Hi, i've only just bought a 94 wrx so i'm quite new to this game. tonight on my way home i drove the car quite hard for the first time and noticed in my rear view mirror sparks coming from the exhaust. can anyone tell me if this is to be expected or is it a sign of bad things to come?
Cheers.

 

Ive heard this could be the cat breaking up in the exhaust.

 

doesn't sound good......


Lee

 

the car has a decat stainless steel exhaust fitted, any other ideas?

 

Could be carbon deposits coming loose and burning up

 

I had a previous car on the rolling road and on the rollers my car chucked out some sparks the guy said it was packing in the exhaust and in my case it was nothing to worry about -
It only done it after a good power run and the car was on full throtle flat out

But to be sure you might want to get it checked out , especialy if its doing it a lot ?

Chris

 

Actually Chris you could be right about the cat breaking down, I have read a few posts and even though the car is fitted with a decat exhaust it seems there could be a second cat on the downpipe.

I haven't checked this out yet, do you know how many cats are fitted as standard?

Cheers!

 

I know it might sound stupid but how do you know it's the exhaust?

Have you checked underneath the car to make sure you have nothing
metalic dangaling and causing the sparking.

Rob

 

Yeah, nothing dangling from the car, the sparks died away when i drove easy then apeared when as soon drove it hard again, so it's only happening when the engine is working hard.

cheers

 

Might be the valves?

 

now i'm starting to worry, the car is driving fine at the moment so i don't think it's anything that serious, at least i hope not.

cheers

 

packing in the exhaust, or carbon working loose, or melted cats. Does the decat eliminate the downpipe cat? Compression test will give confidence in the engine very quickly and easily.

 

No, the car is still fitted with the downpipe cat.
Cheers.