Dear all

My cats have had it- they leak gas and are noisy, so they need replacement- the question is whether the items for sale on ebay are any good or should I source from elsewhere

I am in the North West if that makes a difference

Any ideas will be appreciated

Reecy

I'm sure there are good ones on ebay just as there are probably bad ones.

Which ones exactly are you asking about?

I guess they'd be the exhaust cats for a 2004 V8.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CATALYTIC-CONVER...35e8671d10

Euro Car Parts stock catalytic convertors..

mzplcg wrote:

I guess they'd be the exhaust cats for a 2004 V8.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CATALYTIC-CONVER...35e8671d10

There is a known issue with the early cats on the 4.4 V8's where the front ones (just under and forward of the front doors on the bend up to the manifold) split on the top front seam - a good mechanic will be able to weld them if thats all thats wrong (rather than the baffles internally having gone and rattling inside)

If you get under the car and feel over the top of the front end of the cat on the edge you should be able to feel (when engine is cool) if it is the seam thats split - on mine it was the drivers side one which was split - took my mechanic about 30 minutes to reweld. Saved a lot of money on replacements - it has since gone through 2 MOT's with no issues on emissions and done about 30k miles since being welded. The passenger one has so far been fine. Current Fleet:-
2018 Discovery 5 3.0 HSE
2021 Ford Ranger Wildtrack
2019 Ford Mustang Bullitt 5.0 V8
1993 Defender 90 200TDI Pickup

Gone - not forgotten
2016 L405 4.4 SDV8 Vogue SE
2012 L322 4.4 Westminster
2004 L322 4.4 V8 Autobiography LE
2000 P38 RR 4.0 HSE (ex Clarkson test car)

You can sell your old ones here:

http://www.webuyanycat.com/

On a serious note, you can actually weigh the old ones in for scrap if you replace them. I got £30 for a small one a couple of years ago. They're full of precious metals.

When I bought my 2002 v8 it had had a pair of aftermarket cats fitted, chopped into the existing off pipe, creating an also vulnerable leak joint in mild steel. They were rattling (both) and were leaking on the joints. I looked at another pair of aftermarket ones, but was advised they are often only built to last a few years. I decided to fit an original pair ie genuine, from a reputable dismantler. You often get a 3 month or sometimes one month warranty, but if you 'buy it now' as opposed to auction win an item on eBay, you can return them if they are not fit for proposed etc. (very useful point) you could look for a complet exhaust, but they are as long as the car! (Almost) so I got my pair for about £250 not cheap, but they were from a very low mileage car, just 30,000 I asked them for extra bubble wrap so they didn't get mishandled during delivery. I fitted them and used a sleeve piece that I ordered again through eBay, to slide over, each piece stainless, and about 4inches long, and with a little assembly paste, they are perfect. You might get them with O2 sensors, and then you have a spare set. (To sell on?). Aftermarket cats have no secondhand value, even as scrap. And are also often made of mild steel