I drive a 00 A6 4.2. It has 144,000 miles. The check engine light is telling me I need to have my catalytic converter changed? Can a person do this themselves? I was told my an exhaust place in town that only a dealership can do this. Is this accurate?

Thanks Much

 

That cat is probably one of the easier ones to do on an audi. By no means a simple job but there are no special tools required, just some creativity to reach the nuts on the exhaust manifold. Thatlly be the hardest part. Most all independant shops shouldnt have a problem with it.

 

Thanks. I am new to the Audi ownership group and so I am still outfitting my garage. Can this change be done with just a jack and some stands or am I going to need the clearance of a lift to get at it? This will determine whether or not I do this now or just bite the bullet and pay someone. Thanks for the help!

 

It can be done with jacks and stands. The hard part is loosening the nuts at the exhaust manifold. Years of rust and heat cycles will make thosenuts pretty tight. Youll need a long extension and a swivel to break them loose. Pretty straight foreward job thou. 3 nuts at the exhaust manifold. One clamp at the rear of the cat. Replace the clamp. And two oxygen sensors. You may also find it easier if you lower the rear of the subframe. There will be 3 bolts at the rear that you can remove on each side. That drops the rear of the engine and trans downward which makes it easier to get the nuts out

 

One more question. How do I dispose of the cat? I have been told that it can only be disposed by an exhaust shop that has a permit? Not sure if this information is accurate or not.

 

Actually you should be able to sell the cat. It contains precious metals, namly platinum, paladium, and rhodium. None of those are dangerous so if you wanted you could throw it in the garbage. Any smart exhaust shop would take it as they can sell if for scrap. Most metal scrap yards will buy them. If you buy it at a dealer there will be a core charge(you get the core charge back when you return the old cat)as audi wants the cats for the metals they contain. Core charges usually apply to items that are rebuilable like alternators, but in this case they just want the metal. The exhaust portion isnt rebuilable.