Boost Problem

[Steve Burnett]

I have a boost problem with my car.

After a Clio Sport was unable to pull away from me this morning I realised I had a problem! As I said the Clio did not pull away, but I never said I could not gain on him either.
I thought there might be a problem for the last few days but the Clio made me check.
I took my car out at lunch time and check the boost gauge while doing a 3rd gear run. Just as I thought the car was not getting full boost. 1st spool was the usual 0.8 then the drop to 0.4/0.5 before the second spool-up. On the 2nd the boost hit 0.8 held for a second but then it slowly (within about 1second) dropped to 0.5.
As my car has had a rebuild by RX Motors only about 9K miles ago and most vacuum lines were changed I am guessing the cat might be on its last legs. Does anyone else have any thoughts?
The car is going in for a service within the next week so it will be checked then but the guy is no RX specialist so I hope it is simple.

[iaint]

Could be the cat - mine was on it\'s way out and dyno session showed the boost dropping off >6200 RPM WOT.

Could also be a problem with one of the pipes or actuators being temperamental (i also had that problem previously!!).

Doesn\'t sound like anything serious (as in megabucks-expensive) - if you already have the ECU then de-cat and re-map shouldn\'\'t be too painful.

Iain

[Steve Burnett]

No ECU at the moment but I am thinking about it. Need to see whats up with the car. If its not the CAT then I will have to get the car to pip at WGT or get in contact with Robbie, I think there is a good place in Glasgow area that they use.
Just hoping it is the CAT, quick and easy to sort.

[iaint]

Unless you can get a decent 2nd hand one I think the cat is quite a pricey bit of kit to replace - might be the same kind of money to get a de-cat (silenced ones are worth the extra few quid imo) and ECU.  Set-up may be a bit more though and will give a good chunk of extra horses!

Iain

[Robertio]

Steve, easiest way to eliminate the cat from enquiries would be if you could get Angus to take his car along with yours to a friendly garage.  Get them to try his cat (just replaced his recently)  on your car and see if it gets rid of the problem.  The cat is quick to change, so shouldn\'t be more than an hours labour all in (including putting the cats back on their respective cars).

If you are not doing anything on Sunday there is a very remote chance we might be through at Crail (if I can convince The Garage to put my car back together in time) so you could pop down and see if Bob can spot anything obvious (he\'s spent more time taking apart his turbo setup than is healthy).

[20B_boy]

Does that mean u have turbos again Rob?

Take u another week to get all your loaned out bits back wont it? :rollin

[Robertio]

They were dispatched yesterday, 300 quid to ship them back to the UK, so they\'d better turn up tomorrow...

It\'s unlikely The Garage will have a chance to put my car together this week, but I\'ve asked if there is any chance of d/p turbos and engine back in, so I can at least get a TOTB qualifying time in.  Then put the rest of the bits on (in the next week or so) and see about mapping it for some quick times :cool

I\'m hoping my loaned out bits will have been replaced, will doubt find out when it gets fired up for the first time, and doesn\'t :rolleyes:

[Andyp]

Steve what\'s the heat out ya exhaust like when ya been for a run? is it hot but tolerant or *ouch omg that hurt, git, git, git!!!*?

[Steve Burnett]

Robbie,
yeah that did cross my mind. I will need to ask Angus very nicly but I think it would have to be done at a weekend. My car is going in on Monday, hopefully the problem can be spotted then, if not then I might have to give Angus a call.

Andy,
I\'ll chech the exaust tomorrow and see if I can even stand near it.
P.S. Got the plugs today. Thanks!

[Andyp]

glad ya got them ok

yeah its its red hot - burning hot that usually a good sign of a fudged cat

if it is, its decat timeeeeeee

[ScuttleRX]

lol, think theres gonna be a country-wide shortage of de-cats at this rate!:rollin

[Andyp]

good job we got our orders in

we\'re simply the best! :rollin

[ScuttleRX]

yes, better than all the rest