what are the symptoms of a bad cat?
10-21-2007, 09:38 AM
#1
what are the symptoms of a bad cat?
Alright guys.... im having a lot of issues with my car.
first o2 sensor, now car is running really lean, and my exhaust sputters a lot during idle....
I narrowed it down to a possible bad Catconverter.
Can you guys list all the symptoms of having a bad cat? and what can a bad cat damage?
thanx guys.... i really need to find out the problem on my car.
Peter
first o2 sensor, now car is running really lean, and my exhaust sputters a lot during idle....
I narrowed it down to a possible bad Catconverter.
Can you guys list all the symptoms of having a bad cat? and what can a bad cat damage?
thanx guys.... i really need to find out the problem on my car.
Peter
10-21-2007, 09:50 AM
#3
10-21-2007, 10:00 AM
#4
If you feel / hear a "clanging" metal noise at idle when it sputters and it comes and goes, there is a chance that the filter part of your cat broke into a piece or two and is bouncing around in there like the lotto ball machine. That's what I had.
10-21-2007, 06:32 PM
#8
Supporting Maxima.org Member
iTrader: (29)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Middleboro/Carver, Ma
Posts: 4,572
HAHAHA
I love your car to, actually I sleep better at night knowing you decided to keep her.
Here's one method to verify a plugged cat. Drill a 3/8" hole in your exhaust before the cat (yes, you will need to later plug this up somehow, oh well imho, deal wit it) Connect a fitting onto it plug a vacuum gauge up to it, use a line long enough that you can route the vacuum gauge inside your car (if you don't have a VG yet get one, they help diagnose ALOT of things). While driving and accelerating heavy, you should never see more than +2psi. Most clogged cat's will cause about 4-5psi of back pressure before the cat.
I love your car to, actually I sleep better at night knowing you decided to keep her.
Here's one method to verify a plugged cat. Drill a 3/8" hole in your exhaust before the cat (yes, you will need to later plug this up somehow, oh well imho, deal wit it) Connect a fitting onto it plug a vacuum gauge up to it, use a line long enough that you can route the vacuum gauge inside your car (if you don't have a VG yet get one, they help diagnose ALOT of things). While driving and accelerating heavy, you should never see more than +2psi. Most clogged cat's will cause about 4-5psi of back pressure before the cat.
10-21-2007, 07:19 PM
#9
The easiest way to test to see IF you have a bad cat is to test the inlet and outlet temps. If the cat is GOOD, the OUTLET temp will be HIGHER than the INLET temp. IF not, your cat is clogged. A DECENT muffler shop should have a pyrometer to test it.
10-21-2007, 08:03 PM
#10
10-22-2007, 02:24 AM
#11
im thinking about getting a test pipe but very very afraid of cops these days...
well.... my exhaust sputters a little bit on idle, and WB02 shows lean condition but i think its broken right now...
can the 02 after the cat cause the car to run lean if its no good?
well.... my exhaust sputters a little bit on idle, and WB02 shows lean condition but i think its broken right now...
can the 02 after the cat cause the car to run lean if its no good?
08-28-2012, 07:10 PM
#16
Newbie - Just Registered
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 9
This is my story I have been going through alot of troubleshooting to get down to the problem and I am still having problems... I have a 1999 Nissan Maxima GLE
About a month ago I started experiencing some chugging with what seemed like some misfiring and general rough driveability. I could smell gas every now and then some other wierd smells every so ofter. This was very intermittent at first but as it continued to get worse I decided to have it all checked out. I pulled a "misfire cylinder 5" code and a manufacturers code that my mechanic did not know what it was.
At this point I changed all my spark plugs, and a coil pack on cylinder 5 and the problem did not fix itself... This was still an intermittent problem until a week or so later when the rough during idle started to get gradually worse, at this I point I also started to experience some hesitation during acceleration and my rpm would stick in first gear until I got up to speed and it would sort of go away...
After words I decided to have the codes pulled on a better scanner and this is what came up... P1105/P1130/P1320
I then had the codes cleared and I replaced intake gasket and plenum gasket. When I checked out the cylinder 5 I saw there was a bent prong so I took it back to autozone and had it replaced with a new one... and I replaced the muffler (which was starting to get loud)
Then I used a can of seafoam, Throttle body cleaner, gas supplements, changed the MAP sensor and did some other routine cleaning and maintenance and still had no luck... My symptoms are getting gradually worse (rough idle getting worse as the car was being driven, hesitation during acceleration and jump RPM's would jump around during acceleration and changing gears) This time also as I would come up to speed and kinda have to floor the gas to do so, and the check engine light started to flash (type A misfire). I also smelled some something that didnt smell like gas or "rotten eggs" but more like the aftersmell of fireworks/smokebombs...
