I might have to replace my front cats soon. My check enging light has been on for the past year, and a slight burning-metal smell is coming from the hood, could it be the front cats that's just done? would the cats even smell if it were that bad? I have no leak, and all fluids are at the right level, could it be?

any place I can get the cats for cheap?........ if I need it?

 

What does it smell like?

Rotten egg (sulfur) kinda smell?

 

I don't know what sulfer smells like, but kinda like a burning metal smell, but it's not coming from the engine block, it's coming from underneath

 

I don't think it's from the cat. A bad cat usually has that distinguish nasty rotten egg smell to it.

Though if you wanna replace them, there's a place near my area that does the work for a decent price (usually they use aftermarket but you can also ask for OEM).

Let me know and I'll call them for you and ask for a price.

 

I'll try to figure out what the smell is first, then after I get the fixed, that I'll get to the cat, should I just go for a straight pipe? would that throw codes out too? I don't mind doing aftermarket, I just need to pass smog next March, no need for great performance, I just need to pass my damn smog test. how much would it cost me?

 

how many miles? if your cat is bad, i know audi warranties these things for quite some time.

have you pulled the codes of your car?

if your cat is bad, you should smell burning gas, shortta like a test pipe smell.

 

Test pipe will for sure not allow you to pass smog.

If you want a bit of performance, high flow cat is the way to go. Although I'm not too sure if they make it for your car.

Just let me know if it's the cat. Like Randy Q. said, the smell should be pretty easy to distinguish - test pipe/rotten egg smell.
As soon as we find out if it's the problem, I'll call the place that I know and let you know how much.

 

Also if your cat or sats were completly shot your car wont run. Once a cat lets go it clogs the exhaust system up and shuts down whichever side of the motor its on. I would be more apt to believe its an O2 sensor, those go out constantlyand throw a code. There not that easy to change but it will have to be done before your smog test. I am heading down this week and weekend. Let's meet up and I will scan your car and go form there. Maybe if Jet is around and can find us a lift (wink, wink ford dealership) we can even knock out the work intailed. Plus Jet is free all the time so I know he is in. lol. Anyway keep me posted I'll help in any way I can.

 

I ran the codes last year, and it was the cats, nothing about the O2 sensor.....yet

as for the smell, it was some plastic that was caked onto my lower cats and just had to take time to scratch it off.

Anybody have Vag codes to do my windows from my remote?

 

LOL... yeah


... similiar thing happend to my s4 Nam... i started getting codes for low threashold from one of the cats.... i ended up replacing them with downpipes from Fast Intensions w/ high flow cats($1200.....cheaper than OEM).... the oem downpipes have two cats on each dp... a pre cat and main cat... the FI dp's have only one main high flow cat on each(and sound BAD ***)... hopefully i pass smog next year!

when i took off the oem dp's the cat was half gone!