Running rich since cat back.

**GU357** · 15-03-2012 07:58 PM

Hey.

Ive noticed the inside of my muffler has a fair bit of soot.
which is a sign of running rich i assume.

When the car first starts up, and i put my hand behind the tip and smell my hand later its got that fuelly smell.

could it just be that the soot is building up during warm up, or is it more likely the cat back has caused it to run richer all the time?

**oopoc** · 15-03-2012 08:23 PM

First off that soot is normal, most places blacken the visible inside of the muffler so you don't notice. Secondly the fuel smell is a Honda trait, Honda generally tunes the engine to run very rich at idle (almost to the point of starving itself of air) if you give it a bit of throttle and more than just condensation comes out the exhaust, then you have something a miss. But the blackening of the exhaust is normal, sometimes for a while after having a new catback/muffler installed they blow some of the spot out as the air is now less restricted and therefore flows faster. And the fuel smell, drive around for a while with the windows down and ac off. If you smell it more than just idle then you may have a problem( or maby it's just the tune)

Hope this helps

**GU357** · 15-03-2012 08:29 PM

i figured the smell was most likely just an idle/warm up thing.

ill ask my friend to follow me and see if he can smell anything.
just curious is a fuel smell is normal if im flooring it?
i wont be flooring it but im just wandering if it would be normal to have that smell as my friends cars have a fuel smell when they "floor it"
but i didnt think that it was an engine problem just the intake not keeping up with the injectors or something.

**oopoc** · 15-03-2012 08:40 PM

Originally Posted by GU357

just wandering if it would be normal to have that smell as my friends cars have a fuel smell when they "floor it"
but i didnt think that it was an engine problem just the intake not keeping up with the injectors or something.

so what you saying is you friends car has a fuel smelling ..... Smell, when they sink there boot in? In that case I would be inclined to check the timing (maby valves opening up too quick) and spark plugs (not getting enough spark and not burning all the mixture). But then again I used to have a mate with a 180sx apocalyptic turbo, decat, no resonator and a cannon. Thing always smelt like fuel and spewed out clouds of muck. So it may also depend on what they have done to the car. It could also be something as simple as the throttle setup. My old civic you put your foot down most of the way (90%) and the throttle was fully open then you push the other 10 and it can't open the throttle more but it injects more fuel (confused the absolute f*ck outta me)

**GU357** · 15-03-2012 08:46 PM

Oh its my car i was talking abt but i was just curious as to whether mine would/should stink like that if i floored it.

**oopoc** · 15-03-2012 08:50 PM

Seriously doubt it. My del sol wreaks of fuel at idle (specialy when cold) and it runs perfect (perfect for 120xxxkms) kinda a bummer with the roof off tho.

**GU357** · 15-03-2012 08:54 PM

ahh ok, thanks for clearing that up. was affraid of having to get it retuned or something :S
my mates rx8 got a defect notice then they shoved a sniffer up their, he had to get a retune to run leaner thing overheated and cracked.
but thats a rotary

**oopoc** · 15-03-2012 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by GU357

ahh ok, thanks for clearing that up. was affraid of having to get it retuned or something :S

Were here to help

Originally Posted by GU357

my mates rx8 got a defect notice then they shoved a sniffer up their, he had to get a retune to run leaner thing overheated and cracked.
but thats a rotary

Ah rotaries, munch munch pistons for lunch

**GU357** · 15-03-2012 09:08 PM

Good stuff.

btw its We're, returning the favor

**oopoc** · 15-03-2012 09:09 PM

Ah poop (obviously English isn't my strong suit) thanks.

**GU357** · 15-03-2012 09:12 PM

haha thats probably the only help i could of provided u with lol.

**mugen_ctr** · 16-03-2012 12:20 AM

its normal for any car to run slightly rich after wacking on a minor mods such as cat back an pod... But u shouldn't be smelling it at all on idle as what the other dude described... Not even my car is that bad with mods LOL, if its smelling on idle, than u have a bigger problem...

If ur finding its chewing fuel alot more as u drive, than try a ecu reset, an see if it helps

And if not, than look at the O2 sensor, might be stuffed....

If u want to make the most of the mods, than a tune is recommended