Shot my Cats

[Klive]

Yep, they've now got holes in them. I'm currently looking at alternatives as the OEM is crazily expensive.
Options so far are:
Larini's
Cut into the boxes and replace the bricks.

Do you have any other suggestions?

 

[CatmanV2]

Why have the got holes in, Klive?

C

 

[Klive]

It's one of the common problems. Once they do start to breakdown there's a risk of parts being sucked back into the block and ruining the engine.
Replacing them at this stage will save a fortune later.
There's 2 different designs. 1 with a thermocouple and another without. Mine, the later model are without.

 

[Emtee]

No point replacing with OEM as you're just replacing a **** design that's failed with a **** design that will fail. For me I would follow the Larini logic but not use Larini. Chop out the primaries and pipe through and then replace the cats downstream with new high flows. IIRC Marios has done this and is offering it, though I don't know the cost.

 

[conaero]

Agree with Miles, if its secondarys, just cut them out and put in a free flow silencer, you really dont need them. Any exhaust shop like Charlie at ProSpeed can do this for you for circa £150 and you should get a few more horses unlocked.

 

[Klive]

Thanks guys. I've had a reasonable quote from MIJ in Walsall. Does anyone have experience of them?

 

[Emtee]

I went to see them when the CAT on my 4200 failed some years ago and they came across as good guys. I ended up buying Larini CATS (which as posted above I wouldn't do again knowing what I know now) so can't say from personal experience, but I've not heard anything bad at all.

 

[Klive]

I'll post the results next week

 

[MAF260]

Thanks guys. I've had a reasonable quote from MIJ in Walsall. Does anyone have experience of them?

They made some stainless rear boxes for my 3200. Good guys, fairly knowledgable and did a good job for a decent price.

 

[Klive]

Had some new pre cats fitted today.
I'd been driving around for a while with a CEL light on. It had been reset a few times but cam back on again after a few miles. The reason for it was that the cats were overheating. This was initially confusing as the later 4200's did away with the thermocouple. Anyway these models use the Lambda sensors each side of the precats to calculate the temperature.
During a comprehensive service, Emblem removed the Lambdas and put a camera inside to see what was going on. They identified the left hand cat had a hole and the right hand was starting to break up.
As said in the earlier post this is a dodgy situation as the remnants can be sucked back up into the block and severely damage the engine. I'd been driving around for quite a long period like this, arghh!
Having hunted around for the next step I could have gone the Maserati route for £3.5k, or the Larini for 2.5, but eventually decided to just replace the cats with Charlie at Pro-Speed in Cardiff. Yep I would travel from Essex to Wales if I can find someone with a good reputation and that I can trust.
So he cut out the old ceramic ones and welded in new steel ones. The advice from him was strong to not use ceramic as the same thing will happen again whereas steel will last the life of the vehicle.
Cost, ignoring the fuel, hotel, the "lovely little" liqueur glasses she had to buy in Cardiff and the drinks in the pub last night, was under £500.
The cats fitted were slightly bigger and the squished section just after them is now no more. That was a little worry but there were some significant road humps that you have to put your wheels each side off just around the corner from the workshop and there were no scraping noises, phew!
Did I notice a little more power on the way home? Well I was certainly more relaxed.
The battery was off while they were working on it and the CEL stayed off all the way home. Hoorah.
Charlie talked through the job beforehand and showed it after it was complete. He has some other guys working for him but they were there to help. He did all the difficult stuff. I believed I picked the right one for the job.
Here's a couple of shots of the old cats. The left hand had the biggest hole.

 

[CatmanV2]

That's a significant saving, Klive. Good to know.

Are you back in the land of the free?

C

 

[Parisien]

Result then....good stuff........did he template the work, in case hes asked to do it again?


P

 

[Klive]

That's a significant saving, Klive. Good to know.

Are you back in the land of the free?

C

Yep home again.

 

[Klive]

Result then....good stuff........did he template the work, in case hes asked to do it again?


P

P, he doesn't need to. He buys suitable size cats and modifies them to suit. It's only replacing a very short piece.

 

[CatmanV2]

Yep home again.

Ah. Do you happen to have a spare trolley jack at all? I'd quite like to replace my fan resistor in the morning, but at something of a loss as to how to get the front off.
We're meant to be going to a wine tasting, I need to wash it, and I fly to CA on Monday, so time's sort of limited.

No issues if not, just thought I'd ask

C

 

[Klive]

Yes, I'll give you a call in the morning.
You'll need to take off the engine floor pan and you can reach up from underneath. It's a lot easier than coming down from the top.

 

[conaero]

I managed to do it without removing the belly pan but mine is a 2002 and I beleive the belly pan is shorter.

Just take note of the wires and don't get them mixed up.

 

[CatmanV2]

Thanks, both. Mine is also a 2002. Hopefully this will be simple

C

 

[Parisien]

P, he doesn't need to. He buys suitable size cats and modifies them to suit. It's only replacing a very short piece.

Great.......did you get a chance to take a few pics of the up-graded look?


P

 

[2b1ask1]

Is it me, the camera angle or are they sooted to one side, indicating poor gas flow, must be adding to pressure build up and contributing to an early demise....