Beat question!

[mathis]

Hi,

Just a question for the experts, if a Beat has been chipped to remove the speed restrictor, has an upgraded filter and a big exhaust. Will it likely to have situation like this:

When it has been acelerating very hard and let the paddle go, so the car decelerates on its own. the engine management warning light comes on. But when you stop, turn off the engine and back on again, it will go off as normal and stay off until you do the above again. If you drive it nicely I assume the light doesn't come on.

The seller said he took it to the garage to check it out and they say is because the Beat is tweaked and so it over-fuelled itself when you acelerate too hard causing the light to come on.

Is that a major problem or is there a way to fix it? Hope someone can help me quick cos I will be going down far to visit it on Saturday.

Cheers

[ps-motorsport]

i think first of all what you need to do is the get a code reading done and extract what error code does the ecu is giving first.

i might be a o2 sensor if the fueling is all over the place but i am just guessing at the moment.

regards
Peter

[mathis]

Thanks Peter, but I don't have the tool to do a code reading nor do I know how to do it...... I am not very technical under the bonnet you see... is there an easy way to test if that car is suffering or not?

[Adam]

Here is a thread that has pictures and explains how to do it: http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=149&highlight=yellow+connector

I had the exact same problem and I think the car was overfueling due to the o2 sensor, no code was coming up thou, but the light thing was the same.

Do you still have a cat or has it been taken out?

[mathis]

hi Adam,

Have you got the problem fixed now and how?

I am going to view the car tomorrow. I haven't bought it yet, but I assume the cat is still there cos it still has a big exhaust on it. By putting on a smaller exhaust will fix the light thing? Cos if I am going to get that Beat, I am going to change the exhaust anyway, I don't really like that style of exhaust, it is a single big diameter exhaust, I want one of those smaller twin middle exhaust, are they OK?

Thanks

[ps-motorsport]

if it is the o2 sensor faulty it will have nothing to do with the size of the exhaust.

the o2 sensor is there to calculate the rich / lean of the engine is running from reading exhaust gas and from the reading to alter the fueling.

if an o2 sensor is sticky or faulty it will sense a different reading and tell the ecu to throw more or less fuel.

regards
Peter

[Adam]

Originally posted by ps-motorsport
if it is the o2 sensor faulty it will have nothing to do with the size of the exhaust.

the o2 sensor is there to calculate the rich / lean of the engine is running from reading exhaust gas and from the reading to alter the fueling.

if an o2 sensor is sticky or faulty it will sense a different reading and tell the ecu to throw more or less fuel.

regards
Peter

I agree its wasn't an exhaust problem. It was the o2 sensor which is on the cat. So thats why I asked, its either not connected or as was said faulty.

If someone was at the exhaust they could have been messing with other things too.

Replace the sensor but I'm not sure how much it is or does another one fit from a e.g. civic.

[tinytim]

Hi Mathis,

I agree with the advice so far and recommend you carry out the diagnostic check. I've posted the link in the "How To" section along with a picture of where the connector is.

I agree with the guys above, the O2 sensor is the likely candidate but I also had a similar event with the light comming on at high revs which turned out to be the timing being slightly out.

You really need to know if this is the O2 sensor as it could fail the MOT (depending on the year of the car) and it will cost you to replace it, the Honda one is expensive and I don't know if anyone has ID'd an alternative.

[Adam]

Barkley might be breaking his car so you might try and get it off him

[Wh1teLeopard]

Could the difference in filter be a factor too?

[tinytim]

Not very likely. The aim of the filter and exhaust mods are to get better engine aspiration. In essence remove as much restriction as possible to allow the air to get into and out of the engine. What this SHOULD do is get a bit more air into the cylinder each time which means more oxygen. The O2 sensor should notice a lean mix in the exhaust and increase the fuel thereby giving that bit extra power.

Having the extra oxygen in the exhaust shouldn't give an engine fault and the only thing that's monitoring it is the O2 sensor so even if the extra O2 is causing the fault the O2 sensor SHOULD correct it. If it dosen't it's cos it's broke.

In actual fact fluid dynamics is exceptionally complicated and the mods probably don't achieve much,,, but they do sound good
:D

[JGGIB]

I want to fit a different air filter what size pipe will i need to come from the air box ,is it 50mm? any sugestions what the best filter is to get?..induction filter

[mathis]

Thx everyone,

So.... it's most likely to be the O2 senor in the catalytic convertor is faulty or it doesn't have a cat on the car at all, which it won't pass the MOT right? but it has a MOT with it so I think 2nd situation is less likely....

How much is a catalytic convertor for Beat? expensive as along the line of 1 hundred pound or hundred +?

And lastly, I assume that light has been on for a while, maybe since the seller owned it.... will that damage the engine in anyway? I am just trying to find out since the car may have a fault cat and having the engine light on and off, is it worth investing??

Thanks again.

[ps-motorsport]

it is not necessary to have a CAT to pass mot.

all pre 1993 manufacture year of vehicle does not require emission test for MOT. and all post 93 will require an emission test. but car without a CAT if it fall within the legal emission limit will still pass.

if you are looking for a brand new CAT converter honda price would be around £300 at my guess. they are never an cheap item imo.

there are many universal high flow CAT available on the market at around £80 each plus flange weld on. but since the beat has quite a small one u will need to check the size etc to make sure there is enough room to get a pipe weld on on both end.

depends on how bad the sensor is (if it is the O2 sensor) it COULD cause damage to the engine is AFR is not being correct which would result engine running hot, or pinking (pre-ignition)

best before guessing and pay out any money, do a error code ready, its very simply.

http://www.u-ukhbc.co.uk/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1448

extract the code to identify the error first, all u need is a piece of wire to a paper clip and 5 min spare time.

also worth have a look while u are at it, check the spark plug and see how they look, if it has a light tan colour on the tips then thats normal, white = lean. dark or black = rich. also check to see if there is any tidy metal debris on the tips this would usually cause by pinking / denotation.

regards
Peter

[mathis]

Thanks Peter,

I have read the How To instruction, but where do I connect the service check connector to? does anyone have a pic of it being connected?

[ps-motorsport]

if u remove the connector cover, u will see a plug with two wires.

simply use a piece of wire or paper clip and bridge the two together.

this is not for a beat, but its same of most honda

http://www.c-speedracing.com/faq/pics/dsc00039j.jpg


once u connected it, and turn the ignition on, the light will flash.

1 short = 1
1 long = 10

so if code 5, then it will have 5 short flash.

for 15 then it will have 1 long and 5 short flash.

http://www.c-speedracing.com/faq/06.php

[ps-motorsport]

that connect also have another purpose, for anyone that works in honda dealer. u can plug a PGM-F1 tester into that plug and it will give all sort of reading such as inject duty cycle, IAT etc etc.

i have sourced one from a closing down honda dealer which is quite useful when we tune honda's here. very handy if i want to test if any induction kit etc is breathing enough cold air or engine bay oven temperature :D

regards
Peter

[mathis]

Cheers Peter for clearing all that up for me! I have just gone down to test it out on my 94 Civic Coupe. If there's nothing wrong with the car hence no code does the light just stay on as it normally would do with the ignition on?

[ps-motorsport]

if my memory serve me right, yes it should stay on.

since i havent really dont a code reading on a car that dont show error ... :D