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Cat replaced, not happy.

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Old 09-19-2012, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by shadycrew31
the trailing plugs prevent self ignition of fuel and/or detonation from leftover fuel the leading plugs didn't blow up.

I thought you put new plugs and coils in the engine before you gave them the car?
Yes I did. Apparently they "upgraded" the plugs and they said that fixed the heat issue.
Old 09-19-2012, 05:22 PM
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yea something bout that just don't sound right, yea don't let them do anything else.
Old 09-19-2012, 06:05 PM
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**** I'd be calling a lawyer right about now.
Old 09-19-2012, 09:03 PM
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Originally Posted by RIWWP
So you put in plugs that they disagreed with, then they put in plugs of their own that they insist are OEM, and are now trying to charge you because the plugs they put in are "stopping it from getting hot"?????

What a complete load of BS. Even the description doesn't make any sense even if the plugs were wrong, which if they are it's the dealer's fault! Tell them to either put in the plugs you had in there to begin with (which were new) or leave the ones they put in and give you your car back. Do not let them charge you for that!

Let us know how it is when you get it back and if it's still giving you problems, let me know and I'll coordinate with you getting down to check it out in person.



*I'm seriously shaking my head in disgust at that dealer*
Picked up my car and hate to say it but I paid the money and brought my car home. Not having her for nearly a month was too long. The drive home was about 20 miles and she acted just fine. When I was stopped she stayed at a steady idle a little over 750. Didn't cut off once either. The seat bracket got a tad hot but nothing like before.

When I got home I didn't cut it off and let it sit for a good 20 mins. Didn't cut off then either. Before, the car would emit some crazy heat even standing 3 feet away from it. Now, even with the hood popped, it's nowhere near as hot.

I notice a great difference. Although still worried the worst is yet to come :-/.
The dealership monkeys also put 5w-30 oil in my car. Why would they do that when it clearly calls for 5w-20?
Old 09-19-2012, 09:07 PM
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Glad to hear

5w-30 is better anyway. 5w-20 is only instructed in the US for emissions reasons. Everywhere else in the world either gets an instruction of 5w-30 or "use the oil that suits your climate conditions appropriately". Even though it's the same car
Old 09-20-2012, 09:39 AM
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Originally Posted by RIWWP
Glad to hear

5w-30 is better anyway. 5w-20 is only instructed in the US for emissions reasons. Everywhere else in the world either gets an instruction of 5w-30 or "use the oil that suits your climate conditions appropriately". Even though it's the same car

Gotcha. How long of a period do I "baby" her before driving normal again?
Also, since being a "new" engine and all, should I change the oil more frequently at first rather than around 3000 miles?
Old 09-20-2012, 09:44 AM
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racing beat has a break in schedule. iirc rotary god has a different view on this tho
Old 09-20-2012, 09:55 AM
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There are numerous theories and break in procedures, and not much to show that one is better than another.

I kept at partial throttle no more than 4,000rpm for the first 200 miles, bumped that to 5,000 from 200-400 miles, 6,000rpm for 400-600, 7,000rpm for 600-800 and started getting on the throttle harder, 8,000rpm for 800-1000, did an oil change at 1,000(ish) and let her rip full throttle to redline.

It helped that I had a road trip during a chunk of that
Old 09-20-2012, 11:59 AM
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+1 on RIWWP.

I just did that procedure on my engine a few weeks back. It seems to make the most sense to me. Now at 1400 miles on engine and feels great! a 2nd gear pull is ecstasy to me.
Old 09-20-2012, 12:03 PM
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^ it will keep getting better. I could feel the engine improving up to about 2,500-3,000 miles. It probably kept improving after that, but no longer enough that I could feel the difference.
Old 09-20-2012, 02:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Clarissarx8
Yes I did. Apparently they "upgraded" the plugs and they said that fixed the heat issue.
What you should do is have your bf pull the plugs (one at a time), write down the part numbers, and see how that differs from what he bought for the car.

BC.
Old 09-20-2012, 07:24 PM
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Originally Posted by RIWWP
There are numerous theories and break in procedures, and not much to show that one is better than another.

I kept at partial throttle no more than 4,000rpm for the first 200 miles, bumped that to 5,000 from 200-400 miles, 6,000rpm for 400-600, 7,000rpm for 600-800 and started getting on the throttle harder, 8,000rpm for 800-1000, did an oil change at 1,000(ish) and let her rip full throttle to redline.

It helped that I had a road trip during a chunk of that
Awesome thank you I wrote that down
Old 09-20-2012, 07:26 PM
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Originally Posted by Bladecutter
What you should do is have your bf pull the plugs (one at a time), write down the part numbers, and see how that differs from what he bought for the car.

BC.
Thank you for the tip
Old 09-21-2012, 06:44 AM
  #164  
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Originally Posted by djfa
+1 on RIWWP.

I just did that procedure on my engine a few weeks back. It seems to make the most sense to me. Now at 1400 miles on engine and feels great! a 2nd gear pull is ecstasy to me.
LOL, you and I have the about the same mileage on the reman' at this time. I had mine replaced a little over a month ago.
Old 09-22-2012, 08:23 AM
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Ok so I started my car this morning to let it warm up before I drove to work. Walk out the door and get within 5 feet of my car and what do I smell? Straight gas. It was pretty strong of a smell. And last night I pull in the driveway after an hour drive or so, and the heat coming from under my hood is crazy. I popped the hood and it was so hot it almost felt as steam would on your face. An I worrying too much considering all the problems I've had with it so far, or does it sound as if something's wrong?
Old 09-22-2012, 09:42 AM
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Pop the hood and take a sniff as far up toward the upper rear of the engine bay as you can. If the gas smell is stronger there, that fuel line I mentioned earlier might be leaking. If it's not stronger, or a bit weaker, then the gas smell was probably from the tailpipe, in which case it's not really normal, but not concerning either. If that fuel line is leaking though, it really needs to get addressed immediately. Too many car fires from it coming loose and hosing the engine bay, and hot exhaust, with fuel. I don't want to panic you either. If it is leaking, you should be able to have some visible liquid leaking under the car while it is running, would be dripping probably somewhere rearward of the front tires, but in front of what would be under the steering wheel.