After this I did some more troubleshooting with a can of starter fluid and I noticed it made my EGR valve act funky... So that was taken off cleaned (looked to be functioning fine) and put back on... I also decided to replace the rest of the coil packs because I know they are all known to go bad... I also addressed a small vacuum leak. Also I added tranny fluid (it was fairly low) and a bottle of lucas oil tranny additive.
After doing this my car started up and ran idle beautifully and I took it for a test drive... It drove great for about twenty minutes unlike the other times I replaced things and it would start acting up after about two minutes of driving... So I stopped by my mechanics house and told him I though I got to the bottom of it... when I took off to go home it started acting up right away... rough during idle (but not as bad as pre coil pack changes) still hesitation during acceleration especially in the low RPM and... It went away after driving it some more and then came back even worse... I would put the pedal all way to the floor and almost got no acceleration... My RPM would also kick up for a spllit second then fall back down and I was puttering up my driveway... at this point there is No check engine light... and NO FLASHING when I drove the car up to higher speeds... OBD II reads no codes system fine
About a month ago I started experiencing some chugging with what seemed like some misfiring and general rough driveability. I could smell gas every now and then some other wierd smells every so ofter. This was very intermittent at first but as it continued to get worse I decided to have it all checked out. I pulled a "misfire cylinder 5" code and a manufacturers code that my mechanic did not know what it was.
At this point I changed all my spark plugs, and a coil pack on cylinder 5 and the problem did not fix itself... This was still an intermittent problem until a week or so later when the rough during idle started to get gradually worse, at this I point I also started to experience some hesitation during acceleration and my rpm would stick in first gear until I got up to speed and it would sort of go away...
After words I decided to have the codes pulled on a better scanner and this is what came up... P1105/P1130/P1320
I then had the codes cleared and I replaced intake gasket and plenum gasket. When I checked out the cylinder 5 I saw there was a bent prong so I took it back to autozone and had it replaced with a new one... and I replaced the muffler (which was starting to get loud)
Then I used a can of seafoam, Throttle body cleaner, gas supplements, changed the MAP sensor and did some other routine cleaning and maintenance and still had no luck... My symptoms are getting gradually worse (rough idle getting worse as the car was being driven, hesitation during acceleration and jump RPM's would jump around during acceleration and changing gears) This time also as I would come up to speed and kinda have to floor the gas to do so, and the check engine light started to flash (type A misfire). I also smelled some something that didnt smell like gas or "rotten eggs" but more like the aftersmell of fireworks/smokebombs...
After this I did some more troubleshooting with a can of starter fluid and I noticed it made my EGR valve act funky... So that was taken off cleaned (looked to be functioning fine) and put back on... I also decided to replace the rest of the coil packs because I know they are all known to go bad... I also addressed a small vacuum leak. Also I added tranny fluid (it was fairly low) and a bottle of lucas oil tranny additive.
After doing this my car started up and ran idle beautifully and I took it for a test drive... It drove great for about twenty minutes unlike the other times I replaced things and it would start acting up after about two minutes of driving... So I stopped by my mechanics house and told him I though I got to the bottom of it... when I took off to go home it started acting up right away... rough during idle (but not as bad as pre coil pack changes) still hesitation during acceleration especially in the low RPM and... It went away after driving it some more and then came back even worse... I would put the pedal all way to the floor and almost got no acceleration... My RPM would also kick up for a spllit second then fall back down and I was puttering up my driveway... at this point there is No check engine light... and NO FLASHING when I drove the car up to higher speeds... OBD II reads no codes system fine
08-28-2012, 07:32 PM
#17
Let me start by defining the codes that you got -
P1105 - (A) MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve receives the voltage supplied though ECM does not supply the voltage to the valve.
-or- (B) There is little difference between MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve input voltage at ambient barometric pressure and that at intake manifold pressure.
* Harness or connectors (MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve circuit is open or shorted.)
* Hoses (Hoses are clogged or disconnected.)
* Absolute pressure sensor
* MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve
P1130 - (A) An improper voltage signal is sent to ECM through swirl control valve control solenoid valve,
(B) The vacuum signal is not sent to swirl control valve under specified driving conditions, even though swirl control valve control solenoid valve is ON,
(C) The vacuum signal is sent to swirl control valve even though swirl control valve control solenoid valve is OFF
(A)
* Harness or connectors (The swirl control valve control solenoid valve circuit is open or shorted.)
