New to me 2002 GTS, question....

[evomind]

hey guys, i got my gts today and im very happy with the car. ive owned a couple gen 3s and a gen 4, but i always liked the gen 2.
i find the gen 2 easier to drive and i like its low end grunt.

anyway, the car has a cat back on it, not sure what brand and i have a check engine light on. the folks at team motorsports who i bought it from said its from the exhaust.
what do i need to do to fix this assuming it is in fact caused by the cat back? havent had a chance to get a scanner on it yet, but i suspect o2 sensor.
the car is stock except for smooth tubes and cat back....
whats the common cause here and the common fix?
thanks!

almost forgot.... when idling, the temp will creep up to abt 200 degrees, i hear the fan kick on and it goes back down.
normal?
thanks

 

[Mutts02GTS]

Don't know about your cel but the temp thing is normal. I had a 170 degree thermostat put in mine when the exhaust was done and you can really tell the difference sitting in traffic on a hot day. Congrats on your purchase! Love the Gen 2's. Take care. Jeff

 

[eucharistos]

congrats on your gen 2, hopefully you will post up some of your impressions of owning the different generations

..... said its from the exhaust. what do i need to do to fix this assuming it is in fact caused by the cat back? havent had a chance to get a scanner on it yet, but i suspect o2 sensor.
the car is stock except for smooth tubes and cat back....
whats the common cause here and the common fix?
thanks!

almost forgot.... when idling, the temp will creep up to abt 200 degrees, i hear the fan kick on and it goes back down.
normal?
thanks

o2 sensor sounds likely, but are you sure it is a cat back and not also cat delete

Don't know about your cel but the temp thing is normal.

+1 sounds normal, my ('02 also) temp needle is really "sensitive" and will move in that range depending on throttle input and air movement

 

[evomind]

congrats on your gen 2, hopefully you will post up some of your impressions of owning the different generations



o2 sensor sounds likely, but are you sure it is a cat back and not also cat delete



+1 sounds normal, my ('02 also) temp needle is really "sensitive" and will move in that range depending on throttle input and air movement

no idea at this point whether or not the car even has cats. ill ask team motorsports o see if they can ask the previous owner. they seem to know him.

 

[plumcrazy]

what is the code it threw ?

 

[LifeIsGood]

This might also be your issue...

I'm currently getting a P0135 which points to the driver side pre-cat O2 Sensor. I have Belanger headers, Random Tech cats and a Corsa Exhaust. I've researched the hell out of it, of course, and the prevailing opinion is to replace the OE O2 Sensor with a 'Quick Fire' O2 sensor from DC Perofrmance. I don't mind doing this if it's the right fix. I understand the argument about there not being enough heat in time to cause the OE sensor to 'pass' the monitor test. I'm just a little skeptical because I've never heard of 'quick-fire' O2 sensors and as far as I can tell, the only place they are ever mentioned is dealing with this viper specific issue.

 

[Jeffsss]

what is the brand or a link to the 170 degree thermostats you guys are running? brutal hot here in FL so I think it would be a good idea.

 

[NI-KA]

Call Roe Racing for a thernostat they are right down there by you

 

[KenH]

LifeIsGood,

I have the exact same exhaust system as you on my '01. I just installed a set of DC Performance quick fire O2 sensors about a month ago and it fixed my O2 sensor check engine light issue just fine.

 

[Camfab]

I have the 170 degree thermostat in my car. Not to derail the thread, but the thermostat does not keep the car cool on a hot day sitting in traffic. If your electric fan is set at the stock setting, the water temps will just creep up in traffic just like they did before replacing the thermostat. Running a lower temp thermostat is really a band aid fix for other problems. Additional wear is caused by running the engine at lower temps. When I get a chance that thermostats coming out. I think most people confuse heat soak from poor radiant heat management with internal engine temps.

 

[evomind]

i hope to get a scanner on the car sundaybut is there anything i can look for with regards to the cats or o2 sensors?
thanks

 

[ZYellow01RT]

Congrats and welcome back to the best Generation!

 

[evomind]

in many ways i tend to agree.

 

[AZTVR]

With a stock engine and only Random tech high flow cats and Corsa cat back and original O2 sensors front and rear, I never get a check engine light (well maybe twice, ever). So, I agree, most likely its an O2 sensor that the code will point out. I'm thinking that if you don't have aftermarket headers with a non-stock O2 sensor location, you should be good with OEM O2 sensors.

 

[LifeIsGood]

LifeIsGood,

I have the exact same exhaust system as you on my '01. I just installed a set of DC Performance quick fire O2 sensors about a month ago and it fixed my O2 sensor check engine light issue just fine.

