87 Red Hot Cat
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
87 Red Hot Cat
Got engine started after top end cleanup. TPS is not set and timing is set to where it was before I tore it down. I know it needs adjusting. Timing can't be too far off. It is running rich. I ordered the TPS pin breakout "tool" but it hasn't arrived yet.
Only ONE cat (drivers side) is red hot, the other is normal temp. Likely cause for only ONE side to burn hot? It wasn't doing this before I tore it down so I'm hesitant to blame it on a clogged cat.
Only ONE cat (drivers side) is red hot, the other is normal temp. Likely cause for only ONE side to burn hot? It wasn't doing this before I tore it down so I'm hesitant to blame it on a clogged cat.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,940
Likes: 5
From: Chesapeake VA
I have a late 86' (Aluminum heads). It might be an injector on the one side is partially clogged open, and thus dumping more fuel on the one side which would leave excess fuel vapor to burn in the cat and help cause the rich smell??? That is all I can think of off the top of my head.
I can't think of a reason the TPS would cause only one cat to glow. Usually it is a clogged cat (as you know).
I can't think of a reason the TPS would cause only one cat to glow. Usually it is a clogged cat (as you know).
Got engine started after top end cleanup. TPS is not set and timing is set to where it was before I tore it down. I know it needs adjusting. Timing can't be too far off. It is running rich. I ordered the TPS pin breakout "tool" but it hasn't arrived yet.
Only ONE cat (drivers side) is red hot, the other is normal temp. Likely cause for only ONE side to burn hot? It wasn't doing this before I tore it down so I'm hesitant to blame it on a clogged cat.
Only ONE cat (drivers side) is red hot, the other is normal temp. Likely cause for only ONE side to burn hot? It wasn't doing this before I tore it down so I'm hesitant to blame it on a clogged cat.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
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From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Hot exhaust is a sign of fuel burning while the exhaust valve is open.
Late timing, rich mix will attribute to this effect.
87 is a bank fire engine I believe O2 sensors on each bank.
Late timing, rich mix will attribute to this effect.
87 is a bank fire engine I believe O2 sensors on each bank.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,523
Likes: 3,312
From: Hartford WI
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,275
Likes: 165
From: Utah
I had that happen on the car i had in highschool, mazda rx-7.
plugged cat, the car also burned oil by design. I'm sure that did not help cat converter life.
I went through cats just about yearly, loss of power and a glowing exhaust system.
I'm always a little fearful of a plugged cat after my parents lost a minivan due to fire and a plugged pre cat.
Pretty much they parked the car and about 20min later the car was in flames.
plugged cat, the car also burned oil by design. I'm sure that did not help cat converter life.
I went through cats just about yearly, loss of power and a glowing exhaust system.
I'm always a little fearful of a plugged cat after my parents lost a minivan due to fire and a plugged pre cat.
Pretty much they parked the car and about 20min later the car was in flames.
Last edited by Gibbles; Nov 13, 2016 at 10:54 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,701
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Op, you don't have to wait for the TPS jumper to check the tps voltage. Just use 3 1" wires with the insulation stripped in different positions to avoid shorting and connect your multimeter between a and c (if memory serves me right).
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 6,134
Likes: 46
From: Raleigh North Carolina
The gizmo made it real easy read the voltage. The TPS is bad.... ordered a new one.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,523
Likes: 3,312
From: Hartford WI
Codes are set for outrageous values. So in the middle of the Sahara at the hottest time where it is 120 degrees, if the ECM sees 20 degrees it would not throw a code. The scanner sees what the ECM sees. You determine if the value is correct.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,523
Likes: 3,312
From: Hartford WI
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,772
Likes: 64
From: Mystic CT
If the scanner does not give real time data it is just a glorified code reader and useless. You can replace that with a paper clip. When I bought mine on 2008 my second purchase was a scanner that gives real time data to make life much simpler. It answers a ton of questions in minutes rather than hours.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 28,523
Likes: 3,312
From: Hartford WI
If the scanner does not give real time data it is just a glorified code reader and useless. You can replace that with a paper clip. When I bought mine on 2008 my second purchase was a scanner that gives real time data to make life much simpler. It answers a ton of questions in minutes rather than hours.