RR Downpipe installation issues

[MastaMind]

Glad to hear that you got this sorted out. No matter how many times I see them, I just can't get over how small our turbos are.

[jeremyc74]

Good to hear it's resolved. That makes a lot more sense now. We should all (including the techs at the shop) be kicking ourselves in the ass for ignoring the oil leak as a clue to the problem. I've had things like this happen dozens of times with strange issues like this, and I always think to myself that if I hadn't ignored something obvious but seemingly unrelated, the whole thing would have been easier. Chasing down that oil drip would have revealed the problem in a matter of minutes.

As far as the SES light goes, unless you clear it with a code reader, it will stay on for a while even once the sims are installed and working properly. If they cleared it and it's back on, hopefully it's just a bad O2 Sim.

[carlosii]

Nice to hear that the issue was resolved, it was a long saga... Enjoy your ride now...

[KeithLM]

The codes were cleared multiple times and kept coming back. In fact they were gone for a bit as Stett test drove it once he fixed the inlet pipe. It was after the car sat for a bit and I started it that the light came on. In fact that's the way it happened the day the pipes were installed. Maybe I just push the start button wrong.

I wish I knew more about the sims and what they do and what happens when they are bad. Would the code pass through if it was a bad sim, or would the sim be sending nothing which confuses the computer to?

[M3Newbie88]

Originally Posted by KeithLM

The codes were cleared multiple times and kept coming back. In fact they were gone for a bit as Stett test drove it once he fixed the inlet pipe. It was after the car sat for a bit and I started it that the light came on. In fact that's the way it happened the day the pipes were installed. Maybe I just push the start button wrong.

I wish I knew more about the sims and what they do and what happens when they are bad. Would the code pass through if it was a bad sim, or would the sim be sending nothing which confuses the computer to?

Hi Keith I suggest finding out what the code it is throwing.. the code my DP threw was not the normal 2 that usually are produced by Dps as stated on my other thread.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by KeithLM

The codes were cleared multiple times and kept coming back. In fact they were gone for a bit as Stett test drove it once he fixed the inlet pipe. It was after the car sat for a bit and I started it that the light came on. In fact that's the way it happened the day the pipes were installed. Maybe I just push the start button wrong.

I wish I knew more about the sims and what they do and what happens when they are bad. Would the code pass through if it was a bad sim, or would the sim be sending nothing which confuses the computer to?

I hate to say this, but I still think you've got something else going on. The O2 code takes a while to come back after it's reset normally. What the ECU is looking for is an "out of range" signal, or open or shorted. It's possible though that I've always done the reset with the car cold, and maybe that's why it takes a while.

As a matter of fact, I don't have the sims on my car right now. I'm going to get a shower and then head out for a beer. I'll reset mine with the car cold and drive until it comes back on. Then I'll reset it again with it warmed up and see if it comes right back.

I'll report back a little later and let you know what I find out.

(I've got to get my lazy ass under the hood this weekend and get the Sims put back on to get rid of the light for good! )

[KeithLM]

Originally Posted by 1LazyBmw

Hi Keith I suggest finding out what the code it is throwing.. the code my DP threw was not the normal 2 that usually are produced by Dps as stated on my other thread.

Stett said it was always the same two codes exactly as expected if you were missing cats.

The codes stayed off for a bit, at least enough for Stett's short test drives. Then they came back when I started the car.

[jeremyc74]

I reset mine with it cold, and it took about 40 minutes for it to come back I reset hot and after 15 minutes it still hadn't returned.

My factory O2 sensors are hooked up right now though. I'm thinking your Sims are bad and it's seeing an open circuit and that's causing it to come back so quickly.

[KeithLM]

Well I got into the wiring harness and took a look. Stett removed the resistors after the codes returned with those in place, so I can't see how he had that hooked up. Because I don't currently have the resistors I didn't bother getting to the point of confirming each wire. I will do that once I get the resistors from Stett or another pair from Riss.

I took it out for a spirited run in the country. While the SES light is still on, it didn't go into limp mode and it ran real good. It does seem to accelerate more easily now.

[Riss Racing]

Originally Posted by KeithLM

Well I got into the wiring harness and took a look. Stett removed the resistors after the codes returned with those in place, so I can't see how he had that hooked up. Because I don't currently have the resistors I didn't bother getting to the point of confirming each wire. I will do that once I get the resistors from Stett or another pair from Riss.

I took it out for a spirited run in the country. While the SES light is still on, it didn't go into limp mode and it ran real good. It does seem to accelerate more easily now.

Without the adjustment harness the SIM will not all of the time. This is why we include them with every SIM. We will have another set sent out too you FREE of charge. Thanks!

[KeithLM]

Originally Posted by Riss Racing

Without the adjustment harness the SIM will not all of the time. This is why we include them with every SIM. We will have another set sent out too you FREE of charge. Thanks!

Like I said, the adjustment harness was in there this afternoon after the inlet was fixed, and after Stett cleared the codes it was fine for a bit, but then the SES came back on.