Sorry about semi-hijacking this thread, but since it's already done...I swapped the driver and passenger side pre-cat O2 sensors and the code changed from a P0135 (driver side O2 Sensor problem) to a P0155 (passenger side O2 sensor problem). I'm pretty sure I've got a single bad O2 sensor. I would probably be fine just purchasing one replacement O2 sensor, but I'll probably bite the bullet and get two from DC Performance...I'm still thinking about it.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

what is the brand or a link to the 170 degree thermostats you guys are running? brutal hot here in FL so I think it would be a good idea.

Maybe if there are other reasons to pull the intake, maybe. My 98 is bone stock with 130K miles and still has the stock thermostat. A better choice is to get the anode radiator cap and keep the fluid fresh.
http://www.roeracing.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=70&IDCategory=66

 

[KNG SNKE]

If you have exhaust on your car your probably throwing a rear o2 CEL. Scan it and find out.

If in fact it is the rear o2, which is common to be thrown on the later gen 2's after exhaust, you have 2 options.

The more costly route
1.o2 Simms, roughly 150 bucks. They get rid of your check engine light.

The cheaper route
2.zip tie your rear o2's to a hard spot on the car and plug the exhaust hole. This causes the o2 to read clean air and will not set a check engine. I have had mine zip tied for 3 years now and I have set 2 CELs because of it and it was during the rain, it will give you a high voltage reading. Just clear it out and go about your business.

 

[evomind]

If you have exhaust on your car your probably throwing a rear o2 CEL. Scan it and find out.

If in fact it is the rear o2, which is common to be thrown on the later gen 2's after exhaust, you have 2 options.

The more costly route
1.o2 Simms, roughly 150 bucks. They get rid of your check engine light.

The cheaper route
2.zip tie your rear o2's to a hard spot on the car and plug the exhaust hole. This causes the o2 to read clean air and will not set a check engine. I have had mine zip tied for 3 years now and I have set 2 CELs because of it and it was during the rain, it will give you a high voltage reading. Just clear it out and go about your business.

how difficult is it to get to them?
will it still pass an emissions test?
how abt a downloaded tune?
thanks

 

[evomind]

ok, i have the CEL codes now...
my buddy thinks its actually the upstream o2 sensors

P0135 HEATER B1 S1
P0155 HEATER B2 S1

please advise.

looks like it might be the same issue "life is good" has, but im pretty sure the car has stock headers.

 

[Dom426h]

Replace your front aka upstream aka pre-cat O2 sensors. I would personally use OEM. Replaced mine last year.

You really should pull off one of your sidesills and take a look what is under there that way you dont sound like a fool when someone asks you what kind of exhaust system you have.
This is what a stock Cat looks like:
(if the elbow from the header to the cat inlet is 2.5" then you have stock headers. If 3" then you have aftermarket.)

 

[evomind]

Replace your front aka upstream aka pre-cat O2 sensors. I would personally use OEM. Replaced mine last year.

You really should pull off one of your sidesills and take a look what is under there that way you dont sound like a fool when someone asks you what kind of exhaust system you have.
This is what a stock Cat looks like:
(if the elbow from the header to the cat inlet is 2.5" then you have stock headers. If 3" then you have aftermarket.)

thanks for the good info....
i just got the car friday so i havent had a chance to pull sills off yet, and im not gonna pull anything off until i get back to the dealer because the car was delivered with the cels light on and i believe they are gonna make this right. if the CEL turned out to be major id have a much bigger prob with the dealer and its harder to return something if need be if i had pulled sills off.

 

[Dom426h]

i understand. keep us posted on your progress.

 

[terminator02]

You probably have stock cats. WO cats is LOUD; especially with some aftermarket exhaust tips or whatever you are describing. 200 on the thermostat is high I think. My car stays around a tick or two under 190 if reporting is accurate

 

[evomind]

You probably have stock cats. WO cats is LOUD; especially with some aftermarket exhaust tips or whatever you are describing. 200 on the thermostat is high I think. My car stays around a tick or two under 190 if reporting is accurate

mine reaches 195 actually and then comes back down.

 

[evomind]

update......
turns out the car has b and b headers and 2 bad o2 sensors.
i talked to mark jorgenson and dan cragin. both guys were great help.
dan recognized the headers as b and b and suggested his quick fire o2 sensors. he says the car doesnt need to be tuned for the k and n, headers, and cat back. he thinks ill be good to go with new o2s.
that said, i couldnt be happier with the car, it runs great and i love driving it. i enjoy it more than my gen 3 and 4 ive owned.
i believe the car already has gears, as i find the gearing perfect, im just wondering what my next mod will be.

btw, i could use a pair of header heat shields, if anyone has a set they dont need, let me know what you want for them.

thanks guys