Bad Cats? White/grey smoke and powder from drivers side tail pipe
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
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From: Monterey, CA
2005 E55 AMG, 2006 SL65 AMG
Bad Cats? White/grey smoke and powder from drivers side tail pipe
Hey all!
Just wanted to post a picture of what I think is a bad catalytic converter on my 2005 E55 driver's side. I noticed that under WOT a cloud of smoke emerges that is grey and there is some powder like material on my tail pipes afterward. No smoke at idle or normal driving. STAR system says I need a new catalytic converter on driver's side.
Question: I would like to get some high performance racing type cats at hopefully a good price, anybody have any recommendations?
Thanks!
Ian
Just wanted to post a picture of what I think is a bad catalytic converter on my 2005 E55 driver's side. I noticed that under WOT a cloud of smoke emerges that is grey and there is some powder like material on my tail pipes afterward. No smoke at idle or normal driving. STAR system says I need a new catalytic converter on driver's side.
Question: I would like to get some high performance racing type cats at hopefully a good price, anybody have any recommendations?
Thanks!
Ian
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Monterey, CA
2005 E55 AMG, 2006 SL65 AMG
I was also considering what I think you guys are eluding to which would be coolant leaking into combustion chamber or burning oil but I figured this would cause an error code or result in oil consumption or coolant consumption which I haven't yet noticed but then maybe it's too small to notice. I will check compression soon and pull the plugs and see if any are visually abnormal. Will keep you up to date. I just read on other forums that this is a common symptom for ferraris when their cats are going bad. I will also do an exhaust pressure test to check for clogged cat.
Thanks for all the replies and keep them coming.
Anybody know a good procedure to check compression on this car? I did it on my bmw and it involved pulling the fuel pump fuse and cycling the starter with the compression tool screwed in the spark plug whole.
Ian
Thanks for all the replies and keep them coming.
Anybody know a good procedure to check compression on this car? I did it on my bmw and it involved pulling the fuel pump fuse and cycling the starter with the compression tool screwed in the spark plug whole.
Ian
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
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From: Monterey, CA
2005 E55 AMG, 2006 SL65 AMG
Ok thank you for the advice. I'll try to do it tonight after I get off work. And I forgot to answer the question about oil on bumper, no I haven't seen any.
Ian
Ian
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,681
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From: San Diego
E55
Is it steaming out of the exhaust or is it a grayish blue smoke?
Loss in power?
Yes, your cat could have gone bad also. Hopefully it is that! I have seen weird things happen to cars when cats clogged.
Loss in power?
Yes, your cat could have gone bad also. Hopefully it is that! I have seen weird things happen to cars when cats clogged.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
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From: Monterey, CA
2005 E55 AMG, 2006 SL65 AMG
It seems to be a gray smoke, no steam I dont think. No loss in power, still runs like a freight train. I notice it when I'm passing cars on an up hill, leaving them in the dust...literally! I don't think it happens on every WOT but it does it frequently and I've been avoiding WOT to prevent any damage from occurring.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,681
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From: San Diego
E55
When a cat breaks up it looks like gray dust.. You could just have a busted cat. No power loss, freight train sounds promising. Do you hear any particles bouncing around the exhaust when the car is on? Put it up on a lift or jack it up and tap around the exhaust piping where the cats are and listen for anything loose. When the car is off.
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2006 E55
Hey all!
Just wanted to post a picture of what I think is a bad catalytic converter on my 2005 E55 driver's side. I noticed that under WOT a cloud of smoke emerges that is grey and there is some powder like material on my tail pipes afterward. No smoke at idle or normal driving. STAR system says I need a new catalytic converter on driver's side.
Question: I would like to get some high performance racing type cats at hopefully a good price, anybody have any recommendations?
Thanks!
Ian
Just wanted to post a picture of what I think is a bad catalytic converter on my 2005 E55 driver's side. I noticed that under WOT a cloud of smoke emerges that is grey and there is some powder like material on my tail pipes afterward. No smoke at idle or normal driving. STAR system says I need a new catalytic converter on driver's side.
Question: I would like to get some high performance racing type cats at hopefully a good price, anybody have any recommendations?
Thanks!
Ian
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Monterey, CA
2005 E55 AMG, 2006 SL65 AMG
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Monterey, CA
2005 E55 AMG, 2006 SL65 AMG
When a cat breaks up it looks like gray dust.. You could just have a busted cat. No power loss, freight train sounds promising. Do you hear any particles bouncing around the exhaust when the car is on? Put it up on a lift or jack it up and tap around the exhaust piping where the cats are and listen for anything loose. When the car is off.
Thanks again for the replies!
Ian
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 470
Likes: 2
I have tapped the exhaust and don't notice very much loose sounds particles. I'm still hoping it's the cat. I haven't pulled the plugs or check the compression yet because I've been swamped at work but will do it ASAP. I am off all next week and plan to tackle this project.
Thanks again for the replies!
Ian
Thanks again for the replies!
Ian
If you don't have a compression tester or much time, you can pull the plugs on that side of the motor it will tell you a lot. If they all look the same that maybe good news and no issue in the combustion chamber. If one cylinder look odd oily/white you may have a issue. A compression test will tell the real deal. Hard to tell from the pictures if it cats or a bad cylinder.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 61
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From: Monterey, CA
2005 E55 AMG, 2006 SL65 AMG
Just wanted to post an update:
I checked the pre-cat O2 sensor exhaust pressure and it was 0 (no obstruction to flow) on the left side.
I then took it to my local mechanic and they put a bore scope in the post-cat o2 sensor and indicated that my entire left catalytic converter had disintegrated! There were parts of catalytic material dust in the downstream pipe as well indicated this was obviously a catalytic converter failure (disintegration). The right side was starting to rattle and go bad as well. Btw, I have secondary cat / resonator deletes.
I admit, I haven't checked the spark plugs and compression yet but promise to do so shortly and will post an update.
I appreciate the help on looking for California compatible catalytic converters and would also appreciate anyone else's input on where to buy catalytic converters.
Thanks again!
Ian
I checked the pre-cat O2 sensor exhaust pressure and it was 0 (no obstruction to flow) on the left side.
I then took it to my local mechanic and they put a bore scope in the post-cat o2 sensor and indicated that my entire left catalytic converter had disintegrated! There were parts of catalytic material dust in the downstream pipe as well indicated this was obviously a catalytic converter failure (disintegration). The right side was starting to rattle and go bad as well. Btw, I have secondary cat / resonator deletes.
I admit, I haven't checked the spark plugs and compression yet but promise to do so shortly and will post an update.
I appreciate the help on looking for California compatible catalytic converters and would also appreciate anyone else's input on where to buy catalytic converters.
Thanks again!
Ian
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