Is your 'de-cat' stinky ?
 

Hey folks, I had a wrapped decat downpipe fitted to PPP exhaust on MY08Sti - so now no cats... Also had engine rebuilt at same time so running in nice an' slow. :thumb:

It's been 600 miles now, and when starting up I get a big niff of nasty fumes, and also when turning off ??? I did think that maybe it's oily residue on the engine from the workshop which is burning off... And I have been informed that is probably so... But now it's more like an exhaust type niff - something associated to cars which are 20+ years old and not 18 months old... :(

So is this 'normal' for a de-cat exhaust ? Does yours smell as well ? :confused:

Or could it be blowing somewhere as its apparent when stationary and not really when moving ? :wonder:

Is this a rod I've made for my own back ! ! ! :brickwall

I couldn't afford the sports cat pipe which is what I really wanted, so I got the cheapo decat - is this the trade off ? :rolleyes:

Thanks

A

I have a de cat on my 2006 SpecD and yes I do get a slight smell, Its a bit like the old cars when they were using 4 star :). Its not that bad tho only if you let it tick over when your standing out side with it.

mines decatted, now and again i get a hot-oil smell, although it doesn't use a drop of oil.

You can't beat the smell of pure petrol fumes in the morning!

Oh my!
 

lol..... :D


I hate it, and if it dont go away I shall have to replace it asap. :mad:

TBH I'm dissapointed if this is the trade off... nice car spoilt by smelling like the inside of a ------ old garage... :nopity:

I cant believe all decats suffer like this . Seems wierd :freak3:

I've had a few de-cats over the years and can't say i've noticed anything

Are you sure it's not the heat wrapping, this smells like burnt biscuits for ages

love the smell of v power its unique
i used to get it from my focus rs that was decatted

Thinking of a decat myself. So is th esmell really that bad?

On a sidenote: an engine rebuild on a my08 sti??!!!

Agree with dannyboy the wrap does smell for a bit. As you are still running the engine in it will go on for a while. I had it for a short while after I fitted my new exhaust that I had fully wrapped. I was not running in a new engine so was able to use the car once it had been re-mapped and the smell did not last to long.

The smell is probably the engine trying to (but probably not doing a very sucessful job of) overfuelling so it doesnt blow your engine to bits, you could be in for a big bill soon if your car has not been remapped for said decat (goes for any new age STI, they just blow themselves up :eek: )

Tony:)

I recommend you leave it for a while, run it in and get some boost running through its veins :thumb: it may smell a whole lot better!

What happened to your engine in 18 months rebuild?

Dont worry Guys...
 

Hey thanks for all the replies.... :thumb:

Yes the engine went pop at 15,000 miles. A piece of piston from the ringland broke off (inbetween the rings) and started a mamba style percussion which was diagnosed pretty sharpish. NB. My car is super well treated and hardly ever abused (I live in London) :eek:

After a few tenious phone calls to Subaru UK it became apparent that as my car had 'come through' Cyprus (it was brand spanking new) as an euro spec STI - no one was wanting to pick up the bill (because Subaru Cyprus shut down in the recession). :cry:

Thus I decided to use Alan Jeffreys Enginetuner workshop to rebuild and I will attempt to claim back something from IM later... I have the managing director contact BUT any advice very welcome. My stance is that I chose my repairer, as replacing something faulty or not really fit for purpose with exactly the same is just madness. :cuckoo:

So with forged pistons & rods, Cossie bearings, baffle plate, head gaskets, ARP studs etc, PPP exhaust bits, H & S decat downpipe, and ported and flowed heads - I am running in for 1000 miles and dont really like the accompanying smell. :(

I shall bear it for another 500 miles or so - get the full remap (thanks Tony for the advice but thankfully we are running on a new base map). And hopefully the smell should go. :)

It's just that why should it smell inside the car when it never used to... must be the crap on the engine ... mixed with I dunno - how could the exhaust fumes come inside from the back... dont make sense to me... BUT i will be patient and wait and see how it goes. :cool:

Thanks for all the advice - some peeps actually like the smell ? ! *

Me... I just want a nice non stinky interior - I'm not too hard to please. :banana:


It does really surprise me that Subaru are still using hyperneuticrap pistons (lighter and stronger than the old forged ones - but they are very brittle) which when mixed with agressive ignition timing produces a type of economy as they hoped, AND a timebomb waiting to blow.... :cuckoo:

Some of the 'fixed cars' have gone pop again - here and over the pond, and also some of the NEW 330S cars with the newer mapping have gone pop...:eek:

Personally, knowing what I know now, I would not recommend any of my friends to buy a new Subaru. AND that's a shame. :nono:

For the money it would cost to use forged pistons again, they could add on another £200 to the price, and we'd all be happy :Whatever_

Hi Apostle,
I have run mine in now as you know and had it remapped and mine still smells like you say.
I have just assumed its the decat causing the fumes. I cant imagine it being anything else since the car is running better than ever and hasn't used a drop of oil in 1800 miles since the rebuild. Although I have had 3 oil changes in that time :P

Exhaust wrap stinks for bloody ages, and the smell often recurs if it gets wet or ingresses with other muck (road salt comes to mind).

Locally, a lot of the newage STi's (08-09) have gone pop early on, something awry with the subaru base map, causing it to run dangerously lean during revs over 6k.

As someone else already said, I would change the map pronto after swapping the decat, mine would overboost like crazy and run very lean with the base map with a decat, not very healthy for your engine mind.

Jay !
 

Hey Jay.. :)

Good to hear that yours is going strong - I wouldn't expect anything else from an Alan Jeffrey forged rebuild. :thumb:

And yours still smells... must be the bloody decat... I will start saving for a sports cat then... :rolleyes:

Shame as your PPP exhaust bits work well with just a decat downpipe added. :D

Take it easy matey :cool:

A

Hello to Helsinki.... :notworthy

Cheers fella but as I said "am currently running in on a new base map". :thumb:

Ciao Diso Disp :)

hi mate i would change it over straightaway, id wait.. u'll get used to it and wont even notice it.

when i first de-ccatted my clio many moons ago i regretted it fro the smell but ever since all my cars have been decatted and i dont even notice the smell and ive still got the clio aand it still decatted - subaru downpipe heatwrapped and free flowing and u dont really know or smell it unlesss ur facing the exhaust directly..

iit'll pass over if its your first decat..

Ta mate...
 

Cheers Eggy.... Happy Easter :idea: