deform before the skin - also, you don't mention any blistering of the paint.
The R500 does have thinner aluminium skin as part of the weight saving, so it could have been damaged before the misfire?
Steve
No blistering of the paint, nor of the vinyl. Just seems odd it happened around the cat, I don't see how it could have got damaged otherwise.The R500 does have thinner aluminium skin as part of the weight saving, so it could have been damaged before the misfire?
Steve
The plugs look OK, Just shows signs of unburnt fuel on them.
The metal fillings on the thread is because they were not copper slipped when fitted - always put a smear around them to prevent them breaking off.
With a misfire present as plug condition indicates the exhaust gas temps would have gone through the roof along with engine temps, The catalyst brick is probably rated to 700 deg c so "should" be ok.
I would certainly check the catalyst brick for damage, And I would guess you have a faulty coil pack / Injector.
By Swapping coil packs around and checking the plugs, also disconnecting coil packs and see if misfire still present you could have eliminated the possible causes.
If its under warranty ask for a new set of plugs and coils.
The metal fillings on the thread is because they were not copper slipped when fitted - always put a smear around them to prevent them breaking off.
With a misfire present as plug condition indicates the exhaust gas temps would have gone through the roof along with engine temps, The catalyst brick is probably rated to 700 deg c so "should" be ok.
I would certainly check the catalyst brick for damage, And I would guess you have a faulty coil pack / Injector.
By Swapping coil packs around and checking the plugs, also disconnecting coil packs and see if misfire still present you could have eliminated the possible causes.
If its under warranty ask for a new set of plugs and coils.
I dropped the car off at Caterham yesterday, they're going to take a look at it. They said the warping on the skin next to the catalyst was normal, and not caused by the cat getting too hot.
They're giving me a call later this week to let me know what's up... thankfully it's still under warranty!
They're giving me a call later this week to let me know what's up... thankfully it's still under warranty!
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