New Cat Required (2002 2.0 Vvti) ?

February 5, 2006

Hi, I've just scanned throught the old topics and see there are lots of 'engine management' & ox sensor posts & it seems like I'm heading that way. I've had the engine management light on and reset in the dealers a few times before and after a new front ox sensor and now they are saying a new Cat is required (plus maybe 3 more sensors if they can't swap them & they work). The bill can be £1000 for he Cat plus 3 more sensors (£500 ?). The car runs Ok and I had the emmisions checked and its Ok as far as MOT concerned. I spoke to the dealer mechanic and he says the cat is getting blocked (maybe due to fuel impurities).

What to do ? I'm kind of reluctant to fork out so much just because of a fault code which led the dealers to change a sensor already without curing the problem so how do I know it really needs a new cat.

I don't suppose you think get pattern cats for the manifold type. I wouldn't mind playing with the laptop diagnostics kit as in other posts but assume the dealers are reading theirs best they can.

February 6, 2006

Hi, I've just scanned throught the old topics and see there are lots of 'engine management' & ox sensor posts & it seems like I'm heading that way. I've had the engine management light on and reset in the dealers a few times before and after a new front ox sensor and now they are saying a new Cat is required (plus maybe 3 more sensors if they can't swap them & they work). The bill can be £1000 for he Cat plus 3 more sensors (£500 ?). The car runs Ok and I had the emmisions checked and its Ok as far as MOT concerned. I spoke to the dealer mechanic and he says the cat is getting blocked (maybe due to fuel impurities).
What to do ? I'm kind of reluctant to fork out so much just because of a fault code which led the dealers to change a sensor already without curing the problem so how do I know it really needs a new cat.
I don't suppose you think get pattern cats for the manifold type. I wouldn't mind playing with the laptop diagnostics kit as in other posts but assume the dealers are reading theirs best they can.

Hi, I've the same model, year and engine. Within 3K of me owning the car (now 43K) I got the engine management light diagnosed as an oxygen sensor fault. Mine still ran ok, and I had to wait 2 weeks for the part. The day before the warranty repair, the sensor decided to throw a wobbler - sent the car into limp home mode (15mph up hill!) and knocked out the 2 Traction control system lights).

This is all fixed now, but with sensor failings/misfires, there is always the risk of pushing unburnt fuel through into the CAT. Which is what will melt it/block it.

Unless someone wants to correct me, as long as the car runs ok, and it gets through the MOT emissions, there should be no need to replace the CAT. If it's really getting blocked, you wouldn't be able to rev the car through it's full range - give it a good blast and see?

I've had a look at my CAT - and it 's in a good place to prevent road damage and corrosion, but it's so unusual in shape etc, I'd doubt there is a pattern part out there?

Best of luck :thumbsup: