Has anyone....

[B@fink]

Any experience with after market catalysts? The flexible joint on mine is starting to look decidedly second hand...As are the pipe to Manifold studs which are definitely going to go “ping” the moment I even look at them with a spanner

I’m going to need a new one at some point In the near future, but are aftermarket units actually capable of passing the MoT emissions test?

I’ve put a request in to the forum sponsors for a unit if they have one but there are some attractively priced new units out in the big wide world. However there’s no point getting a new one if the catalyst parts are ineffective. So do off the shelf pattern parts work? Or do I avoid them like the plague? Answers on a postcard.

[briang9]

I've had sports cats on mine for around 9 years, they pass MOT fine but they do throw the EML light occasionally, easily sorted with a cheap code reader from Ebay

[The_Laird]

I think David’s has aftermarket sports cats as well and he also has the EML light issue. But, IIRC, the fitter can put in little spacers for the sensors to take them out of the flow of the exhaust and this, apparently, stops the light coming on. One of my cats is starting to rattle, so I’m interested to see how you get on

[moltuae]

I had after-market sports cats fitted a couple of years ago too. Audi quoted £2,500 for a pair of OE cats (not inc. fitting) when my old cats first started rattling. And by the time the rattle had gotten much worse, just a few months later, the OE cats were NLA, so I had no choice but to look at alternatives. I decided to go for a custom stainless steel exhaust in the end, complete with after-market cats. More info here:
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=14489

I've had no problem with the exhaust passing MOTs -- I believe the important thing is that the cats should be 'E' marked/approved, which mine are. I do have to occasionally reset the EML (usually after being stuck in slow moving traffic for a long time), but I can do that by the roadside in seconds using my phone and OBDeleven device. It's a slight annoyance but a fairly rare occurrence.

It's worth noting also that you may be able to sell your old cats to a recycler, even if they're badly rattling (like mine were). I got £220 (£110 each) for mine.


EDIT: Zaustworx video of my car attached below:

And this should be a direct link to my car on Zaustworx's FB page: https://www.facebook.com/ZaustworxCu...9764221425173/

[David's8]

Originally Posted by The_Laird

I think David’s has aftermarket sports cats as well and he also has the EML light issue. But, IIRC, the fitter can put in little spacers for the sensors to take them out of the flow of the exhaust and this, apparently, stops the light coming on. One of my cats is starting to rattle, so I’m interested to see how you get on

The after "sports" cats fitted on mine before i bought it in 2012, failed test in 2017 after many months of EML light indicating. The cats I replaced it with were 200cell sport cats provided by C+C Custom Stainless Exhausts of Glasgow. They have proved all good up to now at MoTs and i have had no EML indications. Not cheap at £528 the pair but they have done the job.

[Mossyboy1978]

I’ve had an after market on mine for a couple of years. It triggers the EML but makes zero difference to the car’s performance.

Come MOT time I get it turned out, get the MOT done, and move on.

THe cat was £250 from Catman UK and whilst smaller than the OEM ones, hasn’t given me any problems.

[barzya8]

Following on from Adrian reply.
I have just sent 2 X my OEM cats to Germany.
A Company called KFZ-Technik SEUBERT who are based in Pforzheim
As Adrian stated, these are as close as close to OEM as you can get.
Mine were repacked with two 400 cell units in each cat
They cut open the OEM cats, weld in an additional bracket and then repack with two new units. They then reweld and spray units with antirust spray
They then posted back to me.
Cost for carrying this work out, including posting back was 767.13 euros (£710)
Postage to them from the UK cost me £56 including insurance.
Not fitted them to the car yet, but they look good and ready to go.
They returned refurbed cats within 10 days.
Contact me if you need more info
David

[ainarssems]

Originally Posted by B@fink

Any experience with after market catalysts? The flexible joint on mine is starting to look decidedly second hand...As are the pipe to Manifold studs which are definitely going to go “ping” the moment I even look at them with a spanner

I’m going to need a new one at some point In the near future, but are aftermarket units actually capable of passing the MoT emissions test?

I’ve put a request in to the forum sponsors for a unit if they have one but there are some attractively priced new units out in the big wide world. However there’s no point getting a new one if the catalyst parts are ineffective. So do off the shelf pattern parts work? Or do I avoid them like the plague? Answers on a postcard.

Good running engine should pass emissions even without cats, obviously cats are required by the rules so would still fail MOT even if it passes emissions test

If the cats are I would just cut out flexi piece and weld a new one in. Cheaper and you get to keep original cats.

[MikkiJayne]

I am pretty sure an FL D2 won't pass the age-appropriate appropriate emissions test without cats - I've tried it. Big Red (2002) has the pre-cats only which keep the ECU happy, but needs to be roasting hot to pass just barely within spec without the main cats. Ditto Mike's 4.2 Allroad (2005?), which also has pre-cats so no EML, but empty cans for the main cats. That missed the limits by a sizeable margin IIRC so we're fitting some Magnaflow E-marked cats to it before its MoT. Both of those engines are in good health and running well.

An early PF might pass without cats I guess, although I think it still supposed to have them.

[vagdream]

An exhaust/Cat fitting business suggested to me a few years ago that probably the most economic way out of this issue was to replace the dead cats with a couple of E marked aftermarket items for a 2.0L Mondeo!