Pugster is off to the garage this morning

[Sonia406]

Pugsters off to the garage this morning. Will put him on the ramps, examine his dangly bits and decide exactly what needs doing, how and when.
The jury is still out on the flexi downpipe. I say it's fine, dave recons it's shot.

As a few of you already know, I am expecting again (fortunately not another car, as I've no room on the drive now) so I will be limiting what work I can do on the car
Obviously, the cat and additive tank are out of the question at the moment. The garage has kindly said they would do the dpf removal and fit the exhaust parts if I am able to source them elsewhere.

I am a bit disappointed I can't do an awful lot on the car but having had many miscarriages before I dare not even take the risk.
Baby (I'm sure it's just one in there) is due in June so he/she will have to come to Pugfest '14.

For my own peace of mind, let me get this straight - DPF is the small thing nearest the flexi pipe at the front, dpf needs removing and the flexi (if OK) needs welding to the cat? Is that right? You'll have to bare with me.. I seem to have lost what intelligence I had...

[jonsowman]

Congrats! Great news!

The canister splits into 2 parts, 11 contains the cat and 12 contains the DPF element. As you can see, the flexi is already attached to the cat (11). If the flexi is stuffed you'll have to cut it off the cat and weld a new one back on.

The flexi is easily damaged by the engine moving too much if the bottom mount has gone. Best check that to ensure whichever flexi you use remains intact.

[Sonia406]

Congrats! Great news!

The canister splits into 2 parts, 11 contains the cat and 12 contains the DPF element. As you can see, the flexi is already attached to the cat (11). If the flexi is stuffed you'll have to cut it off the cat and weld a new one back on.

The flexi is easily damaged by the engine moving too much if the bottom mount has gone. Best check that to ensure whichever flexi you use remains intact.

ALL 3 sections are stuffed. Just had her over a pit and had a good look at.
I have sourced the back box and middle section myself, but having trouble finding a cheap enough flexi cat section.. I've asked rwb to contact Ade for me to see if he can sort me out a second hand one as I don't want to spent £250+

[jonsowman]

I'm sure Ade will have one, they don't often fail. As I said, the main cause of failure is bottom engine mount.

Worst case, cut the old flexi off the cat and weld one of the 2.25" generic flexis on eBay in its place.

Second hand from Ade is definitely easier if he can find one though.

Good luck!

[Sonia406]

I'm sure Ade will have one, they don't often fail. As I said, the main cause of failure is bottom engine mount.

Worst case, cut the old flexi off the cat and weld one of the 2.25" generic flexis on eBay in its place.

Second hand from Ade is definitely easier if he can find one though.

Good luck!

Tell you something I am being thrown pillar to post with this...
I'm not overly fussed about a cat, my car doesn't need one.
Can't I just buy a 2.0 HDi flexi (£30) off eBay and weld it to a straight through exhaust anyway?
What are the size differences between the 2.0 and 2.2 HDi?

The grease monkeys down the local garage say a straight through is not possible, yet I am pretty damn sure it is possible!

Any help appreciated and thanks for the luck, clearly I am in dire need

[jonsowman]

Bargain-tastic: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80282-CATALYT ... 0998506723

Well, not £250 anyway.

[rwb]

That's a good Plan A.

That cat is not "type approved"
However, you could cut the flexi off it and weld it onto your existing cat...

[Captain Jack]

My current cat isn't type approved either but who cares. I saved about 60 quid... And it passed many MOTs so can't be THAT illegal, can it?

[rwb]

The "type approved" scam ought to be illegal.

[Bailes1992]

Lets be honest, you'd have passed it without a CAT!

Apparenatley they 'tightened' the rules but I sat down and had a chat with the mechanic I use who'd a tester and we looked in the book and the only engines that need to have a visbible cat are ignition combustion engines.

[Sonia406]

Right... Car is going into the MOT garage on Thursday (He's a lovely chap, really good friendly, honest) and I trust him.
It's going up on the ramps for a closer examination, not someone to just go 'yer love, it all needs replacing' I want to know EXACTLY which part is broken and where it is.
Should it be the flexy itself I am screwed.
Should it be the cat part, I plan to chop the cat off and straight through it.

Will be going to pick up the middle section and back box on Wednesday. Have gone for the bosal ones.

[rwb]

Ade wanted £250 for a cat as they're worth that for scrap apparently.

What about getting the flexi only?

[grasmere59]

Bargain-tastic: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/80282-CATALYT ... 0998506723

Well, not £250 anyway.

That would be my route,they'll ask for a reg number,so have a trawl through ebay or the autotrader and get the reg from a 2000-2001 car and give them that,i did it for my next door neighbour for his 110 and saved a fortune,my local MOT tester (yours too I think Sonia) says as long as it's got a cat on he's doesn't go looking for the "type approved stamp".

[Bailes1992]

If Ade wants £250 for the CAT section you might aswell go down the stainless route.

[rwb]

The thing I haven't quite got resolved yet is how to defend against possible future changes to MOT regulations.
Smashing up a type-approved cat seems like a no-no.
Or am I worrying too much?

A new flexi section straight through to the back box would be good. But how do you get that new custom front section made?