Contemplating a blocked cat....

[shake n bake]

Help please chaps, I'm sat 1500 miles away in corfu whilst back home my chim is in for outriggers, mot, a big ass service and replace pretty much the whole ignition system to try and cure a jerky problem and generally to replace some very old, tired parts.
It's been in the back of my mind that one or more of the cats may be blocked, I'm Not sure why I think it but can anyone give me some symptoms?
I've noticed it can smell a bit eggy in the cab when I first open it up, but I can't imagine that smell coming in to the car at 70 with the roof off? It runs ok, but can get a bit 'clogged' at about 5k or under load sometimes.
It's mot is tomorrow so I guess that'll show if I'm
In for new cats too.....
Advice and opinions welcome please.

Edited by shake n bake on Thursday 4th September 19:42

[QBee]

My first ever catted car was a big Lexus, and my wife commented when following in her car that she could smell bad eggs. I had the car for 125,000 miles, never needed a cat changed.

Don't buy new ones. They will be silly money.
There's a main cat Y piece on EBay right now. Last time I looked it was £1.75. Takes 15 minutes to fit.

Pre cats are not needed for the MOT, so if they have failed just get them removed. You can either hammer them out, or combine it with getting the 4 to 1 unions welded. That latter job involves removing the manifolds, cutting them in half and welding from the inside. Welding costs £100, removing and refitting about the same. Total doddle to remove Pre cats with the manifolds cut open. And most of us have the leaky manifold issue at some point.

You can get catted manifolds for about £75 a side if you want to keep them. Just ask on here. I have one, but not the other, if you need one.

[shake n bake]

Thanks for the reply, my problem is that in a week I fly back and the cars got to be ready for my drive back to devon so I won't be able to source cheaper parts.
Did you. Say the pre cats are an mot requirement? It'll be too noisy for my liking with a sleeved exhaust and no cats.

[QBee]

shake n bake said:

Thanks for the reply, my problem is that in a week I fly back and the cars got to be ready for my drive back to devon so I won't be able to source cheaper parts.
Did you. Say the pre cats are an mot requirement? It'll be too noisy for my liking with a sleeved exhaust and no cats.

The pre cats are not required for the MOT - they were there to meet certain emission regulations I think. Mine passed without any cats.

If it stays a few quid I will bid on that Y piece for you. Where is the car being fixed? If it is needed I and I win the auction, i can always post it to them.

Ironically I have a spare original catted Y piece (I went to the Clive Y), it has sat in my shed for 18 months, and yesterday I agreed to lend it to a friend whose cat has broken while he waits for ACT to send him one of their decatted Y pieces. I am delivering it tomorrow morning to his (and my) TVR guy.

[shake n bake]

Mines at Fernhurst now, they'll let me know tomorrow if it needs new bits beyond my list.
I really appreciate the offer though, that's why pistonheads should remain a friendly place, especially for TVR owners.

[QBee]

Just had a quick squint on Fleabay.

The Y piece is presently £5.50.
The manifolds are about £80 each.
As I say, I have one you can have for that sort of price - it has already had the internal welding done, but still has its cat in thanks to a miscommunication by me regarding decatting!

Let me know what Fernhurst say and I will see if we can sort something if cats are needed.

I would offer you the pair of 16 year old tortoiseshell and cream cats we have here, but they seem to get regularly blocked with fur balls, so probably wouldn't do you a lot of good.

At least they shifted the remaining guests at my last TVR BBQ - one corker at 12.30 am in the litter tray and everyone suddenly needed to be somewhere else
Never seen three Chim owners move so fast

[shake n bake]

Ha, we've got two cats already, any more it'll start looking like a rescue centre!
As for the car, it passed with flying colours, the only advisory being 'exhaust noisy'

[s p a c e m a n]

I'm after a passenger side manifold if that's what you're trying to offload QBee

[QBee]

I prefer to call it "offering it for comtinued use".
I will check which one I have in the morning. It's the other one to the one the guy on Facebook was asking for about 10 days ago!

[s p a c e m a n]

Ah boo I have some competition, just had a look on Facebook and he wants the same side as me. FFG outbid me on an ebay pair a couple of weeks ago too, I'm just going to keep the radio on and ignore it.

offering it for continued use