* Swirl control valve control solenoid valve
(B)
* Harness or connector (The swirl control valve control solenoid valve circuit is open.)
* Swirl control valve control solenoid valve
* Intake system (Intake air leaks)
* Hoses and tubes between intake manifold, vacuum tank and swirl control valve actuator
* Swirl control valve actuator
* Swirl control valve control vacuum check switch
* Mass air flow sensor
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF)
* Throttle position sensor
(C)
* Harness or connector (The swirl control valve control solenoid valve circuit is shorted.)
* Swirl control valve control vacuum check switch
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF)
* Throttle position sensor
* Hoses and tubes between air cleaner and swirl control valve vacuum check switch
* Swirl control valve control solenoid valve
P1320 - The ignition signal in the primary circuit is not entered
during engine cranking or running.
* Power transistor unit built into ignition coil
* Condenser
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF)
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF) circuit
* Harness or connectors (The ignition primary circuit is open or shorted.)
2 of the 3 codes list the crankshaft position sensor (REF) as a possible cause. I suggest you check this. The engine has 2 crankshaft sensors, (REF) and (POS). The (POS) sensor is at the flywheel and the (REF) sensor is at the crankshaft pulley. When you change the oil, you can see the (REF) sensor at the 4 o'clock position. You can unplug it and check it for resistance (470 to 570 ohms) and make sure that the area around the tip is clean. It is easy to take off, just 2 bolts.
The P1105 I think is a separate issue but I don't believe it is the cause of your idle problem.
The smell you get is an engine running too lean - result of your problems.
Do you have a FSM? You can download one here. The 3 codes you listed are explained in the EC section. Look in the index and click on the page number.
http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/
P1105 - (A) MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve receives the voltage supplied though ECM does not supply the voltage to the valve.
-or- (B) There is little difference between MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve input voltage at ambient barometric pressure and that at intake manifold pressure.
* Harness or connectors (MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve circuit is open or shorted.)
* Hoses (Hoses are clogged or disconnected.)
* Absolute pressure sensor
* MAP/BARO switch solenoid valve
P1130 - (A) An improper voltage signal is sent to ECM through swirl control valve control solenoid valve,
(B) The vacuum signal is not sent to swirl control valve under specified driving conditions, even though swirl control valve control solenoid valve is ON,
(C) The vacuum signal is sent to swirl control valve even though swirl control valve control solenoid valve is OFF
(A)
* Harness or connectors (The swirl control valve control solenoid valve circuit is open or shorted.)
* Swirl control valve control solenoid valve
(B)
* Harness or connector (The swirl control valve control solenoid valve circuit is open.)
* Swirl control valve control solenoid valve
* Intake system (Intake air leaks)
* Hoses and tubes between intake manifold, vacuum tank and swirl control valve actuator
* Swirl control valve actuator
* Swirl control valve control vacuum check switch
* Mass air flow sensor
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF)
* Throttle position sensor
(C)
* Harness or connector (The swirl control valve control solenoid valve circuit is shorted.)
* Swirl control valve control vacuum check switch
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF)
* Throttle position sensor
* Hoses and tubes between air cleaner and swirl control valve vacuum check switch
* Swirl control valve control solenoid valve
P1320 - The ignition signal in the primary circuit is not entered
during engine cranking or running.
* Power transistor unit built into ignition coil
* Condenser
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF)
* Crankshaft position sensor (REF) circuit
* Harness or connectors (The ignition primary circuit is open or shorted.)
2 of the 3 codes list the crankshaft position sensor (REF) as a possible cause. I suggest you check this. The engine has 2 crankshaft sensors, (REF) and (POS). The (POS) sensor is at the flywheel and the (REF) sensor is at the crankshaft pulley. When you change the oil, you can see the (REF) sensor at the 4 o'clock position. You can unplug it and check it for resistance (470 to 570 ohms) and make sure that the area around the tip is clean. It is easy to take off, just 2 bolts.
The P1105 I think is a separate issue but I don't believe it is the cause of your idle problem.
The smell you get is an engine running too lean - result of your problems.
Do you have a FSM? You can download one here. The 3 codes you listed are explained in the EC section. Look in the index and click on the page number.
http://boredmder.com/FSMs/Nissan/Maxima/
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
My Coffee
New Member Introductions
15
06-06-2017 02:01 PM
Unclejunebug
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
10
04-02-2016 05:42 AM
Andy29
5th Generation Maxima (2000-2003)
8
09-29-2015 05:32 AM