The failure of this cat had nothing to do with Dave (SMSP) besides the fact that he sold it to me. So do not assume anything negative about him. He has tried his best to help me with my problems and has acted like a true professional throughout the ordeal. Please do not flame, as this was not my intent. I just wanted to vent some frustration. If there is anyone to blame it is carsound. And like Dave says, the only time people post is when they crap out. there are hundreds of people running these cats with no problems, so I am just unlucky.

I just pulled the cat off and the ceramic catalyst has broken off in one big *** chunk. it looks like a bar of soap rolling around inside. I want to just break the catalyst apart and hollow out the cat. Seems to be the only solution. No way am I gonna buy another cat. I now see why people go testpipe.aftermarket cats blow ***.


[Modified by jdmspoonitr, 9:08 AM 12/9/2002]

 

Did you tune the motor after installing the cat (and or) header?

 

actually I tuned it yesterday at DSR with Austin. I was running it untuned for about three weeks. I drove normally those three weeks besides the one time I got on it to feel out the header.

 

even if I was running untuned for those three weeks, I think the cat should be able to last at least a month or two.

 

First off the cat that Dave Provides is a Carsound cat. SMSP modifies them to fit your application and provides the gaskets and nuts and bolts needed to make the cat bolt-up.

Therefore not SMSP's fault if the the material inside the Carsound Cat is faulty. I have had my SMSP Carsound Cat for 6 months now and not one complaint!

Thanks Dave!! SMSP =

 

it might not directly be his fault, but he is the one that sold it to me. 200 dollars should outlast three weeks don't you think?

Fine the title should be my carsound cat modified by dave is toast. happy? If you did not see my former posts, I praised him on his good welding. I have no problem with dave, he is a nice guy and a good businessman. i have a problem with the cat he sold me.

 

well you should of checked on that rattleing noise, you could of saved it probably. im just saying its partialy your fault for ignoring the sound. but again, that cat should most likely not have probs until it has been used for a long time.

 

the rattling noise has not changed, meaning that the time i first noticed the rattling, the cat was already toast. I could not have prevented it.

 

Call Dave and see what he can do. But like I said that is an issue with the maker of the Carsound Cats, not Daves fault or problem.

 

what exactley does tunning have to do with the cat? I would think that it would not matter if he was running it untuned or tuned?

 

I'm just pissed that nobody can put out a consistently good quality cat

 

running rich could damage your cat

 

supposedly these carsounds are sensitive, and because untuned hondas run rich in vtec, it can cause some catalysts to overheat and break apart. But either way this cat was faulty.

 

Tuned car means A/f ratio is better. Like if somone puts high octane gas like 98+ in a car with a normal cat is burns the cat out therefore causing a CEL.

 

interesting thing is that i had no CEL. i guess the catalyst was still functional even though it was rolling around.

 

Well my cat lasted only 3 months but it rattles after about a week I think it was do it tuning wiht it on the car was real rich when we installed HONDATA and JEFF at IB tuned it but I think all the runs we put on it and fine tuning it ait it up cause when the car was being tuned I had black smoke out the tail pipe at fist ( RICH as a ****) So now my car sounds like a POS i am lazy to fix it but tomarrow I will be driling the clump in the middle o fht ecat and making a hallow cat I am not going to pay for another one by no means **** wasting my money till a company comes out with a hard core cat lke the stock honda one but in a freeflowing 2.5 model and no I dont want to buy a S2000 cat for mass cash

 

How much does a S2000 cat cost?

 

does honda make their own cats, or do they commission some other company? cuz i want to see if they will do a custom one.

 

I don't understand why people are still buying Carsound cats after all the problems people have. An SMSP cat is only as good as the quality that the Carsound will allow.

 

sackdz,

please tell me if there is something better, I will buy it. If I have to go test pipe then I will, this isht is ridiculous.

 

the renault cat hytech uses on their catbacks. although i don't think john sells them individually. they are soon to be carb legal, and the only way to be carb legal is for it to be able to last 100,000 mile, which they are. the carsounds don't last 100k miles that's why they aren't carb legal.

 

um, what ARE your mods anyhow? have you been resetting your ECU and stuff after installing your parts? I am not totally sure what you are running.. so i am not sure if that is even necessary. My car with just a header and exhaust runs consistently between 13-14 on the stock ecu w/o any tuning. My carsound cat, ordered from Dave at R&D has lasted ever since June. I have run 3-4 track events in that time and that constitutes a lot of "rich" running in vtec...

sounds like your car is running very rich...


::knocks on wood::

 

with stock ecu i ran 14.5 right when vtec kicks in. But no problem with the smsp cat yet.

dave

 

Auto makers hardly ever make their own components. THey outsource everything. Figuring out who might be hard and exspensive to get one from them if at all.

 

actually i was running between 12-14 throughout the whole powerband stock. if anything i was a little lean. so i know running rich did not cause this to break. the force of the gases going through just caused the brick to pop out. From the looks of the inside of the cat, it was not held in place very securely. One chunk is missing and was blown into sand sized bits which came out of my exhaust, which i also posted about. I dunno, but my faith in these cats is down the *******.

Dave

Carsound