Urgent Catalytic Convertor Appeal

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:36 pm    Post subject: Urgent Catalytic Convertor Appeal     

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  Hello,

I am the proud owner of a 1993 MK1 Clipper - originally from Germany and hence has a left hand drive. She recently failed her MOT and I told I need a new Catalytic convertor and probe for her to pass. This has been estimated to cost ?750.

I'm am considering wheter she is worth repairing at this expense.

Can anyone help? I am based in Southwest London.

Any help gratefully received

hi mate, our lass has got one of these.   hers had a cat but no lamda probe.  check if it has actually got a lambda probe cos im guessing it hasnt (clipper = no brain).  if it hasnt take off the cat and replace it with a standard downpipe (25 quid) you will find the car is faster and more economical and will rev more freely.  hers is from germany as well.  they dont have to test cars pre 94' for cat test but they do have to do emmisions.
good luck!
p.s theres no way on gods earth i wud be paying 750 quid like!

theres also a way of adjusting the timing to reduce emmisions, i dont know how but sure someone on here does,
and they can play with the mix to get it through the emmisions test.

i would dump the cat and get it adjusted to pass.

Thanks very much - I need a probe also. Should I suggest to my garage to remove the cat and replace it with a down pipe.

I'm afraid I'm not very technical in such areas - I really want to keep the car but don't have the finance to support it.

Double and triple check that you need the probe as no MK1 was originally fitted with one imo.

Yes dump the cat and replace with a ?25 downpipe from GSF - replace the seals  and manifold springs also.

Cheers

Rich

I have had two separate diagnostics done and both garage owners have told me I need to repalce the cat and the probe - they may be trying to make a fast buck?

I'll go back to them with your suggestions which is very helpful.

Do you provide these parts?

aye double check mate, look under the car at the exhaust.  the cat is the chunkier section at the front. if it has a probe (carb engine deffo no probe) theres gonna be a cylinder (couple of inches long located near the cat) with a wire going back upto the engine bay.  our lasses didnt have one and that is a 94' and fuel injected so very much doubt yours will.  take a few pics?

That is going to be difficult as the car is currently in the garage - but just so I'm clear - if the car need a probe I cannot replace the catalytic convertor is that correct.

If it needs a new probe what is the alternative - sorry I'm clueless on this topic

Thanks

if it has got a probe then yeah it will need one or your mpg will drop thru floor and it wont run proper.  the other thing wud be to get a by pass pipe but again your mpg will suffer badly.  if it has got a probe mate look for the vw part no. on it and im sure someone will be able to help with finding you one.  i still aint convinced its got one like lol  shame you aint a bit nearer i wud only charge ya 700 quid :wink:   i reckon they might be trying to make a quick buck like you say.  have you got a vw dealers near you?

Thanks for your advice. The car is in a VW garage at the moment.

They have given me the serial numbers for each piece of Kit.

The catalytic convertor number is:155253208x

And the probe is 030906265k


I hope there is a way out of this as I really want to keep her!

crikey it has got one then!
i dont know what to say as 750 quid is a lot of money mate, i would be tempted to replace it with a standard downpipe and reset everything to run best without cat.  has it got an ecu then? its deffo a carb model?  if you are willing to take a jaunt up the m1 i will do best i can for you and certainly wont be owt like 750 quid

Ask them what kind of injection system you have (K-Jet etc) and if it has digifant control box.  Report back what they say…

our lasses is digifant and it has an ecu mounted on right hand side of engine bay next to scuttle cover (and it had a cat) but deffo no probe.  get yoursen up sunny maltby mate ill get kettle on

Thanks! I'm on the case I will speak to the garage and report back this afternoon.

This site is brilliant!

Thanks again

its nps mate try and get yourself a car manual if you can then you stand a better chance if owt goes wrong.

i was serious about doing your car, unemployed and bored!

try and get a pic of engine bay if you can so we know what engine you have

Will do.

Where are you based?

south yorkshire, stuffs a lot cheaper up here mate when it comes to cars

I've just had a look on ETKA. The 2H digifant engine has this setup.

The lambda probe looks like it attaches to the exhaust manifold and not the cat itself judging by the picture.

The part number you gave for the cat is the downpipe and cat in one piece.

I think you have a rare setup!

I have spoken to the mechanic and he has provided me with the following information:

The engine type is 2h,  the injection system is digifant and it has a digifant control box. It 100% has a probe

He said if I replace the cat with a down pipe the car will not pass it's MOT and it is illegal to do so…..

Any thoughts?

You have taken it to a main dealer 8O first thing i would do is collect the car then take it along to the phirm, those guys know what they are doing and wont rip you off www.thephirm.co.uk