Author Topic: SOLO N/A cat failure? myth? or widespread? (Read 13499 times)

J_Bond · « **on:** June 04, 2011, 05:21:34 PM »

I really want to convince myself to add the Solo hi-flow cat, but I've read a couple posts about them failing and in one case, an engine blew from it clogging....

I know Solo has an incredible reputation, and I'm not here to muckrake, I just need some quality assurance on a $290 very small piece of equipment before diving in...

thanks!

elff · « **Reply #1 on:** June 04, 2011, 06:23:32 PM »

This is the first I am hearing of this.

tazz · « **Reply #2 on:** June 04, 2011, 07:01:42 PM »

Im not sure HOW it could cause your engine to BLOW.
If it becomes clogged you just loose performance and throws a CEL and if bad enough dies and you won't be able to start because the exhaust cannot escape quickly enough. Restrict your exhaust with rags, potatoes or bananas and you just won't be able to start for the same reason.
As far as going bad it's possible if your not running the correct fuel leaded fuel or not the correct tune for that matter which can over heat the converter and cause it to basically melt the catylist. Tunes should have a CAT protect which basically cools the CAT down by adding fuel to richen up the AFR when the max CAT temp has been reached and if you disable this you will melt destore the CAT by running to lean. Also running way to rich can cause the same problem since the fuel is now burning in the CAT and will cause the CAT to overheat and glow orange.
Ive seen at cat glow orange before on a truck I had owned about 10 yrs ago when I was spraying a whole can of carb cleaner into the TB while the engine was running to clean the intake runners of carbon and varnish. Had one hand on the spray can and the other on the throttle linkage to gun the engine till the whole can was gone. Smelled like something was burning so i stopped and looked all over the engine then looked under the truck and I saw the CAT bright orange and soon after that to replace the CAT.

JimVonBaden · « **Reply #3 on:** June 04, 2011, 07:05:55 PM »

I've read a few instances of the Solo cat having an issue, one of which the poster claimed it cause the motor to blow.

I can't say if there is an issue or not with them, but I see where James got his info. As for causing the motor to blow, highly unlikely!

Jim

spicy3480 · « **Reply #4 on:** June 04, 2011, 08:47:01 PM »

It would not be the cat that causes the motor to blow...as tazz said, enough restriction in the exhaust will cause the car to not start. The only way the SOLO cat will fail is if the A/F ratio is so rich that too much unburnt fuel gets through and heats up the catalyst material too much. That's when the catalyst will start to break apart, but only if you are running so rich that too much unburnt fuel gets to the catalyst.

miller11386 · « **Reply #5 on:** June 05, 2011, 10:59:11 AM »

Solo Cats take a beating. Mine has been up to 1300-1400 degrees constantly and i have not been able to kill it yet!

And Solo has been great about replacing any cat that fails prematurely. I would not even worry about this.

Sly Bob · « **Reply #6 on:** June 05, 2011, 12:36:40 PM »

I know they have failed but likely no more than the stock cats have and as miller says Solo stands behind their stuff.

I have one and would get one again if I got another car.

DickW · « **Reply #7 on:** June 05, 2011, 02:04:50 PM »

I have had one for about 40000 miles and I agree with SLY BOB.

J_Bond · « **Reply #8 on:** June 05, 2011, 09:21:17 PM »

Thank you guys for all the replies and feedback. It is quite true that Cat failures stock or aftermarket seem to fail prematurely on the Kappa platform. I've been researching throughout the forums.
Steve at Solo is VERY helpful, and I feel confident in doing more business with them. I meant in NO WAY to say anything bad about them, my new Exhaust is just BEAUTIFUL in finish.

My skepticism was solely placed in that I have heard of a rod being bent/thrown from a clogged catalytic converter on other platforms, and it does sound like the Kappa that blew was another issue altogether but was 'blamed' on the cat.
Remember, I come from V8's guys, I am such a noob when it comes to 4-cylinder motors!
Again, thank you for all the helpful replies

diamoney · « **Reply #9 on:** June 05, 2011, 09:58:04 PM »

A number of these replaced cats "do to failure" were wrongly identified as bad.

Mine was one. Dealer tech decided codes I was throwing included bad cat- fortunately, I was able to get a hi-flow cat from DDMWorks before the dealer could get a new stock one. When I showed the tech the original cat, he commented on how blocked up it was. I could see through every pasageway and was told that it was an illusion!

My "failed cat" was in reality a short in the wiring harness bent in too sharp a radius.

Oh, yeah, my "clogged" cat was very intermittant! Not what I know would happen with an exhaust restiction- V8 or I4.

J_Bond · « **Reply #10 on:** June 05, 2011, 10:14:36 PM »

Quote from Avionics Science monthly:

""Avoid excessive backpressure. Exhaust pipes always create back pressure, but the more there is, the higher the fraction of hot exhaust gas that will be unable to leave the cylinder during exhaust. Its heat, added to the fresh charge that next enters the cylinder, may push the engine over the line into detonation. Sometimes a one or two millimeter reduction in tailpipe ID will get you a couple of extra horsepower, but it may also push enough extra heat into the charge to make the engine detonate after a few seconds."

