Regenerating the aftermarket industry for DPFs

A specialised hand-held Diesel Particulate Filter diagnostics tool has been launched by EEC to meet the growing demand for DPF services in the aftermarket industry.

The unique and new-to-market EEC DPF Reset Tool allows garages to regenerate Diesel Particulate Filters, reset the EOLYS additive light, identify DPF fault codes and perform a filter replacement function and static regeneration - without needing assistance from a main dealer.

Simple to operate, the bespoke tool uses a push-button operation and supports vehicles from 2000 onwards. 

The EEC DPF Reset Tool initially covers a substantial range of application numbers in the EEC range, and this will be quickly and greatly increased through updates that customers will be able to download from the EEC website.

Paul Clark, Managing Director, comments: "When talking to many different stakeholders in the aftermarket industry, we were staggered by the lack of DPF knowledge. We found that many garages regarded Diesel Particulate Filters as a main-dealer only product, that they are particularly complicated to install and that specialist diagnostic tools are always required." 

"The main dealers account for the majority of the DPF's fitted and replaced within our market place. Garages do not usually understand that the DPF is a serviceable item, and there is often confusion surrounding diagnosing faults."

"After months spent collating all the data required to deliver such a useful tool, we are immensely excited to see garages taking the opportunity to increase their service offering to customers, build their knowledge about DPF's and help to increase profitability."

The EEC DPF Reset Tool has been competitively priced to ensure that it is available for small factors and garages for a small initial outlay, and comes complete with a protective plastic case.

As the UK's largest supplier of aftermarket catalytic converters, including an extensive and ever-growing range of Diesel Particulate Filters, EEC is committed to providing training and education within the aftermarket industry, helping technicians understand, evaluate and diagnose emission problems.

For more information about the EEC Diesel Particulate Filter Reset Tool and to watch a brief introductory video, please visit www.eurocats.co.uk/dpftool or call us on +44(0)23 9224 5300.

Using a 4-gas analyser to diagnose vehicle emission problems

Watch our latest technical video showing how to read and use a 4-gas analyser test to diagnose problems within a vehicles emission system.

For more information on diagnosing specific faults, please contact our technical team on +44(0)23 9224 5300.

Christmas Delivery Schedule 2011

EEC is pleased to announce our Christmas and New Year Delivery schedule, which you can download as a PDF for your reference by clicking here: DOWNLOAD

We wish all of customers and suppliers a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

If you require sales or technical support, please contact us on +44(0)23 9224 5300.

New additions to the EEC range - November 2011

European Exhaust and Catalyst is pleased to announce the addition of 37 applications during the month of November.

You can download this list in CSV format from our website for your own systems by clicking here.

As the UK's largest manufacturer of Aftermarket catalytic converters, we offer a standard two-year guarantee on over 4,500 different catalytic converter applications, with next day delivery in the UK.

Additionally, we also provide a comprehensive range of diesel particulate filters, lambda sensors, exhausts, front pipes and brakes.

If you would like to find out more or search our catalogue, please visit our website at www.eurocats.co.uk.

To discuss pricing, please email Paul Westcott (pwestcott@eurocats.co.uk) or call +44 (0)23 9220 5300.

We will send out additional updates in the next fortnight via email, and post more information on our Twitter, Facebook and Blog.

If you would like the data in a particular format or file type, please let us know.

Kind Regards,

Duncan Richards
Sales Director.

The new EEC DPF Reset Tool

We previewed the launch of the new EEC DPF Reset Tool at Equip Auto 2011 last month.

For those who couldn't attend, why not watch our introductory video showing the exciting new tool, which helps you save time and increase profit margins by performing reset functions, previously only available from the main dealer.



More details about the EEC DPF Reset Tool will be available shortly through our website at www.eurocats.co.uk.  If you'd like more information, why not call our sales or technical team on +44(0)23 9224 5300?

DPFs on BBC Watchdog

Last week, the BBC programme Watchdog showed an interesting film about consumers who felt they were mis-sold diesel vehicles, and didn't know about the DPF in their cars.

EEC is happy to provide advice and support to our customers and garages, which can be passed onto consumers.

Our Technical Team can be reached by calling +44(0)23 9224 5300 or emailing technical@eurocats.co.uk.

You can read the full article on the BBC Watchdog website by clicking here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2011/10/diesel_particulate_filters.html

Denmead turns pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The UK's largest manufacturer of aftermarket catalytic converters has been 'going pink' to raise money during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Colleagues at Denmead-based European Exhaust and Catalyst (EEC) spent a successful day wearing pink clothing, baking and buying home-cooked pink treats in a pink-prize raffle and making donations to raise £466.32 for Breast Cancer Care.

Paul Clark, Managing Director, commented: "This is a cause very close to our hearts and we're proud to be able to raise awareness amongst our staff, and make a positive contribution to an excellent charity."

"After seeing everyone embrace the spirit of the day, EEC has matched the donations made by staff to create a total that can help make a difference."

The charity cares for over 50,000 people who are annually diagnosed with breast cancer, and donations help fund vital services, such as a helpline, support groups and work in hospitals.

