just heard my CAT has gone
Discussion
and the cost is a little over £700 (not including fitting and all that sort of thing).
The car is about 18 months old, having covered 23000 miles. Would you believe it, just out of dealer warranty too.
Other than paying the £700+ for the new CAT - what are the options, does anyone here know?
I intend to have a quick word with Lotus, just in case they are going to be able to help out with the cost of the CAT if this is the only option.
Currently my car is at a dealer, following investigation as to why it (the car) didn't run. First fault occured 8/05 with the MIL light coming on. Dealer cleared codes (cylinder 4 misfire), checked plugs and coils, leads, all seemed ok, were replaced and fault gone. Mileage at the time was 21343. Mileage now 22978 and the fault re-appeared this time more terminal (MIL codes indicated cylinder 1 misfire)
The other thing is that the original cause of the misfire - and subsequent discharge of fuel into the CAT to fry it hasn't been identified, so the expense is bound to increase.
Thanks in advance guys, Andrew.
The car is about 18 months old, having covered 23000 miles. Would you believe it, just out of dealer warranty too.
Other than paying the £700+ for the new CAT - what are the options, does anyone here know?
I intend to have a quick word with Lotus, just in case they are going to be able to help out with the cost of the CAT if this is the only option.
Currently my car is at a dealer, following investigation as to why it (the car) didn't run. First fault occured 8/05 with the MIL light coming on. Dealer cleared codes (cylinder 4 misfire), checked plugs and coils, leads, all seemed ok, were replaced and fault gone. Mileage at the time was 21343. Mileage now 22978 and the fault re-appeared this time more terminal (MIL codes indicated cylinder 1 misfire)
The other thing is that the original cause of the misfire - and subsequent discharge of fuel into the CAT to fry it hasn't been identified, so the expense is bound to increase.
Thanks in advance guys, Andrew.
the £700 is the quote for a new one via dealer from Lotus.
My concern is that the route cause of the problem has yet to be indentified. So even fitting the new CAT - might still blow up / cook etc.
Either way, the car isn't in a drivable state at the moment - and stuck at the dealer.
EDITED TO ADD: Have posted on SELOC and a couple of offers for new and S/H CATs - thanks guys
My concern is that the route cause of the problem has yet to be indentified. So even fitting the new CAT - might still blow up / cook etc.
Either way, the car isn't in a drivable state at the moment - and stuck at the dealer.
EDITED TO ADD: Have posted on SELOC and a couple of offers for new and S/H CATs - thanks guys
Edited by seetim on Wednesday 28th June 14:55
cuzza said:
Get the misfire sorted first and only replace the CAT when it's right. Leaving the knackered one in won't do any harm unless you need an MOT as well.
Called the dealer to ask if they can sort out some tests to figure out why the engine misfired and therefore cooked the CAT in the first place. They say that without the CAT / exhaust in place it won't be possible to fix/diagnose. Dealer is being helpful, which is great, but need a CAT fitted to make any progress.
avjay said:
what do you need with a cat anyway,,, are you pandering to the wishes of the tree-huggers?...
I think the VVC needs the CAT in place for backpressure - otherwise there is a drop in performance, at least that is what I've been told.
gooby said:
The factory warrenty is 2 years... Shouldnt it be replaced by Lotus?
I am sure the Larini sport cat is cheaper and probably better.
Have sent an email to Lotus, only the car is out of their warranty (Jan 06) and the dealer I bought from (Jun 6 06), so will have to see what happens.
Once it is up and running - and I can get hold of a s/h CAT courtesy of some helpful guys on SELOC - I might well look into the Larini approach.
Cheers, Andrew.
seetim said:
cuzza said:
Get the misfire sorted first and only replace the CAT when it's right. Leaving the knackered one in won't do any harm unless you need an MOT as well.
Called the dealer to ask if they can sort out some tests to figure out why the engine misfired and therefore cooked the CAT in the first place. They say that without the CAT / exhaust in place it won't be possible to fix/diagnose. Dealer is being helpful, which is great, but need a CAT fitted to make any progress.
Doesn't make much sense - the Lambda sensor is before the CAT so that won't play a part in it and even if it's knackered, you should get the back pressure the VVC requires.
You could agree on the understanding that if their tests poison another CAT, they'll replace it FOC.
cuzza said:
Doesn't make much sense - the Lambda sensor is before the CAT so that won't play a part in it and even if it's knackered, you should get the back pressure the VVC requires.
You could agree on the understanding that if their tests poison another CAT, they'll replace it FOC.
I don't even begin to understand it to be honest. However I will be working on the premise that I will get the CAT replaced, but will want some sort of guarantee that if during their investigations into the misfire the CAT goes again, they'll replace it - and if they don't find something wrong then there'll be some sort of mileage/time guarantee, again for the same reason
Purely and outsiders opinion, but I'd suggest you find someone with the right tools to diagnose your problem. You're being fed a lot of mis-information regarding CATs and back pressure as has been pointed out. To really understand what is going on, I'd find a specialist with a rolling road and associated mapping tools. Someone who can tell you what is happening with your car during actual running. Looking at fault codes to work your way back to the source of your problem is going to be quite a slow way to achieve the result you want.
