Orange light on after decat

[msm]

About 100KM after I did the decat on my 330i, it appears that the orange DSC/Brake light came on. Car seems to be running fine though - noticeable performance increase above 3K RPM too. However, the 2 orange lights are a concern.

Going to borrow a friends OBD cable tomorrow and check/clear the codes. Any suggestions or anyone experience similar issues after a decat ???

 

[freerider]

strange, normally it would throw a yellow CEL, not the traction control lights???

 

[msm]

BTW, this is not a pic of my car, but the same two lights are on:

 

[zaleonardz]

its just a coinidance.

Two systems are in no way related, thats more then likely a speed sensor...

But keep us updated, would be very interesting if they are related...

Its the spirit of the cats, they are evil.....

 

[Sankekur]

its just a coinidance.

Two systems are in no way related, thats more then likely a speed sensor...

But keep us updated, would be very interesting if they are related...

Its the spirit of the cats, they are evil.....

Was what I was thinking as well, the only strange thing is that wheel speed sensor problems usually tend to turn on the DSC, handbrake and ABS warning lights :thinking:

 

[moranor@axis]

maybe they heated something they should not have it happens if they get lazy and dont want to take the exhaust off... low brake fluid can also make those lights come on...

 

[Sankekur]

Thinking of it now it is possible that the front left wheel speed sensor wire to run close to the exhaust manifold, but I can't be sure.

 

[msm]

I guess a diagnostic report will check if it is the wheel sensor that triggered this. Will hopefully have an answer by tomorrow night :thinking:

 

[Sankekur]

Cool man, hope you get is sorted quickly (and cheaply of course ), and keep us updated.

 

[Coisman]

imp:
I also think maybe when they removed the cats they accidently damaged or pulled out something they shouldn't have... :dunno:

 

[msm]

UPDATE:

So we hooked up the diag cable running INPA late this afternoon. The following 2 errors came up:

1) 202 Lambda regulating limit Bank1
2) 203 Lambda regulating limit Bank2

Reset all the errors, drove round the block and lights cleared. I'm guessing that it may come back though, as the first one happened only after about 100KM. But I guess only time will tell.

Spoke to Alister from Powerflow and said I should bring the car in. Sherwin may have a solution. :dunno: But this may need to wait until May as I'm going away for holiday in a few days (in my reliable Landy fft: ) .

Anyway (for those interested) will update this thread if there is anything new.

 

[Sankekur]

Those codes make sense, since there are now no cats, but it doesn't explain the warning lights since they are from system that are not related in any way, really weird if you ask me :thinking:

 

[msm]

Those codes make sense, since there are now no cats, but it doesn't explain the warning lights since they are from system that are not related in any way, really weird if you ask me :thinking:

My guess is that because it's not critical to engine operation (i.e. you can keep driving), it will not trigger the EML light (which apparently also puts the car into limp mode, or something like that). But that's just my guess :dunno:

 

[moranor@axis]

did they put the sensors in the right sides?

 

[Twinz]

Reason for removing the cats?

 

[msm]

Reason for removing the cats?

1) Performance
2) At 110k on the clock, they should have started clogging up by now

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did they put the sensors in the right sides?

How can I check?

 

[fullboost]

well I know when thy remove cat's thy must put in mini cats to bluff the ecu.

 

[P1000]

well I know when thy remove cat's thy must put in mini cats to bluff the ecu.

You just install electronic cat-foolers, which is basically two resistors. The important part (which does the lambda regulating) is the wideband O2 sensors that come before the cats. Did they reinstall them?

 

[msm]

You just install electronic cat-foolers, which is basically two resistors. The important part (which does the lambda regulating) is the wideband O2 sensors that come before the cats. Did they reinstall them?

Yes, the sensors are installed. I've used E46 328i catless headers which has the bungs for the sensors and I've checked that the sensors are installed into them. I'm also not 100% sure which plug goes to the first 3 banks and which to the 2nd 3, else I would have checked this already. Maybe I'll go pop the hood of someones E46 to check....

The only other thing I suspect is that the front 2 sensors are the wrong way around and this may be causing the issue. The sensor plugs are on the top (right side) and quite easy to switch around, but I may need to drive the car first for a little while to see if the error pops up again.

BTW, instead of cat foolers, etc, I've heard of guys doing a software solution that bypasses the need for these sensors - if I can find that locally, it would be my first option (assuming I still have the problem).

 

[moranor@axis]

if they did not fit mini cats then that is most lightly your problem... you can try swapping the sensors around but i dont think that is the problem if you dont have mini cats... most lightly the post cat sensors are running too hot because the cats are gone... if it was the pre cat sensors then i think the engine light would come on :dunno:

i would use software to fix this if you were going to do it anyway... if not i would just fit some mini cats