You can find out more at Breast Cancer Awareness month at: www.breastcancercare.org.uk and about European Exhaust and Catalyst at: www.eurocats.co.uk.

Compliance with REACH Regulations

We are pleased to confirm that the entire EEC product range is REACH compliant, the EU regulation that confirms the safe use of registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemical substances.

As a responsible and environmentally-aware organisation within the aftermarket trade, we have recently conducted a survey amongst our suppliers to ensure safe working practices, looking into our suppliers use of components, materials, pre-and-post production processes and packaging.

We have obtained assurances from all of our supply chain that we are fully compliant with REACH legislation, and will continuously monitor the firms we use, and respond appropriately to any changes.

EEC  is able to confirm it is fully aware of its obligations under REACH and have obtained assurances from our supply chain to ensure proprietary sub components and packaging of its products are compliant with REACH regulations . EEC will continuously monitor the supply chain and respond appropriately to any changes.

You can find out more about the REACH regulations by clicking here 

Do you have back pressure?

Our technical co-ordinator Stuart Still shares some correspondence from a customer in Italy, helping to diagnose a common issue:       

 

“Dear Sir, I know that you are the specialist in Catalytic Converters and so I need your help in order to find the right product for me.

I have an Opel Tigra 1.6 16v year 1998 engine type X16XE., and about a week ago I made the following changes:

- Sports exhaust manifolds in stainless

- Central Sports

- Terminal Sports

After this intervention the car run great.

Then I bought a Sports 200 cells metallic catalyst converter and installed as a replace of the original. And that's where I started to have problems in fact I lost a lot of power at the low RPM. The store where I bought it told me to not worry about it because after remapping the chip the car will go much better.

I honestly don't believe in that and I think that:

- With a good starting base and remapping the chip you can get a lot more

- With a bad starting base you can get what you had originally

After a consultation with the Opel company they told me that the engine X16XE is very sensitive to the backpressure and a 200 cells metal catalyst converter can only make things worse. Many manufacturers argue no, and I would like to know also your opinion.

In this particular case which product would you recommend since you sell many of them? Sport, universal, or is better to put one with the exact characteristics of the original? So please give me a good advice because I don't want to buy a wrong product again.

I am attaching the photo of the original catalyst with exact measurements and photos of the Sports catalyst converter that I put on.

The shape and the measures are important in order to not have space problems under the car. (If the diameter is more than 13cm will not fit).

Eventually do you ship to Rome Italy?

I await for your feedback.

Yours sincerely,

***** ****”

STUART'S REPLY

Dear ***** ****,

Thank you for your inquiry. Please let me explain.

The overall performance (MPG, sound reduction, emissions) which is produced from a four stroke engine depends directly on the accuracy of the back pressure levels from which the exhaust system has been designed.

A sports exhaust is fitted to a car to reduce the back pressure; this is needed to extract the extra exhaust gas pressure generated when improving the engines performance; extra BHP.

By fitting a sport’s exhaust system to a standard car will not improve its performance. It will change the correct back pressure which has been set for maximum performance + fuel consumption by the manufacturer (Opel).

By replacing the standard silencer with a sport box the vehicle will use more fuel, make more noise and actually go slower.

Your major problem has arisen when you replaced the original catalytic converter with a sports cat, as this has had the greatest impact on reducing the back pressure.

By keeping the OE cat on you have lessened the impact of the sports exhaust system.

You have two options, increase the performance/BHP of the engine, or refit the correct cat and exhaust system.

To check your back pressure on a standard vehicle, (not sports/high performance) test the emissions using a four gas analyser.

The emission values, if the engine is running correctly are:

CO <0.2, CO2 13.5>, HC <15 PPM, O2 <0.2.

If there is a back pressure problem, positive (less noise blocked exhaust) or negative (more noise) the emissions values will range will be:

CO > 0.3, CO2 < 13.5, HC between 25PPM and 125PPM, O2 > 0.2.

The emissions test should be done with the engine running at 2500 RPM, as this is when the back pressure has been set at neutral.  

I hope this has helped.

Kind regards,

Stuart Still

EEC Tec support.

EEC have embarked on a full emissions training program to include catalytic converters, DPF’s, lambda sensors, exhaust systems, and how to read and understand 4 gas analyser values. These training programs can be arranged through the day or in the evening.

For more information please contact Duncan Richards or Stuart Still at EEC. Eurocats.co.uk

sales@eurocats.co.uk

Join us at Equip Auto next week!

Make sure you join us at Equip Auto next week for the launch of our exclusive new DPF Reset Tool!

You will be able to see our demonstration units, see how it works on our video screen and talk through your requirements with experienced sales and technical staff.

We will be bringing you our largest stand to date - located in Hall 6 Stand No 6N111, showcasing some of the latest and most exciting additions to our range of over 4,500 catalytic converter applications - as well as our constantly expanding range of Diesel Particulate Filters.

We've also arranged a large display of our popular exhausts and front pipes, brake pads and accessories.

You will be able to meet our sales team, take away our latest catalogues and technical information, and find out more about the level of service we guarantee our customers.

