Anyone had a cat' converter go on a petrol Octy 2? I've been told a "rasp" pulling away in first, at low revs, is probably that.

It might well be exhaust related, but there's no specific reason why it should be the cat rather than broken baffles in a box. If you can get under, the relevant box should rattle if tapped with a hand.

Hope it is that. Kwikfit quote about £1100 !!! (Cat itself is well over £500 incl. vat).

Getting it checked by my local specialist dealer first - even if it seems it is the cat, it is going to be hundreds less than the KF price.

I had a similar noise coming from the exhaust on an old Uno I had. Was diagnosed as a loose baffle in the exhaust (car had a cat as well). I never bother to change the exhaust as I was told it would not cause a problem, just a little noise every now and then. Changed it then when the exhaust failed. The noise went away after that so must have been the baffle. As above get underneath and have a listen to see where it is coming from. The KF quote seems crasy as it will not take long to change a cat so should not be much more than the proce of the cat. Do they also not do some kind of replacement deal where you get some money back for the value of your old cat (some quite expensive metals go into making car cats so they are worth a little bit in scrap value I think).

Good point; time enough to worry about it (unless it annoys you) when/if it fails an MOT. I suspect a full stainless system including a new 200cel cat and fitting is probably cheaper than the KwitFit price!!

We had a similar rasping noise on SWMBO's Suzuki. After jacking the car up and having a good crawl around checking each exhaust component, I found a loose heat shield. This was due to a corroded mounting bracket. Replaced it with a jubliee clip and the noise was gone.

Quite a bit of platinum in your cat.

For £1000 I would think you could buy a new one and get a place to fit it and have some change left over if it really is the cat.

You would then get the old one to sell and that should get a couple of hundred quid in scrap value IIRC.

I'd say it sounds more like a KF trying to make some profit for the month.

I must say it seems odd to me.

No unusual noise at anything above very low rev pull-away speeds. KF guy was going on about bits of cat innards going into the rear box and ruining that too.

I definitely need another pair of eyes on it that isn't out for a quick buck.

How can KF really prove the cat is gone just by looking ? Best way is to get an emmisions test.

All he did was pat the underside of the cat (with engine idling).

MOT was okay but that was back in June.

Underside of rear box always has looked streaked sooty, from new. I'm told that is normal.

I must say the outside of everything underneath looked fine - almost looked new, I thought it would all be filthy.

I must say it seems odd to me.

No unusual noise at anything above very low rev pull-away speeds. KF guy was going on about bits of cat innards going into the rear box and ruining that too.

I definitely need another pair of eyes on it that isn't out for a quick buck.

The bloke is trying to confuse you and make you do it quick by saying if you leave it it will damage the back box.

IMHO they are talking ****.

I guess a rasp could be a leaky seal somewhere?

The bloke is trying to confuse you and make you do it quick by saying if you leave it it will damage the back box.

IMHO they are talking ****.

QUOTE]

Funny you should say that.

He said if I went on a drive now the cat could seize up the whole system, and stop the car from starting. Gawd, it doesn't sound THAT bad.

I'd make a formal complaint to the head office.

Do you have a receipt advising you of this as it should have the testers name on it.

Very bad PR for KF if it was proved they were trying to **** you.

I'd make a formal complaint to the head office.

Do you have a receipt advising you of this as it should have the testers name on it.

Very bad PR for KF if it was proved they were trying to **** you.

No receipt - it was a quick informal visit (they were empty!) and I left them to phone for OE costs.

In the meantime Clarion told me over the phone that if it WERE the cat it was about £450 plus vat, plus up to a couple of hours fitting. But also said there were other things it could be. (As mentioned on this thread by others.)

Then KF phoned back with their £1100+ quote including fitting.

So that's where it lies now. I get Clarion's examination on Wednesday a.m. and I trust them enough to go with what they say.

BTW, I wouldn't call tapping the bottom of the cat a "test" !!!!

I'd ask KF for a written quote as you need it, then go elsewher have the diagnostics done and the work done. Get the cause of the problem in writing and a receipt then have a laugh with KF by writing into watchdog

I'd ask KF for a written quote as you need it, then go elsewher have the diagnostics done and the work done. Get the cause of the problem in writing and a receipt then have a laugh with KF by writing into watchdog

Yeah, sounds good, but - I dunno - life's too short!

If Clarion come up trumps (either way) in future my attitude to KF will just be "S*d 'em". They just lose another potential customer (and I'm only 5 minutes walk from their place!)

Anyone had a cat' converter go on a petrol Octy 2? I've been told a "rasp" pulling away in first, at low revs, is probably that.

We've had a few known cases in Finland. I think it's also known in Skoda.

Actually my car's cat has been replaced during it's first 20 000 km's. Luckily it went under warranty. If I would've been the bill payer I would be over 1300 euros poorer

The symptoms are as you describe them. Metallic rattle on low revs. It's the insides of the CAT that are loose and are rattling. I think it's more common on 1.6FSI and 2.0FSI engines. And it can be tested by tapping on the side of the cat.

I'm not sure what it actually can cause if you drive a car with cat insides loose. Probably it will get caught during MOT, but not sure if it can destroy something actually?

I'm not sure what it actually can cause if you drive a car with cat insides loose.

It will just find somewhere comfortable to lie down and sleep for the rest of the journey, unless it's a very twisty road. My girlfriend's does this all the time.

Sorry, I just had to say this.

It will just find somewhere comfortable to lie down and sleep for the rest of the journey, unless it's a very twisty road. My girlfriend's does this all the time.

Sorry, I just had to say this.

Haha...Seriously I found this actually funny

Haha...Seriously I found this actually funny

My bank manager didn't!

I had the cat changed under warranty when it went on my Octy. The cost on the sheet was around the £1300 mark all in because they replaced something else along with it. Apparently it is something thats fairly common on the Mk II (according to the stealer that is)

The cat could be slightly loose in the exhaust housing, which is causing it to vibrate at a certain engine speed. You could live with it, providing that it is doing its primary job of controlling the engine emissions, or as a quick/cheap fix (though not guaranteed to be 100% effective and a last resort) treat the cat casing to some well aimed blows from a ball pein hammer. The theory been that the resulting inward dents will stop the cat from rattling.

A friends Renault Laguna did the same thing at low revs for several years with no ill effects and passed the MOT every time.

A friends Renault Laguna did the same thing at low revs for several years with no ill effects and passed the MOT every time.

The car feels fine - if I'd only just bought it I would think there was nothing to comment on, it is only the slight change recently.