Fuel mixture?

[BrettJ]

What is the easiest way to tell if my car is running correctly? I have a feeling that it running rich as the exhaust looks like it's sooty and I can often smell fuel.

[Jonathan Kay]

There are now so many exhaust analysers around that I'd get it tested and documented. And you need to know that well before the next MoT inspection.

Has it changed recently, and is there anything that might have caused that?

Jonathan

[BrettJ]

Well this is a new build and I've have only done 300 miles.

[Jonathan Kay]

That should give some helpful emissions figures from the IVA test for the comparison.

Has the running changed?

Jonathan

[BrettJ]

The IVA test results were good, however they only test up to 3000 RPM. I'm thinking the over fueling was only really happening when accelerating hard.

[revilla]

You actually want it running a bit rich under heavy loads to lower combustion temperature, cool the cylinders and avoid detonation. If you are really unsure though you need it checking on a rolling road where it can be loaded up properly.

[Benton]

As a starting point either go back to the dealer, or find a local friendly Caterham owner, who has a copy of the Easimap diagnostic  software, who can check whether the various sensor inputs to the ECU are working and correctly calibrated, e.g.  things like a duff lambda sensor (which have been known to fail very early on) can screw up the fueling big time.