As a leading European supplier of quality automotive products, we're also keen to understand how we can improve our offering, and would be interested in hearing your feedback on the latest product launches.

A DPF will not regenerate when....

The DPF will not regenerate if:

■ Engine management light is on for any fault.
■ Faulty EGR valve.
■ If there is less than 20 litres of fuel in the fuel tank or if the fuel light is on then regeneration will not take place.
■ If you drive with your foot on the clutch pedal.
■ In order to carry out a static DPF regeneration use the correct diagnostic machine. Ensure the vehicle is in park/neutral, and the hand brake is on. The bonnet must be closed, and the foot pedals should not touched, as the diagnostic machine will keep the engine at 1,500 RPM until the operation is complete.
■ This operation could take up to 40 minutes

GAU Conference 2011

If you are part of the GAU Buying Group, come and visit our stand at the GAU conference in Brighton this Friday (9th September 2011) - our technical trainer Stuart Still will be on hand to discuss our range of products and services we offer.

You can also meet our Sales Director Duncan Richards and Business Development Manager Ben Kendrick.

You will find us on stand no 78.

We look forward to seeing you on Friday!

New additions to the EEC range - 6th September 201111

Good afternoon,

European Exhaust and Catalyst is pleased to announce the addition of 16 applications to our range in the last fortnight.

You can download this list in CSV format from our website for your own systems by clicking here.

Please note that DPF015 has now been superseded with VX6068T (as from September 2011).

As the UK's largest manufacturer of Aftermarket catalytic converters, we offer a standard two-year guarantee on over 4,500 different catalytic converter applications, with next day delivery in the UK.

Additionally, we also provide a comprehensive range of diesel particulate filters, lambda sensors, exhausts, front pipes and brakes.

If you would like to find out more or search our catalogue, please visit our website at www.eurocats.co.uk.

To discuss pricing, please email Paul Westcott (pwestcott@eurocats.co.uk) or call +44 (0)23 9220 5300.

We will send out additional updates in the next fortnight via email, and post more information on our Twitter, Facebook and Blog.

If you would like the data in a particular format or file type, please let us know.

Kind Regards,

Duncan Richards
Sales Director.

Talking down the particulates

Since the ECE103 legislation came into effect in 2009 making it illegal to fit a non-type approved catalytic converter to vehicles registered after March 2001, the industry has struggled to understand the law on defining a ‘Type Approved DPF’.

The law was quite unclear, but when a Diesel Particulate Filter is combined with a catalytic converter, the DPF also needs to be type approved because it is seen as just one product.

The law states: “To keep pace with European requirements, vehicles approved to EU Regulation 715/2007 (Euro 5 and Euro 6) need to have a Type Approved Diesel Particulate Filter.”

When the ECE103 legislation is amended, it’s likely the same approval number will cover both the DPF and the catalyst, despite using a different test procedure. Until this point, ECE103 only covers the testing of the catalyst.

Future Approval Procedures

Nothing new has been proposed for the new test procedure that could apply to the future approval of DPF’s, and therefore EEC believes that the particulate mass levels and regeneration characteristics are the criteria likely to be measured.

This makes these tests quite complicated yet thorough, ensuring that the filter element performs strictly to the OE standard of regeneration.

EEC already selects the same volume catalyst and filter for each application, as the OE part, and the potential legislation will mean all other manufacturers will have to do the same.


Sic and Cordierite

Many different factors affect the regeneration of a DPF, including its configuration, temperature resistance, thermal shock resistance, expansion and conductivity.

In preparation for the proposed forthcoming legislation, EEC has researched and developed a Silicon Carbide (SIC) DPF system based primarily on OE technology, because this is the standard all main European OEM producers use.

This complements our existing cordierite-based offering to provide a product that reduce corrosion, increase resistance to sulphuric acid corrosion, and allows for better mechanical strength at higher temperatures.
Our SIC based systems have been thoroughly tested in a variety of conditions using the criteria of particulate mass levels and soot regeneration characteristics, ensuring we fit the Euro V standards.

Meeting the Legislation

Having researched both types DPF systems fully, EEC can offer the correct application for each vehicle, and by using our expertise, knowledge and experience, we’re confident our products will comply with the future legislation.

We’re pleased to offer technical advice for our industry, and to support our customers wherever possible. Our technical team is available via telephone and email, and we write tips and articles on our blog: http://eec-technical.blogspot.com, where readers can sign up to receive posts via email and social media channels.

EEC

EEC has been manufacturing quality automotive products such as catalytic converters, DPFs, lambda sensors, exhausts, front pipes and brake pads since 1997. Based in two locations in Hampshire UK, we also have a manufacturing base in Hilton, along with a number of other sister companies.

Independent dealers, motor factors, wholesalers and buying groups across Europe benefit from a two-year guarantee on most products, a standard next-day delivery in the UK and significant business support.

If you would like to like to discuss how the forthcoming legislative changes could affect you, please get in touch with James Slade – jslade@eurocats.co.uk or call 023 9224 5300.

Find out more information at www.eurocats.co.uk.

Cycling Success for Ben!

Almost £2,000 has been raised for the motor industry charity Ben, by staff from European Exhaust and Catalyst.

Staff from the UK’s largest manufacturer of aftermarket catalytic converters cycled 186.3 miles between EEC’s operational bases in Derbyshire and Denmead, which took 16 hours of cycling.

So far, the motor industry, friends, family and colleagues have raised £1,884.74, and are calling for further donations before the end of September at www.justgiving.com/bikerideforben.

The charity cycling team comprising of Duncan Richards (Sales Director), Andy Wilding (Financial Controller), Paul Newby (Continual Improvement Co-ordinator) and Andy’s daughter Stephanie Davies, made it safely from the Midlands down to Denmead within two days, meeting wet weather, a puncture and a lot of hills.

Duncan Richards, Sales Director, EEC, commented: “It was a tough challenge but we’re very pleased to be able to help out our industry charity. The traditional August weather didn’t put us off and we proved that with some practice, our team can make anything happen.”

Pictures of every stage of the cycle ride challenge can be found on the EEC Facebook page at www.facebook.com/eurocats and further donations can be made online or by calling the team on 023 9224 5300.

You can find out more about EEC at www.eurocats.co.uk

Setting off to raise money for Ben......

EEC staff have set off on their cycle ride between our manufacturing bases in Hilton (Derbyshire) and Denmead (Portsmouth) to raise money for Ben.

Here's the team as they set off fresh and early on Wednesday morning (17th August 2011).

You can make donations all throughout their cycle ride at www.justgiving.com/bikerideforben

By lunchtime on Wednesday, they had reached Southam, 53 miles into the trek, stopping for a well needed sandwich!

We'll keep you updated with their progress on our Facebook and Twitter sites as they edge further South.

New Part Additions from EEC - 8th August 2011

European Exhaust and Catalyst is pleased to announce the addition of 33 applications to our range in the last fortnight.

You can download this list in CSV format from our website for your own systems by clicking here.

As the UK's largest manufacturer of Aftermarket catalytic converters, we offer a standard two-year guarantee on over 4,500 different catalytic converter applications, with next day delivery in the UK.

Additionally, we also provide a comprehensive range of diesel particulate filters, lambda sensors, exhausts, front pipes and brakes.

If you would like to find out more or search our catalogue, please visit our website at www.eurocats.co.uk.

To discuss pricing, please email Paul Westcott (pwestcott@eurocats.co.uk) or call +44 (0)23 9220 5300.

We will send out additional updates in the next fortnight via email, and post more information on our Twitter, and Facebook.

If you would like the data in a particular format or file type, please let us know.

During August, I will also be undertaking a charity bike ride challenge for Ben, between our manufacturing bases in Hilton (Derbyshire) and Denmead (Hampshire). You can find out more details at www.justgiving.com/bikerideforben

Kind Regards,

Duncan Richards
Sales Director.

DPF failure reasons

Did you know DPF's can fail because:


- Poor engine maintenance
- Malfunctioning pressure sensors/pipes (condensation in the pipes)
- Faulty temperature sensors
- Incorrect oil temperature
- Faulty EGR valve
- Damaged exhaust system
- Corrosion/fractures
- Incorrect fuel
- Short runs (lack of temperature).

Remember, regeneration will not take place when the fuel light is on, or if there is less than 20 litres in the tank, or if your foot is resting on the clutch pedal.

DPF Regeneration Tips and Advice Checklist

Are you looking for tips and advice on regenerating a Diesel Particulate Filter DPF?

■ If the DPF light comes on, it needs regenerating (see manufacturer’s hand book).
■ If the engine management light comes on and the glow plug light flashes then you will not be able to regenerate the DPF by driving.
■ ‘Limp home’ mode will engage, with a maximum of 3,000 RPM.
■ Check pressure sensors. There could be a build up of water.
■ Examine pressure pipes for damage. They must be clean or could freeze in extreme temperatures due to water build up.
■ Check that the EGR system is working correctly.
■ Check that the vehicle has the correct spec engine oil.
■ Check the additive (active system) Eolys/Cerine.
■ If the DPF is not regenerated and fills to over 90% or 45 grams, the component will need replacing. This is not covered under warranty.
■ It is advisable that the ECU is readapted to zero when a new DPF is fitted. This is to ensure that the ECU knows that the DPF is now empty, otherwise the ECU will be recording the soot values of the old DPF.


The DPF will not regenerate if:

■ Engine management light is on for any fault.
■ Faulty EGR valve.
■ If there is less than 20 litres of fuel in the fuel tank or if the fuel light is on then regeneration will not take place.
■ If you drive with your foot on the clutch pedal.
■ In order to carry out a static DPF regeneration use the correct diagnostic machine. Ensure the vehicle is in park/neutral, and the hand brake is on. The bonnet must be closed, and the foot pedals should not touched, as the diagnostic machine will keep the engine at 1,500 RPM until the operation is complete.
■ This operation could take up to 40 minutes

Our forthcoming stand at Equip Auto

We're looking forward to exhibiting and meeting industry contacts at Equip Auto in October.