Good luck,
Steve.
Good luck,
Steve.
seetim said:
the £700 is the quote for a new one via dealer from Lotus.
My concern is that the route cause of the problem has yet to be indentified. So even fitting the new CAT - might still blow up / cook etc.
Either way, the car isn't in a drivable state at the moment - and stuck at the dealer.
EDITED TO ADD: Have posted on SELOC and a couple of offers for new and S/H CATs - thanks guys
My concern is that the route cause of the problem has yet to be indentified. So even fitting the new CAT - might still blow up / cook etc.
Either way, the car isn't in a drivable state at the moment - and stuck at the dealer.
EDITED TO ADD: Have posted on SELOC and a couple of offers for new and S/H CATs - thanks guys
Edited by seetim on Wednesday 28th June 14:55
Interested why the car is said to be undrivable all of a sudden - I take it you drove the car to the dealer?
Steve_T said:
Interested why the car is said to be undrivable all of a sudden - I take it you drove the car to the dealer?
No, unfortunately when it all went south a couple of weeks ago I couldn't drive the car at all - well not far anyway. We are talking about 100s of yards, although no MIL light. Got to the stage where when eventually started, any pressure on the accelerator ended up with the car stalling!!
The only way I could get the car to the dealer was to get the car recovered there by the AA. So the worst thing is that the car is there and I'm at their mercy at the moment. Made even more so because I don't have another car at my own disposal.
To be fair to the dealer, they seem to be being as helpful as they can be.
seetim said:
To be fair to the dealer, they seem to be being as helpful as they can be.
Asking you to pay £700 quid for a CAT so they can diagnose a misfire is not being very helpful IMO
Checking the lambda is working and adding new plugs, leads and coil packs would be a lot more helpful and cost all of £150.
If you bought it on June 6th 06 from a dealer, how is it not under their warranty?
Bummer. I'd definitely hold off replacing the cat until the other problems are fixed and the car drives normally. Cats are typically killed through an excess of fuel, which over heats them, causing them to melt and block up. Is the cat within the Elise/Exige system something you can bolt in or out? If so a decat pipe would be a lot cheaper than a replacement pipe and would also be accompanied by a rather pleasant noise 
Edited to say this is what I meant - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/mgf-1-8i-1-8-v-
Edited to say this is what I meant - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/mgf-1-8i-1-8-v-
Edited by Steve_T on Wednesday 28th June 16:58
cuzza said:
seetim said:
To be fair to the dealer, they seem to be being as helpful as they can be.
Asking you to pay £700 quid for a CAT so they can diagnose a misfire is not being very helpful IMO
Checking the lambda is working and adding new plugs, leads and coil packs would be a lot more helpful and cost all of £150.
If you bought it on June 6th 06 from a dealer, how is it not under their warranty?
Less than a month and it's seen the dealer twice!!
I'm looking at the pic in your profile and thinking I might know the dealer in question. 
Fire me a mail through my profile and I'll tell you a story my friend. Steve.
Silly question do you thrash it much? did it get pootled to the garage & not warmed up before the test.
99% of the time most cats are perfect, it's just they need to get properly hot to be efficient. In which go & take it for a decent blast then arrive back at the garage with it running & THEN test it. This suggestion just might save you £750 !!
99% of the time most cats are perfect, it's just they need to get properly hot to be efficient. In which go & take it for a decent blast then arrive back at the garage with it running & THEN test it. This suggestion just might save you £750 !!
I see nobody has suggested the mass air flow meter. Had it on the Alfa with the same symptoms resulting in mot fail on emmisions. Had a new 100 cell cat and bypass made (Hayward & Scot) after MAF replaced. Fitted cat for mot then replaced it after. Only goes on once a year for an hour.
cptsideways said:
Silly question do you thrash it much? did it get pootled to the garage & not warmed up before the test.
99% of the time most cats are perfect, it's just they need to get properly hot to be efficient. In which go & take it for a decent blast then arrive back at the garage with it running & THEN test it. This suggestion just might save you £750 !!
99% of the time most cats are perfect, it's just they need to get properly hot to be efficient. In which go & take it for a decent blast then arrive back at the garage with it running & THEN test it. This suggestion just might save you £750 !!
The problem with the CAT is that it is totally cooked and blocking the engine exhaust. Something to do with the misfire problem.
Steve_T said:
cuzza said:
seetim said:
To be fair to the dealer, they seem to be being as helpful as they can be.
Asking you to pay £700 quid for a CAT so they can diagnose a misfire is not being very helpful IMO
Checking the lambda is working and adding new plugs, leads and coil packs would be a lot more helpful and cost all of £150.
If you bought it on June 6th 06 from a dealer, how is it not under their warranty?
Less than a month and it's seen the dealer twice!!
I'm looking at the pic in your profile and thinking I might know the dealer in question. Fire me a mail through my profile and I'll tell you a story my friend. Steve.
YHM
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff