Pre-cats

[N20]

I recently purchased a 2000 Reg MR2 but the engine in is knackered... engine sounds rough and its burning loads of oil... I think the piston rings and/or pre-cats may be responsible... Im getting my money back and my old car and I'm going to look at a new car tomorrow, the basics are:

52-Reg facelift model, 61,000 miles...

I believe the facelift model does not have the pre-cat breakdown situation...

Please can anyone answer this: The car im going to look at is a 52-Reg and must be one of the first facelift models ever sold... Is there any chance that it will have the old engine/piston rings and pre-cats in it?

How can I find out for sure if it has the new engine/pre-cats or old stock left over from the pre facelift model?

I really want to know if i am safe or not...

[GIDDLEPIN]

My car is a 52 plate with nearly 80,000 miles on the clock, I recently fitted a Che header replacing the pre cat manifold (which I still have) the pre cats are in perfect condition and I would have left them that way if not for wanting the new header.

Pre-cats do NOT!!! destroy engines, oval bores caused by early piston design can and will, as will poor maintainance.

So to answer your question on whether you are safe or not, I'm afraid no one can do that, but if you can find a car of the right age with a known service history you will stand a good chance

Good luck in your search and don't give up ;)

Les

[N20]

Ok thanks.

I suppose it's like any other car, depends how it's been treated in the past... I thought there was a rare pre-cat problem and problems on the earlier models with piston rings and seem as my old MR2 had a bad engine I'm a little more concerned about it... just have to keep an eye on the engine and oil.

I just purchased the car I mentioned at the top of this thread... is has a full service history except for one intermediate service... had the full 60,000 mile service after that tho...

I test drove it and it sounds perfect, and seem as it's a facelift it's got loads of cool little extras... but no hard top.

Anyway i'm very pleased with the car and can't wait to pick it up next week.

Uploaded a picture of it bellow:

[Ec0]

Nice looking car there man ;)

Just out of curiosity on the subject of precats, is it an expensive job to get a mechanic to gut the ceramic material from them?

[Laura81uk]

Nice looking car there man ;)

Just out of curiosity on the subject of precats, is it an expensive job to get a mechanic to gut the ceramic material from them?

That's the same as my baby :D

[N20]

Nice looking car there man ;)

Thanks, I get it Tuesday or Wednesday... cant wait.

I’m not the guy to ask about how much it costs, maybe there is someone else who can answer that... It can be done by yourself... but I believe there can be side effects.