Our team are just finishing off the final details for the show, and we will be bringing our largest stand to date to Paris between 11th and 15th October 2011.

Our confirmed stand number is: Hall 6 Stand No 6N 111

There will be more details to come on our blog and social media spaces, but we thought you might like to see our stand in advance!

Bike Ride for Ben

Vital funds will be raised to support the work of the automotive charity BEN, as staff from the UK’s largest manufacturer of aftermarket catalytic converters take to their bikes. 

From Wednesday 17th August, EEC staff will be attempting to cycle between their manufacturing bases in Hilton (Derbyshire) and Denmead (Hampshire), a distance of over 170 miles.

The challenge is forecast to take around two days of continuous cycling, using the National Cycle Network to meander from the Midlands down to the South Coast.

The bike ride will be completed by Duncan Richards (Sales Director), Paul Newby (Continual Improvement Co-ordinator), Andy Wilding (Financial Controller) and Andy’s daughter Stephanie Davies. Extra bikes have also been kindly supplied by EEC customer Godfrey Autoparts / A1 Motorstore.

Duncan Richards, Sales Director, EEC, says: “As keen cyclists, we’re ready to take on this challenge and wish to raise as much money as possible for our own industry charity.”

“Although we’ve driven between our sites hundreds of times, this will be much tougher than battling the commuter traffic! We’ve been practising hard, and encourage everyone to make a donation.”

Regular pictures and updates from the team will be posted on the EEC Facebook wall (www.facebook.com/eurocats) and on Twitter (www.twitter.com/eec_cat) throughout the ride, and showing the training towards it.

For more information or to donate to the charity bike ride, please donate on our JustGiving page at: www.justgiving.com/bikerideforben/

Muirhead Master - cat efficiency light

Our Technical Support Co-ordinator at EEC, Stuart Still, was recently called to a garage in Scotland to help overcome an issue associated with the cat efficiency light. 

"I was asked by a distributor in Dundee if I would visit one of their customers, Iain Hutcheon of Muirhead Garage. He was in a dilemma, as the car he was testing for its MoT, had passed the emissions section with flying colours: CO at .12, HC at 2PPM, CO2 at 13.5, O2 at .75 and Lambda at .99. Unfortunately though the cat efficiency light was on, but why?

Iain had assumed the catalytic converter must be faulty, but this is not necessarily the case. The reason the cat efficiency light came on is that the rear Lambda sensor was detecting a higher proportion of O2 than was actually entering the catalytic converter. There should be less O2 exiting a catalytic converter than enters it!

Here is the formula that explains the O2 consumption within a catalytic converter: 2CO + O2 = 2CO2 CH4 + 2O2 = CO2 + 2H2O.

This explains why there is a consumption of oxygen during the oxidation process, because when the exhaust gases reach a temperature of 350°C they react with the Platinum, Palladium and Rhodium Wash Coat within the monolith.

Identify the source

With this in mind we had to identify the source of the extra O2. I concluded that the location would be between the two Lambda sensors, which I was able to deduce from the fact that if the source was before the first Lambda sensor, the HC’s would be far higher, thus allowing the Lambda sensor to pick up the extra O2.

Therefore the sensor would think that the mixture was lean and the ECU would compensate for this by increasing the fuel. If the extra O2 source is located after the second lambda sensor the cat efficiency light would not be on, as all of the emissions values are correct.

The source of the unwelcome O2 was due to a damaged pipe between the first and second Lambda sensors and once this was rectified, the warning light went out. I then explained to Iain how to evaluate the emissions values from his 4-gas analyser, and also how to diagnose, locate and remedy any faults.

4-gas analyser
Iain was extremely pleased with the outcome commenting: “I was totally unaware of what an effective tool my 4-gas analyser could be when it comes to assisting me in my day to day work of locating and eradicating problems. The 4G AGAR computer programme that Stuart has installed for me is a fantastic aid in helping me to analyse emissions faults.”


Heavy investment
EEC are committed to an education and training programme within the industry to help technicians understand, evaluate and diagnose emission problems.

The introduction of Type Approval for catalytic converters has been a great leap forward and has created a more level playing field.

EEC has invested heavily in its own wash coating facility in Denmead, thus ensuring the company produces a top quality product to allow garages to work quickly and efficiently when it comes to diagnosing faults.

The Gas Station

On my many visits to garages (independents, MOT centres, national chain or main dealers) I have been surprised how little information is retrieved by the technician after completing an emissions test using a Four Gas Analyser. 

The usual statement to the customer is: “Your car has passed or failed the MOT on the emissions.”

The problem is that the MOT only requires a report on the CO, HC plus a lambda reading. Therefore if the reading of CO was .3, HC 123ppm, and a lambda reading of .99 at 2000 rpm, that would constitute a fail. You could conclude that the catalytic converter needs replacing because it is not working effectively, as the HC and CO are too high. This situation is usually resolved by fitting a new Cat as this would reduce the HC and CO, enabling the vehicle to pass the emissions section of the MOT.

