Need Advice: Catalytic Converter Replacement.
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Joined: Jul 2005
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Need Advice: Catalytic Converter Replacement.
1999 A4 2.8 30v Q Manual.
I garaged the car for the New York winter. Inspection expired while in storage. Check engine light is on, coded to the cats, and the secondary air pump. Will not pass New York inspection with check engine light on. Searched this site, found three threads referencing cats, but they didn't offer the information I needed, so I will ask here.
Googled; found "universal" and "direct fit" options. Lowest direct fit ~ $265 per (DEC), lowest universal ~ $60 per (Magnaflow). I have a friend who owns a service garage, so welding the universal cats in shouldn't be a problem, or should it? I am not very mechanically inclined, which is unfortunate considering the A4 seems to be a bit maintenance intensive; timing belt oops, replaced heads; wheel bearings, upper & lower control arms, and now cats, and secondary air pump. Anyway, in an effort to save some coin, is there any reason why I couldn't use the universal fit cats? Shokan suggests that the cost difference between universal and direct is null when considering labor, so buy the direct and bolt them in. Having a friend who can weld them in will offset that point, but is this a situation where I should spend the extra for the "oem" direct fit? I am not trying to be cheap, just limited funds. I have 17" without lowering, so I have the 4x4 thing going on. It would be nice to be able to mod the suspension too. Opinions?
Also, since I need the secondary air pump, can anyone suggest a source? I am not having much luck searching the internet for one of those.
Thanks.
I garaged the car for the New York winter. Inspection expired while in storage. Check engine light is on, coded to the cats, and the secondary air pump. Will not pass New York inspection with check engine light on. Searched this site, found three threads referencing cats, but they didn't offer the information I needed, so I will ask here.
Googled; found "universal" and "direct fit" options. Lowest direct fit ~ $265 per (DEC), lowest universal ~ $60 per (Magnaflow). I have a friend who owns a service garage, so welding the universal cats in shouldn't be a problem, or should it? I am not very mechanically inclined, which is unfortunate considering the A4 seems to be a bit maintenance intensive; timing belt oops, replaced heads; wheel bearings, upper & lower control arms, and now cats, and secondary air pump. Anyway, in an effort to save some coin, is there any reason why I couldn't use the universal fit cats? Shokan suggests that the cost difference between universal and direct is null when considering labor, so buy the direct and bolt them in. Having a friend who can weld them in will offset that point, but is this a situation where I should spend the extra for the "oem" direct fit? I am not trying to be cheap, just limited funds. I have 17" without lowering, so I have the 4x4 thing going on. It would be nice to be able to mod the suspension too. Opinions?
Also, since I need the secondary air pump, can anyone suggest a source? I am not having much luck searching the internet for one of those.
Thanks.
3rd Gear
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,646
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RE: Need Advice: Catalytic Converter Replacement.
Universal can require some rigging, to mount properly. The direct fit are a much easier install. You may want to ask your friend what he thinks considering hes gonna be doing the work.
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 12,826
From:
RE: Need Advice: Catalytic Converter Replacement.
and not much difference in the price plus all that extra work cutting the old one out, ready made is best way its just bolts off and bolt up and you know its going to fit and do its job "you can get aftermarket systems with the full pipe work" your not stuck to dealer prices
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