Bought used car with catalytic converter removed - any comeback?

pulliptears

meanmum wrote: »

So is it possible that the engine management light really is actually due to a hole in the exhaust (as the garage originally said - although not telling the whole story).......& is this doing any harm?
Is there any good reason to refit the CAT if the car otherwise passes an emissions test? Or will just the absence of the CAT be an MOT failure issue in itself soon?
How is a missing CAT likely to affect fuel consumption? It's a petrol engine.

Truthfully? No idea, I am but a mere woman. Other half tells me on ours it was because the EGR Valve relied on 'back pressure' and the hole in the exhaust meant that it wasn't getting that, hence the light.

When we replaced the whole section with new, stainless exhaust and sealed it, the problem resolved.

s_b

i always find it interesting that when someone in the trade asks a direct question posters seem to sidestep the issue
3rd time this week too
maybe the mse motoring section should be renamed i only want to hear what i want to here

so i ask again

has this car been modified

atrixblue.-MFR-.

s_b wrote: »

i always find it interesting that when someone in the trade asks a direct question posters seem to sidestep the issue
3rd time this week too
maybe the mse motoring section should be renamed i only want to hear what i want to here

so i ask again

has this car been modified

perhaps being specific! would help.

modified in terms, of wich you ask, the OP could simply say yes its modified, its has fluffy dice in the window!

or you could ask a specifics to your question, has it got any engine modifacations? i.e stainless manifold, stainless exhaust, uprated ecu superchip, induction kit, 1.8 GTI or 2.0 gti, 1.8 having a turbo 2.0 not having a turbo, if 1.8 does it have a bigget turbo with afternmarket intercooler.

meanmum

It is not "modified", at least in the way I think you are suggesting - other than having the CAT removed......which I guess could be viewed as a modification .
I've been doing some reading on the direct.gov website & apparently we should have reported the suspect MOT to VOSA within 28 days & they may then have rechecked the car - too late for us now, but that might be useful for someone else.

atrixblue.-MFR-.

meanmum wrote: »

It is not "modified", at least in the way I think you are suggesting - other than having the CAT removed......which I guess could be viewed as a modification .
I've been doing some reading on the direct.gov website & apparently we should have reported the suspect MOT to VOSA within 28 days & they may then have rechecked the car - too late for us now, but that might be useful for someone else.

VW's golfs dont like alterations to what its ecu has as peramiters, de catting it in a cheap way, would throw a fault code i.e lambda's not plugged in due to no exhaust hole for them to be inserted into the exhaust system. de cat is a modifaction! because something other than manufacturers specifacation is there (or rather isnt there) to make the vehicle go faster.

i would go back to the seller, and state it has a modifaction that you werent aware of nor told about at point of sale due to this modifaction it has created a fault code and you would like him to correct it by putting the cat back on.

cyclonebri1

Listen to this.

The emmisions test on any car is the easiest of all the checks to fiddle. If you are trying to sell a car with a crappy engine it's a lifesaver.

So, picture this then, the dealer has said car, with dodgy emmissions sat in the test centre. Lets say it's a 10 yesr old Mondeo.

Next to it is a mint 3 year old Fiesta.

Guess which 1 gets the emissions probe up it's rear passage??


Oh so easy a dodge.

worried_jim

meanmum wrote: »

How is a missing CAT likely to affect fuel consumption? It's a petrol engine.

It will improve mpg and make it a little faster, one reason why they are often removed.

scheming_gypsy

Cars without cats pass their MOT pretty easy, you take your decatted car in for it's test and leave the cat on the passenger seat. The friendly MOT tester can't be arsed reattaching the cat so they do as cyclonebri1 said and do the emissions test on a different car.

SteveJW

As an aside, we have a good relationship with several dealers, as an organisation we purchase around 30 cars / vans etc every year.
One of the lads has just done a px with his mini that had been de-catted, before trade in we put a full test on it, it passed emmissions with flying colours, no fiddling or any thing like that. He asked the dealer who was taking the mini if it was ok as it was or did he want the cat re-fitting. Dealer asked him to fit the cat as he didn't want any comeback when he sold it

poppasmurf_bewdley

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

Cars without cats pass their MOT pretty easy, you take your decatted car in for it's test and leave the cat on the passenger seat. The friendly MOT tester can't be arsed reattaching the cat so they do as cyclonebri1 said and do the emissions test on a different car.

Result - friendly MOT tester then loses his licence for being such a ruddy fool.

I doubt any tester would put his licence - and his livelihood - at risk by acting as you suggest.

My brother lost his MOT licence when he passed a car which belonged to a policeman, who then reported him for passing a car which should have failed!!!