This is only a short term fix, as the CO and HC values will reduce for only a short period of time. There is a problem that needs to be corrected before the new Cat is
damaged but locating and solving these problems are fairly simple and straightforward.

You need a report from your 4 Gas Analyser showing the 4 gas values of CO, CO2, HC, O2, and a lambda reading. The two values that are missing from the example test earlier are CO2 at 14.1 and O2 at 1.21, which are extremely important to interpret your diagnosis.

The O2 value should be less than .2. As you can see there is a high reading of O2 – this is a result of a small hole, damaged gasket or a failed seal between or around the lambda sensor and cylinder head.

As a result the lambda sensor is picking up a high volume of O2, this information is fed back to the ECU, assuming that the engine is running lean and it will adjust the mixture making it richer. This will result in an excess of HC, causing damage to the catalytic converter, and a possible failure of the converter within its warranty period.

I would recommend that you print and analyse a four gas report when carrying out an MOT emissions test, and repeat the process after fitting a new catalytic converter as it is an ideal opportunity to locate and report a number of emission faults.

These could include over-fuelling, air filter, exhaust, catalytic converter and ignition problems. As you know, the catalytic converter is working at 100% therefore the problems must be elsewhere.

The ideal values are: CO: <.2%, CO2: >13.5%, O2: <.2%, HC: <15PPM, Lambda: Btw.99 & 1.01 @ 2000 rpm

EEC have embarked on a full emissions training program to include catalytic converters, lambda sensors, exhaust systems, and how to read and understand 4 gas analyser values. These training programs can be arranged through the day or in the evening.

Are you faulty fitting cats?

 When fitting a DPF, it's extremely important to make sure that all connections are sealed and air tight. 

The picture below perfectly illustrates an incorrectly fitted pressure sensor, and it's possible to see where exhaust gases have been leaking due to a damaged seal, which may not have been tightened correctly.

Catalytic Converter Recycling from Clean Air Technology

View our video from Clean Air Technology showing how we recycle old catalytic converters.

The Next Regeneration - How to perform a forced regeneration

Stuart Still, Technical Trainer for EEC, explains why garages are missing out on a real goldmine when it comes to Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) replacement and how you go about performing a forced regeneration.

Over the past few months on my visits to various garages and motor factors, I have been asking a couple of questions regarding DPFs, they are: a) “how many do you sell or fit?” and b) “do you actively promote them?”.

The majority of answers were along the lines of: “We regard it as a main-dealer only product and don’t want to get involved with DPFs as it is too complicated.” Another popular reply was: “We just can’t get the supplies” – I was staggered!

I explained that a DPF is only a filter which removes soot/carbon from the exhaust gases, and is very easy to fit. You would never have guessed this however, judging by the fact that main dealers still account for the majority of the DPFs fitted within our market place.

Most of them are chargeable to the vehicle owner, even if they fail within the manufacturer warranty period, and they are regarded in the same way as an oil, fuel, or air filter, as the warranty only covers mechanical failure.

A high ticket product

With that evidence in front of us it is clear that the aftermarket is missing out on an opportunity to increase sales and profit margin. DPFs are a high ticket product, for example an OE Mazda 6 DPF is £1,800, and an OE Vauxhall Zafira DPF costs £750.

In the April edition of PMM, I explained about the different types of DPF, their construction and how they work. This time I thought it may be useful to share information that can help you to feel more confident when discussing DPFs.

How and when to ‘regenerate’

1) There seems to be some confusion about why they fail and how to diagnose faults – it is extremely unusual that a DPF will fail on its own! The problems are usually upstream of the DPF or due to an issue with the DPF system.

2) If the DPF light comes on this means ‘Regenerate’. The majority of vehicles have the same warning light sequence as show in Fig 1 but always check the vehicle’s own handbook to be safe.

3) Once again, read the hand book for instructions, for example: ‘Drive for 20 minutes at a constant speed of 65mph’.

4) If the DPF is not regenerated at this stage and fills to over 90% or 45 grams, the component will need replacing. This is not covered under warranty.

5) If the coil and engine management light is on with a loss of power, ‘limp home mode’ will engage with a maximum of 3000 RPM and the fault code will read ‘DPF soot loading too high’ – a forced/emergency
regeneration is required.

6) In order to carry out a forced/emergency static DPF regeneration, use the correct diagnostic machine.

7) If the engine management light comes on first, followed by the DPF light, it indicates an issue within the DPF system, for example temperature, pressure, sensors etc.

8) Ensure the vehicle is parked outside, in park/neutral, the hand brake is on, engine warm (with at least a quarter tank of fuel) and that there are no fault codes stored. A step- by-step guide is supplied with a suitable reset/regenerate tool (Fig 2).

Useful advice and checks for DPFs

■ Check pressure sensors. There could be a build up of water.
■ Examine pressure pipes for damage. These must be clean or could freeze in extreme temperatures due to water build up.
■ Check that the EGR system is working correctly.
■ Check that the vehicle has the correct spec engine oil.
■ Check the additive (active system) Eolys/Cerine.
■ Fiat has a service indicator which tells the owner they need an oil change after 15,000 miles. They were then finding that if the vehicle had a DPF and was doing lots of regenerations, the oil quality would degrade quickly, meaning the vehicle required an oil change before the advised 15,000 miles.
■ Check the oil levels because some levels can rise due to regeneration as fuel gets into the oil. Oil and oil filter must be changed before replacing the DPF.
■ The ECU must be ‘readapted’ when a new DPF is fitted and also when the fuel additive Eolys/Cerine is topped up.