He checked over the wiring multiple times with and without the resistors. I'm going to verify it for myself. Will the SES clear by itself if it's just a matter of getting the resistors back in right? Or does that have to be cleared with a special device?

[Adam@Riss Racing]

Originally Posted by KeithLM

Like I said, the adjustment harness was in there this afternoon after the inlet was fixed, and after Stett cleared the codes it was fine for a bit, but then the SES came back on.

He checked over the wiring multiple times with and without the resistors. I'm going to verify it for myself. Will the SES clear by itself if it's just a matter of getting the resistors back in right? Or does that have to be cleared with a special device?

Hi Keith,

definitely clear the codes with a standard code reader. The cel light won't just disappear by itself so make sure its gone before starting the car and all.

[KeithLM]

Originally Posted by Adam@Riss Racing

Hi Keith,

definitely clear the codes with a standard code reader. The cel light won't just disappear by itself so make sure its gone before starting the car and all.

If I put the resistors in and then take it to someone to clear the codes is that OK?

[KeithLM]

I just went and talked to Stett this morning. He said it's not throwing the 420 and 430 codes anymore. After he fixed the turbo inlet it started to throw 0030. He said either that is happening because the pre-cat O2 sensors are touching or that the cats aren't running hot enough to allow the sensors to function properly.

Anybody have any ideas about that? I can't see the need for the bung holes to be where they are. It is because of that that the first shop couldn't succeed in installing the downpipes.

[KeithLM]

Here's a pic of what COBB ran into when they attempted to install the O2 sensors after fixing the downpipes into place:

[KeithLM]

So Anthony is telling me that if the sim is in place that none of the sensors can cause any codes. So that means the sim must be wired wrong. If it's wired wrong, wouldn't that screw something else up?

[adc]

Forgive me for saying this - you have shown a lot more patience than I would ever do.

I suggest you cut your losses at this point and remove the DP's. If you can get RR to refund your money, fine - if not, try to sell them with full disclosure on the forums.

You just have to ask yourself if this constant stress, multiple visits to the install shop, not to mention potential harm to your vehicle are truly worth a potential loss of $900.


And if you must have DP's, why not get a set of catted ones like CP-E which seem to work just fine?

PS: Also purchase the BT scan tool and thoroughly scan your car, clean all codes.

[jeremyc74]

Originally Posted by adc

Forgive me for saying this - you have shown a lot more patience than I would ever do.

X2

I'd be by now.

[KeithLM]

$900? I wish. Keep in mind the trips to the shop cost money. And if I swap the downpipes again I'll be out another $350+. Buying the scan tool is a few hundred more that I'd have to spend.

I'm about to crack. I've been unbelievably patient with Riss. I'm sure they'll deny that, but if you go back through the list of problems (plenum, intake, exhaust, catless downpipes, delays on shipping downpipes, etc.) I've been way more patient than they deserve.

Of course I probably wouldn't have to deal with all this if the bung holes were just better placed. Why put them so close so that it makes installation so difficult? It just doesn't make sense.

But the problem has to be on my end, right? I mean 95% of the customers don't even need the O2 sim. But I'm in that 5% so I have to have that and apparently the resistors must put me in a smaller minority otherwise they'd have been built in to it. Perhaps it's a Texas thing because Stett said that most of the other Riss catted downpipes he's installed needed them too. But you know Riss tested this sim, and they wouldn't ever send out anything that wasn't 100% (plenum, intake, exhaust were all flukes of course).

I'm trying my best to eliminate any chance of there being a mistake on my end. I'm going to great lengths for that. Stett has examined the wiring of the sim multiple times. He's tested with and without the resistors. I've seen him under the hood checking out those wires with a printout of the pdf on at least 4 occasions.

I might switch to a different brand of downpipes if I can find that another brand that does not have fitment issues ever, and doesn't throw codes. Going with these downpipes seemed like such an easy thing. A few hours of labor and your done and most likely don't need a sim. Lots of power, fairly low effort, and shouldn't cause trouble. How naive I was then.

[Yearofthe1]

Originally Posted by KeithLM

I might switch to a different brand of downpipes if I can find that another brand that does not have fitment issues ever, and doesn't throw codes. Going with these downpipes seemed like such an easy thing. A few hours of labor and your done and most likely don't need a sim. Lots of power, fairly low effort, and shouldn't cause trouble. How naive I was then.

I can strongly recommend the catted dp's from cp-e. I've got over 600 miles on them, running on the factory o2 sensors, and not one code, ever. I have the BT tool, so I can assure you that no shadow codes are being generated either. The tech that installed them had no problems except how tight it is in that area, but that can't be helped. He said their bung placements were optimal. Good luck bro!

[elite]

Since I was the one driving Keith from shop to shop, I thought I would chime in and say a few things. I couldn't not believe RR shipped that crap out. Great welds, horrible fitment. You can't just push products out the door, cross your fingers and hope they work. For what you are charging the BBB should be involved.

1. How could you ship out something like that?

2. How much R&D went into those products?

[elite]