wphan

hi, i just bought a 03 tl-s aspec and the check engine light, vsa light, and ! came on. i had a friend scan it and the only code that came up was a p0420 which indicates a catalytic converter deficiency.

i took it to a muffler shop to have them check the catalytic converter and they said that it was fine but they also noticed there was white smoke coming from my exhaust. the guy smelt it and said it smelt like it was running rich and maybe burning antifreeze which would most likely be a head gasket problem.

what do you guys think might be the problem and what can i do to check? i've only had the car for 4 days and i am still broke from buying it.

totaledTL

Did you buy it from a dealer? If so take it back. You may have 30 days to reconsider. Did you check the coolant for oil contamination and the oil for coolant contamination yet?

wphan

nope it was a private sale. i have no idea what to check for so if you can tell me what to look for that would be awesome. i guess i should mention the car runs and drives fine, nothing seems wrong other then the lights on the dash.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Check the radiator fluid level
Check engine temperature
White smoke = coolant loss

But my suggestion is to take it to a reputable shop and have them pressure test the cooling system.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Oh and I would get the white smoke issue resolved first. If you've got a blown head gasket, it could result in catastrophic engine failure and a new cat will be useless.

It's also possible that the cause of the P0420 is a result of the engine burning too rich which should also be addressed. Our cars are notorious, however of burning rich.

wphan

thanks for the replies. radiator level is full but reservoir was a little low. engine temp sits right around the middle and it hasn't overheated at all. i will be looking for a place to pressure test the coolant system asap. what usually causes the car to run rich? this is only my second car so pardon my noobism.

totaledTL

Oil in the coolant - brownish color. Water in oil - frothy, milky look. Def. get it pressure checked. You can do it yourself. Pay a deposit at Auto Zone or other parts store for the tool. You get all your $ back when you return the tool.
Remove radiator cap (AFTER engine has cooled off completely), put tester on and pump it up to betw. 14 & 18 psi. then check for leaks & pressure drop on the gauge.

01tl4tl

make sure the cap on the res bottle- remove it and ck hose inside is attached firmely to cap or system doesnt transfer when needed

ck rad cap seal for cracks or wear
(just had cracked rubber cap seal on my bike rad cap,,temp wasnt acting normal,, and hopefully that solves my problem)

1-2 clicks below half on the TL temp guage is normal,, and should never waver-- regardless of 100 degrees and going uphill

how many miles on the car?

01tl4tl

set the res level to max cold and the rad filled to bottem of neck- install cap
drive and ck levels in both the next day

also ck engine oil dipstick level--if it goes UP by itself--thats a bad head gasket-
If it goes down thats another problem

Gfaze

There's a reason the guy at the muffler shop works at a muffler shop.

NSXNEXT

iTrader: (2)

Unless you have the Mugen cooling mods.

01tl4tl

ok you got me--I agree to change the staement to:
`an unmodified TL cooling system will run 1-2 lines below half`
if it goes above that you have a problem- stop right now and figure it out

a mugen equipped vehicle, should run cooler,,but at a certain point you lower the temp too much--everything was designed for certain operating temps

a 20 degree drop will be fine, more than that,,other factors come into play and you probably are boosted in some way--so you dont count as ~normal~

wphan

car has 182 xxx km. i'm in canada so no autozone here. been calling around trying to find a place to check the coolant system but most places are a 2 week advance booking. checked the oil and there is nothing unusual about it. i'll continue to monitor daily to see if it changes. checked the coolant and the coolant in the rad is normal, the coolant in the res is slightly brown. rad cap looks to be okay as well. no visable leaks and puddles on the ground either.

a mech friend of my dad said its normal and probably a little dirty and needs to be flushed. he did notice that one of the fans on the rad is draging on something and getting stuck making a noise whenever the fans kick in. probably didn't notice that since its winter and -10C here and expected to drop down to -21 by the end of the week. he told me not to worry about it till the spring though since it'll be so cold out. he also says my car is fine and i'm worrying too much. once the car is warmed up, the temp gauge sits exactly 2 clicks below half and does not move at all.

am i just being a little bit crazy and worrying too much? i notice now that every time i park my car i get out to check and see white smoke before turning off the engine. occasionally i can see it in my rear view mirror. again, thanks everyone for your input. i love my car and am just trying to catch anything bad before it gets worse.

totaledTL

Are you certain that "white smoke" isn't just water vapor that's visible because it's cold? Smoke will take longer to dissipate than vapor.