It's really hard to call high engine bay heat as wrong, or normal without an actual temp measurement. After everything is up to temp and you have been driving around, especially lower speeds, the various metal parts of the engine bay will be up to the 200 degree range, and the block itself will be a bit hotter. Add that the fan can keep running after you shut it off to help cool it down, which will be blowing hot air up and out at you, and I can see where that description would be normal. There is a point at which it IS too hot though, but not something that can just be described easily.

Last edited by RIWWP; 09-22-2012 at 09:44 AM.
Old 09-22-2012, 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by RIWWP
Pop the hood and take a sniff as far up toward the upper rear of the engine bay as you can. If the gas smell is stronger there, that fuel line I mentioned earlier might be leaking. If it's not stronger, or a bit weaker, then the gas smell was probably from the tailpipe, in which case it's not really normal, but not concerning either. If that fuel line is leaking though, it really needs to get addressed immediately. Too many car fires from it coming loose and hosing the engine bay, and hot exhaust, with fuel. I don't want to panic you either. If it is leaking, you should be able to have some visible liquid leaking under the car while it is running, would be dripping probably somewhere rearward of the front tires, but in front of what would be under the steering wheel.


It's really hard to call high engine bay heat as wrong, or normal without an actual temp measurement. After everything is up to temp and you have been driving around, especially lower speeds, the various metal parts of the engine bay will be up to the 200 degree range, and the block itself will be a bit hotter. Add that the fan can keep running after you shut it off to help cool it down, which will be blowing hot air up and out at you, and I can see where that description would be normal. There is a point at which it IS too hot though, but not something that can just be described easily.
Thank you. Is it possible for a fuel line to leak and there be no liquid on the ground? As I'm almost positive there was nothing on the ground when I backed up.
Old 09-22-2012, 10:53 AM
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Yes, it's possible, but highly unlikely. Our fuel system is pressurized, and even a small leak will start jetting fuel quite easily.
Old 09-22-2012, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by RIWWP
Yes, it's possible, but highly unlikely. Our fuel system is pressurized, and even a small leak will start jetting fuel quite easily.
There is nothing leaking onto the ground. The smell is coming from the back of the car. Odd thing is, it only smells sometimes. It doesn't smell every time I drive it. I don't know what it could be. There is absolutely no gas smell under the hood.
Old 09-22-2012, 06:00 PM
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Is it only when you let it sit there and idle for a bit after starting without driving it? If so, it's possible that it's just the extra fuel that gets added during warm up, and it slowly cooked off in the exhaust, generating the smell.

Vs if you drive it soon after starting, the higher exhaust flow push it out more rapidly, and it's all behind you and not where you can smell it.
Old 09-23-2012, 11:07 AM
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Originally Posted by RIWWP
Is it only when you let it sit there and idle for a bit after starting without driving it? If so, it's possible that it's just the extra fuel that gets added during warm up, and it slowly cooked off in the exhaust, generating the smell.

Vs if you drive it soon after starting, the higher exhaust flow push it out more rapidly, and it's all behind you and not where you can smell it.
Yes mostly only when I start it up and let it sit there for ten mins or so. You said to pop the hood and see if I smell anything up under there. I did on two separate occasions and smelt nothing. I got home yesterday after having driven for 30 mins or so, let it sit there for not even 5 mins and smelt gas again. Only it still was coming from the back of the car. My boyfriend even jacked it up and said the gas smell was strong near the back of the car.
Old 09-23-2012, 11:28 AM
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...he jacked it up to see if he saw gas anywhere, a leak or something, and said there was nothing there at all, but we both came to the conclusion the smell is coming from somewhere around the rear of the car.
Old 09-23-2012, 12:20 PM
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The fuel pump and level sensor are accessed thru a connection on top of the tank, and this connection is under the fuel level when it's half full - if the gasket there leaks it would be only when you have a fullish tank......

Easy to check, lift the front of the drivers side rear seat, and remove the cushion. Undo the access plate, (4 Phillips screws) and check for wet spots on top of the plastic fuel tank.
Old 09-26-2012, 04:40 PM
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My car is acting great. Yet I thought about this as I was explaining to a friend how I was breaking in my new engine and why...ok so we are supposed to redline our cars daily to prevent any carbon buildup right? Well what about those first 800-1000 miles or so without redlining? Wouldn't this cause carbon buildup? I am using riwwp's method. Thanks.
Old 09-26-2012, 04:53 PM
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Yeah, you will be building carbon up more-so than if you were able to redline it regularly. It won't reach critical levels before you get to past the 7,000rpm point, at which point you are getting close enough to the redlining conditions (more throttle, more air, more fuel, great V/E) that it will start reversing that. Even if not, it's only 1,000 miles. Carbon choking usually starts causing problems more like 10k-20k miles of no redline, killing the engine more like 40k-60k of that.

Breaking it in properly is more of a concern at this point.

I've got almost 12k on my reman now, and am going to start doing experiments with how much carbon i actually have and how effective the various cleaning methods are.


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