NCT emissions fail

FOXFISH1

Have recently failed the NCT due to emissions, details are below, just failed the carbon monoxide limit on the high idle.
I don't know the first thing about engines, and have been told that a new catalytic converter will fix the problem.
Would it be worth trying to get a 2nd hand cat.converter or better to just go for the new one?
Just wouldn't mind getting a few comments/insights on this...


Hyundai Getz 1.1 2004

Low Idle (920 rpm)
CO 0.30 vol%
HC 46ppm

High Idle (3,000rpm)
Lambda: 0.99
CO 0.47 vol% .............(limit = above 0.20% = fail)
HC 74ppm

thewintermute

Would dipethane help?Available in most motor factors, seems to be popular enough.

Wisesmurf

I don't know what the readings signify but cats are expensive.

I failed on emissions on a previous car (1.1 also) I was advised to add something like diptene and drive hard the day before and day of the test to clean everything out and make the engine hot and efficient when they retest.

Might be absolute crap but worked for me. On the retest the car was practically carbon neutral

George Dalton

It's most likely a cat problem alright. Dipetane and an "Italian tune up" and it might just scrape through a retest so could be worth a shot. Hyundai cats of that era are pretty crap in my experience, have had to change a good few Accent cats over the past while.

FOXFISH1

Thanks for the replies folks, was quoted 600eu for a new cat, thought that was savage dear.... so i'm gonna be taking the dipethane route for now,
re-test is on thurs night (9th)

JA.PX.200

Dont forget to get the engine and exhaust system hot and try keep it hot while waiting..

Best of luck with the test...

I tried dipetane that I got free from factors before and it didn't have any effect on emissions. Actually, the emissions were higher than on previous attempt without dipetane. Frankly, I don't understand the "buy dipetane and do a Italian tune up" hype here. Italian job alone would be as effective if the car wasn't at full operating temp before the test.

Sounds like the cat really is at fault, I'm afraid, as your lambda is close to spot on and both CO and HC values are highish at both test rpms, actually very close to the non-cat car territory. You should be able to get a generic cat welded in for much less than 600.

FOXFISH1

Thanks for the replies folks! Dipetane did the job
Threw it in the tank this morning, did a few short drives throughout the day.
Left really early to head to the test centre, drove most of the way in 3rd gear, then gave her a good scorch up the motorway.
Arrived at the test centre just on time and she was taken in straight away for testing which only took a few minutes,

Low Idle (570 rpm)
CO 0.27 vol%
HC 20ppm

High Idle (2,790rpm)
Lambda: 1.00
CO 0.16 vol%
HC 21ppm