MOT Emissions! Help Please!

[turner89]

Need some urgent help please guys I'm about to go out of my mind!! So after repeatedly putting my car on the emissions tester, changing parts, spending money and it still failing every time have no idea what to do next. The car is a '99 Seat Ibiza 1.4 APQ engine and so far I have given it an oil change and filter, air filter, fuel filter, recently had new plugs, cleaned out the breather pipe and throttle body, replaced a broken stud between manifold and downpipe, checked for any leaks in exhaust, replaced lambda sensor (not new but seems good), replaced temperature sensor and chucked a bottle of redex in. I've had 4 different emissions tests before, in between and after making all these changes and they all give pretty much the same readings.

Natural Idle
CO Level 0.45% Pass 0.50% Max

Fast Idle
CO Level 0.58% Fail 0.30% Max
HC Level 101 ppm Pass 200 Max
Lambda 1.01 Pass 0.97 - 1.03

Second Fast Idle
CO Level 0.54% Fail 0.30% Max
HC Level 95 ppm 200 Max
Lambda 1.01 Pass 0.97 - 1.03

The garage says its over fueling for some reason and the baffles in the back box could be screwed. Would make sense because its sounds like its blowing but isnt. Now the only other things I can think of doing are changing the back box and the cat but obviously I dont fancy doing that. Sorry for the essay but im going mad with this car. Any ideas?!

 

[turner89]

Forgot to say I've had it on vagcom have got a cable myself and no faults are coming up. Also when you let off and the revs are dropping it pops and burbles a lot which i figured was down to backbox being knackered.

 

[jenk]

Mines failed on the very same thing, but i've got slightly better values. Your lambda figure doesn't indicate it running rich, very slightly lean if anything. HC looks high to me aswell, should be mega low if everythings pucka. Emissions are a pain in the arse, im going to try another cat on mine.

 

[vngtx]

check timing to make sure its not off. that can cause overfueling or wasting fuel. back boxes are cheap enough though, might be worth replacing.

 

[turner89]

Mines failed on the very same thing, but i've got slightly better values. Your lambda figure doesn't indicate it running rich, very slightly lean if anything. HC looks high to me aswell, should be mega low if everythings pucka. Emissions are a pain in the arse, im going to try another cat on mine.

The results for HC has varied a bit in all the tests ive had done. On previous tests one was around 30 and on another 50 odd!

 

[turner89]

Timing is right thats another thing iv checked!

 

[vngtx]

tried giving it some beans for a long time?

 

[turner89]

haha that tends to be how i drive it anyway and ye i have been told to gve it a good thrashin before the test!

 

[vngtx]

air flow meter?

 

[turner89]

Doesnt have one!

 

[vngtx]

did you gap the spark plugs when you put them in? not sure it will make that much difference.

 

[vngtx]

im out of ideas

 

[turner89]

Hmm.. I didnt but i guess its worth a look! It doesnt run brilliantly it hesitates a little when you put your foot down and is terrbly slow but it is only a 1.4 so not exactly rapid anyway!

 

[vngtx]

the VAG 1.4's are fairly quick compared to other manufacturers. could be coilpack acting up too.

 

[Ieuan-J]

Need some urgent help please guys I'm about to go out of my mind!! So after repeatedly putting my car on the emissions tester, changing parts, spending money and it still failing every time have no idea what to do next. The car is a '99 Seat Ibiza 1.4 APQ engine and so far I have given it an oil change and filter, air filter, fuel filter, recently had new plugs, cleaned out the breather pipe and throttle body, replaced a broken stud between manifold and downpipe, checked for any leaks in exhaust, replaced lambda sensor (not new but seems good), replaced temperature sensor and chucked a bottle of redex in. I've had 4 different emissions tests before, in between and after making all these changes and they all give pretty much the same readings.

Natural Idle
CO Level 0.45% Pass 0.50% Max

Fast Idle
CO Level 0.58% Fail 0.30% Max
HC Level 101 ppm Pass 200 Max
Lambda 1.01 Pass 0.97 - 1.03

Second Fast Idle
CO Level 0.54% Fail 0.30% Max
HC Level 95 ppm 200 Max
Lambda 1.01 Pass 0.97 - 1.03

The garage says its over fueling for some reason and the baffles in the back box could be screwed. Would make sense because its sounds like its blowing but isnt. Now the only other things I can think of doing are changing the back box and the cat but obviously I dont fancy doing that. Sorry for the essay but im going mad with this car. Any ideas?!

Checked the cat? my 1.4 didnt have one... failed on emmisions... put one on... re test... sorted... cost my £76 for a new 1...

 

[turner89]

New development in this problem. Iv just had another look at the car. I took the backbox off and noticed it was rattling inside and a few lumps of honey comb looking material dropped out. Is this the stuff thats inside a cat ye?! Also shined a torch inside the cat and it looked completely empty, could see right through to the opening on the otherside. Now im guessing that I definitly need a new cat and have been looking on the internet for a new one, but all the ones I can find seem to be one complete piece the downpipe, flexi joint and cat just like the original. Problem is I cant see how the hell you'd get the old one off and put the new one on in one piece because the gearbox is in the way you cant manoeuvre it round. Any thoughts?? Thanks.

 

[vngtx]

that would definatley be the cat then. they do unbolt from the downpipe.

 

[turner89]

How? Theres no flange or joint between the downpipe and cat!!

 

[vngtx]

definately unbolts from the manifold (3 studs/nuts) and should come out when the cat is lowered down and the center pipe detatched.

 

[turner89]

Ye I know it unbolts from the manifold you said downpipe. When i removed the manifold and centre box you couldnt manoeuvre it past the gearbox. Maybe when iv got it over the pit and take a better look at it I might be able to do it, but when i tried before with the car jacked up it wernt coming off!