Typically what happens is a melted piston.

ChopTop · « **Reply #11 on:** June 06, 2011, 10:02:27 AM »

It's good to see a thread dedicated to this issue that debunks rather than enforces the issue because it's natural for folks to immediately think where there's smoke there's fire. Also, Solo pro-customer reputation doesn't just reflect a business philosophy but a belief in the products they produce as well.

Having said that, no manufacturer can ever guarantee any of the products they produce will ever be associated with a negative experience due to the fact that they will never have complete control over how their product was installed or used.

elff · « **Reply #12 on:** June 06, 2011, 10:12:14 AM »

Any manufactured part will have a % of failures. It's the customer service that is important when that happens.

And I think everyone will agree that SOLO is tops in that regard.

FYI - I'm LOVING MY SOLO HI FLOW CAT.

BigSal · « **Reply #13 on:** June 06, 2011, 05:44:39 PM »

I've had my Solo high flow cat (Plus all new exhaust with Mach shorty muffler)on for about one and a half years now and have not had any issues.

P.S. and Love the sound

BigSal & Bryan

Sly Bob · « **Reply #14 on:** June 06, 2011, 11:28:42 PM »

Quote from: J_Bond on June 06, 2011, 11:24:48 PM

I REALLY want to swap a 6L90 transmission in with shifter paddles too!

Be sure to keep us posted as to how that project goes and take PLENTY of pictures.

J_Bond · « **Reply #15 on:** June 06, 2011, 11:46:24 PM »

Sure will!!!
I'll have to post pics on the Skyroadster site though, adding pix to this forum is really strange, and I'm pretty darn tech-savvy. Maybe I've just overlooked a simple function somewhere...

Sly Bob · « **Reply #16 on:** June 07, 2011, 12:04:52 AM »

It's not really different here. In the advanced editor (preview) click on the "Insert image" icon that looks like this

and put in the URL that points to the image. It's the icon on the second line, third one in.

Couldn't be easier. Well it could but you have to be a supporting member to upload pictures directly to the Kappa Performance server.

http://www.kappaperformance.com/forum/index.php?action=treasury

Critterman · « **Reply #17 on:** June 07, 2011, 09:14:57 AM »

If you do not get a header you are limited to a stage II supercharger kit.

elff · « **Reply #18 on:** June 07, 2011, 11:05:27 AM »

If you are not a Lifetime Supporting member, you have to point to an image hosted elsewhere.

LSM's can attach files. It's one of the privs of being a paying member.
This forum is awesome, run by an awesome guy who opens his house up to a bunch of lunatics every year.
The LSM membership fee is worth every penny.

Here is the code you would use to host a picture.

Code: [Select]

[img]http://www.domain.com/picture.jpg[/img]

solstice-d · « **Reply #19 on:** November 08, 2011, 02:29:12 AM »

Mine melted after months on my sol I also had another from peformance autowerks that melted as well, So I went back to stock...

Helios · « **Reply #20 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:23:58 AM »

I had the Solo high flow cat as well. The guts unwound and got pushed to the aft end within 2 - 3 months. I was noticing quite a bit of performance decrease. Whoever was Solo's manufacturer at the time may not have been using quality parts/ workmanship. I never contacted Solo because shortly thereafter I ended up getting DDM's longtube headers , which has its own high flow cat, in preparation for the stage 3 S/C. As long as Solo is willing to replace a prematurely failed cat then I say go with it; otherwise I wouldn't waste my time.

Arabas · « **Reply #21 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:39:26 AM »

how could someone tell if a cat has failed.
sometime ago, i had the suspicion that my cat must have gone bad, but never bothered to take it off to check...
during state inspection, they found that i had more co than allowed, so this brought this suspicion back...

nevertheless car is running great (when i drive it, which doesn't happen a lot lately)

Helios · « **Reply #22 on:** November 08, 2011, 08:54:37 AM »

Quote from: Arabas on November 08, 2011, 08:39:26 AM

how could someone tell if a cat has failed?

When it lands on its back instead of its feet.

Sol Asylum · « **Reply #23 on:** November 08, 2011, 02:24:43 PM »

I was going to say when it finds itself as part of a Chinese dinner, sweet and sour kitten.

Carbon Sky · « **Reply #24 on:** November 08, 2011, 03:21:44 PM »

Quote from: Arabas on November 08, 2011, 08:39:26 AM

how could someone tell if a cat has failed.
sometime ago, i had the suspicion that my cat must have gone bad, but never bothered to take it off to check...
during state inspection, they found that i had more co than allowed, so this brought this suspicion back...

nevertheless car is running great (when i drive it, which doesn't happen a lot lately)

Catalytic convertor failure is typically observed as having significantly higher NOx emissions. High CO levels usually indicate improper tune, or some other issue.

News:

Author Topic: SOLO N/A cat failure? myth? or widespread? (Read 13499 times)