Outragious emissions

[Phil Brook]

Just posting in here as well as Facce book, so apologies if some of you chaps have already seen this.
Have enjoyed driving ELF today for the first time in over a month.. Sadly only to the test station and back.
Despite finding a bent conrod and knackered liner, followed by a major rebuild... Shimmed and replaced liners, pistons, con rods, big end bearings, uprated oil rail, skimmed head, SAIC mls gasket, uprated bolts, valve stem oil seals, timing belt, water pump, and idler. Cleaned and reseated injectors. Everything cleaned within an inch of it's life... the bugger has still failed on emissions. Very similar readings so looks like all my work has come to nowt.
On the bright side, I know the engine is spot on... all cylinders at 14.9 bar, no variation.
So my quest to get her back on the road continues. Previous to rebuild, I had replaced the lambda sensor, water temp sensor, iat sensor, all general service items. Had found lots of small issues on the way but none had any effect on the emissions.
Considering upgrading from MEMS 1.9 to MEMS 3 as this is a 135 engine running with a dizzy.
Reading were 7+ 1100+ HC's and 07.9 lambda
Does any one have any thoughts?

[Helsbyman]

Well it must be very annoying to do all that and then get a knock back on emissions. The only thing I can say is hook the car up to a good testing OBD and hope it pin points what is not working, in my case it was the oxygen sensor

[Phil Brook]

Thanks Helsbyman.. I have changed the Lambda but it was an aftermarket one... Think I'll stick a genuine one on just to be sure.

[Phil Brook]

Also it's MEMS1.9 so struggling to find diagnostic reader. Charles had a look with his laptop a few months back when I was trying to track down an erratic idle problem. It's also been on the one at the garage but neither flagged anything up.

[nigelandjo]

Dodgy cat?

[talkingcars]

Also it's MEMS1.9 so struggling to find diagnostic reader. Charles had a look with his laptop a few months back when I was trying to track down an erratic idle problem. It's also been on the one at the garage but neither flagged anything up.

Check out http://www.pscan.eu for a scanner

[talkingcars]

Considering upgrading from MEMS 1.9 to MEMS 3 as this is a 135 engine running with a dizzy.

Can you clarify this, the only engine running a dizzy was the 120 MPi.

If you have converted a 135 engine to run MEMS1.9 did you swap all the sensors?

[John SS]

In my case the high emission readings were caused by an unbranded (presumably cheap) cat. After trying everything else, replaced with a Bose cat and all good.

[Phil Brook]

Considering upgrading from MEMS 1.9 to MEMS 3 as this is a 135 engine running with a dizzy.

Can you clarify this, the only engine running a dizzy was the 120 MPi.

If you have converted a 135 engine to run MEMS1.9 did you swap all the sensors?

The engine has all sensors and injectors from the 120mpi.. the only mod I did was to fit a dog for the dizzy on the inlet cam and fit the early cam cover. I had previously upgraded the original engine to run with alloy inlet and 52mm throttle body. In this guise the car ran fine and passed it's emission test... even with a blown head gasket

[RobboMC]

What did you do with the plug and cable from the cam cover ( cam angle sensor )?

And how are you triggering the coil?

Perhaps the computer is a little confused.

[Phil Brook]

There is no plug and cable in the cam cover.. mems 1.9 doesn't use it.... This is plumbed in the same as a 120 but with 135 cams. I have blatently stolen the following ;p
IGNITION SYSTEM - MPi MEMS 1.9
The ECM determines the optimum ignition timing based on the signals from the following sensors:
1. Crankshaft position sensor - Engine speed and crankshaft position
2. Manifold absolute pressure sensor - Engine load
3. Engine coolant temperature sensor - Engine temperature
4. Manifold absolute pressure sensor - Throttle pedal released
The engine management system uses no centrifugal or vacuum advance. Timing is controlled by the ECM which is energised by the main relay within the relay module. Spark distribution is achieved by means of a rotor arm and distributor mounted at the No.4 cylinder end of the inlet camshaft.

[Phil Brook]

The MAP sensor is the only sensor I haven't tackled... mainly because I didn't know it existed... its built into the ecu so not sure how to prove/disprove it works, other than swap the ecu for another.

[talkingcars]

IIRC mems 3 has a sensor on the inlet for MAP while earlier versions have it built into the ECU. To work it needs a vacuum line from the ECU to the inlet manifold but the later inlet manifold doesn't have the connection. I guess if the ECU can't get a MAP reading it could default to open loop mapping causing the engine to run rich.

[bobvvc]

I am having similar issues with high emissions on my 1996 vvc after replacing many components coolant sensor lambda sensor cam sensor the list goes on i managed to borrow a diagnostic tool (Delphi) which can give live data found that the lambda voltage was high 1 .94 volts all the time and fuelling in open loop mode found by twisting the engine loom by the inle manifold it would briefly go back to closed fuelling so at the moment am setting about removing the engine bay harness for either repair or replacement

[Phil Brook]

Hi Talking cars.. there is a port on the end of the plenum which the tube for the map sensor fits onto. It's not blocked so that part should be ok. Would be great if I could find a way to prove if the MAP sensor is doing anything or is just static.
BobVVC.. interesting. The connector for my lambda sensor is a bit poop so this is a possibility. Fairly sure that the lambda was showing signs of life while on the reader but will look into it.

[talkingcars]

Do you have the vacuum line between the plenum and the ECU?

[bobvvc]

Just a thought Phil if you can get hold of a diagnostic tool that reads Mems 1.9 see if you can clear all the faults, when I hooked mine up yesterday I had faults logged on all sensors ,once they were cleared just the lambda faults returned

[Phil Brook]

I know someone with a pscan, trouble is the car is not currently moted.. might bite the bullet and ask a professional to take a look.

[RobboMC]

Do you have the vacuum line between the plenum and the ECU?

My car came to us like this - some previous so and so had disconnected the vacuum line
and put a plug in the side of the ecu. No reason for it as car runs beautifully with it in.

[Phil Brook]

It would definitely be needed as that's the connection for the MAP sensor.. some people do some weird things RobboMC I guess without it the ecu will just have some kind of default reading to go off.