A DPF will not regenerate:
■ If the engine management light is on for any fault.
■ If there is a faulty EGR valve.
■ If there is less than 20 litres of fuel in the fuel tank or if the fuel light is on.
■ If you drive with your foot on the clutch pedal.

No curiosity kills the cat

I was manning the EEC stand at the recent Sandown Park MechanEx show, when a college tutor with six of his students asked me if I would show them the internal monolith of a catalytic converter and to explain to his students how it worked.

I did this and then proceeded to explain the importance of understanding the values from an emissions gas test. He interrupted me, explaining that he uses a simple rule of an MoT failure, stating: “If Lambda was between .99 and 1.01 and the CO and HC was just over the MoT limit, the problem was usually a faulty cat.”

I agreed that by fitting a new cat you could reduce the HC and CO to within the MoT limits, therefore resulting in a pass, but I then started to explain that his assumption regarding Lambda was misleading. I was left disappointed, as at this point he walked away, refusing to listen to further information!

Lambda calculation - The Brettschneider Equation, general principles and methods 
The Brettschneider equation is the de-facto standard method used to calculate the normalised air/fuel balance (Lambda) for domestic and international I&M inspection programs. It is taken from a paper written by Dr. Johannes Brettschneider, at Robert Bosch in 1979 and published in “Bosch technische Berichte”, Vol 6 (1979) N0. 4, Pgs 177-186.

In the paper, Dr. Brettschneider established a method to calculate Lambda (Balance of Oxygen to Fuel) by comparing the ratio of oxygen molecules to carbon and hydrogen molecules in the exhaust. The equation is a little complex, but is relatively easily calculated from the measured values of CO, CO2, unburned HC, and unconsumed O2 in the exhaust.As you see from the example on page 59, its a simple calculation!

As a result of the tutor’s theory I questioned several visitors using the same example, and was amazed at how many people had the same assumption regarding Lambda.

I know this can be misleading when looking at only the CO, HC and Lambda as required for an MoT report, but you need a four gas report to be able to make an in-depth emissions diagnosis, e.g. CO, CO2, HC, O2 and Lambda. These values are available from the majority of gas analysers on the market and can be printed on the MoT emissions report.

We all know that Lambda is a measurement of fuel/air (1 part fuel, 14.7 parts air). This measurement was calculated by Dr Johannes Brettschneider of Robert Bosch. Part of his paper is as follows:

CO @ .3, HC @ 203ppm and Lambda of 1.01, would show as a fail, as the CO and HC are just over the MoT limit of .2 & 200ppm respectively, however the Lambda reading is perfect.

Common mistake
A common error many technicians make when attempting to overcome the problem is changing the cat, as it has failed. Doing this could reduce the HC to between 100 > 160 PPM, and CO to <.2 which would now result in an MoT pass.

Unfortunately there is a fault and it needs correcting, otherwise it will result in the new catalytic converter failing again after just a few thousand miles.

How to overcome the problem
If you record all four gases in the example above, with the CO2 @ 14.2 and O2 @ .65 you would see that the O2 is too high. It should be <.2. The reason it is high is that air is entering the exhaust system between the front of the manifold and the first Lambda sensor.

Result
The Lambda sensor picks up the extra air, the ECU thinks that the mixture is lean and adds more fuel. Now there is extra fuel and air. If the fuel/air ratio is right, whatever the volumes it can still register a perfect Lambda.

Bad example
O2 @ .65, HC 203 PPM, CO2 @ 14.2, CO @ .3, Lambda of 1.01. Lambda is perfect. All other values are too high.


Good example
O2 @ .2, HC 0, CO2 @ 13.4, CO .1, Lambda of 1.00. All values are perfect. You can demonstrate this by going to www.smogsite.com/calculators. Scan down until you get to the Lambda calculator and enter some values.

As you increase the HC and the O2 you can still end up with a Lambda reading of 1.
The correct values are CO <.2 CO2> 13.5 HC <15 PPM O2 <.2 and all gas tests should be at 2500 rpm and at a temperature of 350 degrees.

I hope this explanation will show you that although Lambda is correct it does not mean that the air/fuel mixture is also right.

Emission the point

Why are the new vehicle emissions regulations getting tougher? 

I thought it was to reduce pollution. If it is a genuine commitment for all of the EU governments to reduce pollution, why are the EU MoT emission values so lax? In fact, why are there different regulations throughout the EU?

There are even different regulations within the UK – let’s take Northern Ireland as an example. Their emissions pass regulations are CO less than 3.5% and HC less than 1,200PPM. In England, Scotland and Wales the pass values are CO less than 0.2% and HC less than 200PPM.

