Are my cats bads??

[x Spades x]

Hey Guys,

So I've been smelling excess fumes (2005 M3) and tried digging into it. I'm having trouble passing emission (Evap and O2 sensor heater are not readying up) and I downloaded the torque app. I'm getting the below real time data from the 4 O2 sensors. INPA is throwing up P0178 and 0179 codes from cat low efficiency. Can anyone tell me if my cats are bad? I have the SSv1 stepped headers and the matching sec 1 with HJS 200 cell cats). If so what are the best 200 cell cats to weld in (without going broke)?

Thanks,
Kareem

[ATB88]

That your post-cat sensors are following your pre-cat sensors is definitely a bad sign, but wait for someone who knows what they're talking about. How many miles on your cats? Those are expensive cats to have to have gone bad, I'd be losing my mind if I paid for a catted SS sec 1 and the cats went out. I hope there's another explanation!

[x Spades x]

Me too... I'm like wtf?? Cats have about 20k miles on them.

[WOLFN8TR]

Did you try doing the smog readiness drive cycle? I would give that a try first and see if those codes clear. I had the same issue and that worked for me and passed smog check.


BMW Drive Cycle

The drive cycle consists of four tests. Each test can be done independent of the other tests. It does not matter what order you complete the tests in. Only one of the tests requires a cold start, the other three do not.

To solve your problem, you need to complete the third test shown in the graphic. You do this through the following process:


1) Fix all transmission and engine light faults before emissions testing and completing drive cycle tests. Before you perform the test, I strongly suggest you download the app called "Torque" on your phone and turn on the emissions control screen. This screen lets you know what tests you have completed in real time. In this case, you'll be looking at the Catalytic Converter test. You'll need a $10 blu-tooth OBD connector to connect the car to the phone. This step is optional, but you'll see why it is helpful in later steps.

2) Start your car and go directly to the freeway. DO NOT exceed 3000 rpm, DO NOT make sudden or large accelerations/decelerations, and DO NOT exceed 60 mph on your way to the freeway. Doing any of these will stop the test immediately and the test won't restart unless you restart your car. For these reasons, you'll want to get onto the freeway at night, preferably after midnight when traffic is the lowest. For me personally, I absolutely HAD to get my emissions test completed within a narrow time frame. To ensure I was successful, I did this test at 3AM when there is ZERO traffic.

3) Once on the freeway, SLOWLY accelerate to 55 mph and set the cruise control at 55mph. Just chill in the slow lane for 20 minutes (just to be conservative) and let the computer run its tests. As long as you stay in the slow lane, you're golden. If someone tailgates you, just stay where you are. You're in the slowest lane, they can go around.

4) Once 20 minutes has passed, get off the freeway. Open the Torque app and confirm the drive test is complete.

5) DO NOT do any work on your car until you get the emissions test done. DO NOT disconnect the battery. DO NOT run any diagnostic or performance software plugged in via the OBD port. DO NOT make software modifications. DO NOT clear any codes from the car at all. Wait until you've completed emissions testing to do any of these because the emissions test results get wiped from the ECU when you do them. If you wipe the results, you gotta perform the test again.

[x Spades x]

Did you try doing the smog readiness drive cycle? I would give that a try first and see if those codes clear. I had the same issue and that worked for me and passed smog check.


BMW Drive Cycle

The drive cycle consists of four tests. Each test can be done independent of the other tests. It does not matter what order you complete the tests in. Only one of the tests requires a cold start, the other three do not.

To solve your problem, you need to complete the third test shown in the graphic. You do this through the following process:


1) Fix all transmission and engine light faults before emissions testing and completing drive cycle tests. Before you perform the test, I strongly suggest you download the app called "Torque" on your phone and turn on the emissions control screen. This screen lets you know what tests you have completed in real time. In this case, you'll be looking at the Catalytic Converter test. You'll need a $10 blu-tooth OBD connector to connect the car to the phone. This step is optional, but you'll see why it is helpful in later steps.

2) Start your car and go directly to the freeway. DO NOT exceed 3000 rpm, DO NOT make sudden or large accelerations/decelerations, and DO NOT exceed 60 mph on your way to the freeway. Doing any of these will stop the test immediately and the test won't restart unless you restart your car. For these reasons, you'll want to get onto the freeway at night, preferably after midnight when traffic is the lowest. For me personally, I absolutely HAD to get my emissions test completed within a narrow time frame. To ensure I was successful, I did this test at 3AM when there is ZERO traffic.

3) Once on the freeway, SLOWLY accelerate to 55 mph and set the cruise control at 55mph. Just chill in the slow lane for 20 minutes (just to be conservative) and let the computer run its tests. As long as you stay in the slow lane, you're golden. If someone tailgates you, just stay where you are. You're in the slowest lane, they can go around.

4) Once 20 minutes has passed, get off the freeway. Open the Torque app and confirm the drive test is complete.

5) DO NOT do any work on your car until you get the emissions test done. DO NOT disconnect the battery. DO NOT run any diagnostic or performance software plugged in via the OBD port. DO NOT make software modifications. DO NOT clear any codes from the car at all. Wait until you've completed emissions testing to do any of these because the emissions test results get wiped from the ECU when you do them. If you wipe the results, you gotta perform the test again.

Yes... I've been through this cycle about 10 times, to no avail.

Is there a warranty on emissions items (from Supersprint)?

[r4dr]

Any warranty would be handled through the SS distributor that you bought it from originally, I would imagine (ECS or Turner maybe?).

Did the smell just start happening? Did you install the SS pipes yourself or did a previous owner put them on there?

[x Spades x]

Any warranty would be handled through the SS distributor that you bought it from originally, I would imagine (ECS or Turner maybe?).

Did the smell just start happening? Did you install the SS pipes yourself or did a previous owner put them on there?

A euro shop in NY installed them for me (I bought them through Performance Eurowerks (Chicago).

[beefaroni]

There is a recall/TSB that involves reflashing the DME to make the cat efficiency threshold a little less sensitive. I was getting occasional cat codes. I had the dealer apply the reflash when I took mine in for the Takata airbag recall. It may be worth looking into, but you are actually smelling things so perhaps there is an actual overfueling/cat function issue.

[Apex_80]

Hey Guys,

So I've been smelling excess fumes (2005 M3) and tried digging into it. I'm having trouble passing emission (Evap and O2 sensor heater are not readying up) and I downloaded the torque app. I'm getting the below real time data from the 4 O2 sensors. INPA is throwing up P0178 and 0179 codes from cat low efficiency. Can anyone tell me if my cats are bad? I have the SSv1 stepped headers and the matching sec 1 with HJS 200 cell cats). If so what are the best 200 cell cats to weld in (without going broke)?

Thanks,
Kareem

Wasn't there someone selling a catted section 1 on the forums here? With the 100cell