The silly thing about this is that if you fail the MoT on emissions in these three countries, you could catch a ferry to Northern Ireland and pass. You can see with their limits, it is virtually impossible to fail! 

Also, their MoT certificate is valid all over the UK. In theory there should be a sliding scale of emission values within the MoT, for example, 3 to 5 year old cars, 5 to 10 year old, and over 10 years – with the toughest values for the newer vehicles. In my opinion, this should be a standard test throughout the EU.

False consciousness

Unfortunately, the general public look upon the MoT as a health check and if their car passes the MoT they believe it is in excellent working order. As we know this is not always correct.

If a vehicle only just fails its MoT on emissions, it is possible to replace the catalytic converter which could result in a pass.

This would appear to be the correct diagnosis, yet nine times out of ten it is not! There could be an overriding problem which needs rectifying immediately, otherwise the problem will reappear.

Fitting a new cat which is working at 100% efficiency, will just mask the problem. In time, the new cat will also fail and the chances are it would be detected in another twelve months at the following MoT. The easiest way to pinpoint the fault is to carry out a 4 gas test.

If the values exceed CO <0.2, CO2 >13.5, HC <15PPM, O2 <0.2, and a Lambda of 0.99 to 1.01, there will be a problem. Depending how the values exceed these parameters, will depend on how large the problem is, and by evaluating the 4 gases you can locate and rectify the fault, e.g. CO @ 9.48, CO2 @ 9.10, O2 @ 0.58, HC @ 533PPM, and a Lambda reading of 0.76.

This was a report given to me by a customer of R&J Doncaster. The aforementioned diagnosis points to a failure located at the intake manifold area, due to a lack of air accessing the combustion chamber, thus increasing the HC, which in turn has damaged the cat.

Know your enemy

Hydro Carbons are the greatest enemy of a catalytic converter. If they are greater than 40PPM, they will be damaging the cat, which will result in a deterioration of the coating and, in extreme cases, a meltdown of the monolith.

EEC is committed to an education and training programme within the industry to help technicians understand, evaluate and diagnose emission problems.

The introduction of type approval for catalytic converters has been a great leap forward and has created a more level playing field. We have invested heavily in our own wash coating facility in Denmead, thus ensuring we produce a top quality product for our home and export markets.

Is that really a faulty cat? - EEC Tech Tip 1

EEC’s Technical Support Co-ordinator, Stuart Still, talks us through an interesting case he recently came across that would have seen the unnecessary replacement of a vehicle catalytic converter.

Picture the scenario: the engine management light has come on and the fault code on display is ‘cat efficiency’. The remedy?

Replace the catalytic converter... or is it? 

This was a situation I was recently presented with by a respected and knowledgeable auto diagnostic technician. I opened the discussion by asking for the emissions values from the 4 gas analyser – he had not done this test as he thought there was no need as the fault code read ‘cat efficiency’.

He carried out the test and reported the values to me, they were: CO @ .04, CO2 @ 14.4, HC 1PPM, O2 @ .00 and Lambda @1.00.

I explained that the cat was OK as these results were perfect. He disagreed, as the pre- cat Lambda sensor was switching correctly but the post-sensor was not. After making contact with a manufacturer of diagnostic equipment and also his local VW dealer, both confirmed it was the cat, and he was advised that if he fitted an OE cat it would solve the problem.

I called a good friend of mine at VW’stechnical head office and he agreed with me that it was not the cat. The values showed that it was working perfectly, so he suggested that I asked the technician a few questions:

Had the pre-cat lambda sensor had the factory modification? 

This can be identified by looking inside the connector. If there are three silver and two gold contacts it would require the modification. The modified unit has five gold contacts. This was the result of VW having problems with bad connections, resulting in the engine management light coming on with a cat efficiency code – on the sensor in question, it had actually been carried out. 

Had any work been carried out on the engine e.g. replacement of the cam chain for example? This could also switch on the cat efficiency code and is common when the cam chain is not fitted 100% correctly. The result can be that the timing is slightly out and small amounts of unburnt fuel get to the cat, causing a fault code to appear in the ECU memory. 

There may not be a specific fault code in the ECU memory for this particular fault and in this situation the ECU would use the nearest fault code for the problem e.g. ‘cat efficiency too low’.

What did switch the cat efficiency light on? It was actually an intermittent fault which would have only needed to occur for a millionth of a second to switch the light on! Or a very slight air leak on intake side and the engine ECU can see there is a fault and tries its best to compensate for it

How to check

Erase the fault. If the light comes back on after three ignition cycles (i.e start engine and run for 1 min then turn off) you will know that it is a constant fault, if it stays off longer it is usually an intermittent fault (on VW/Audi). 

Most diagnostic machines now log the time, date, engine speed and amount of times the fault occurred to help it. It can’t be the cat as it is working perfectly, see the values.

EEC has embarked on a full emissions training program to include catalytic converters, Lambda sensors, exhaust systems, and how to read and understand 4 gas analyser values. 

These training programs can be arranged through the day or in the evening. To find out how you can take part you can contact Stuart Still or Duncan Richards at sales@eurocats.co.uk