Precat removal - How I did it...

[Anonymous]

Cheers buddy....  s:D s:D   Now all I gotta do is find one that don't rattle and hope the precats are still in tact with an educated guess.

[aluk49]

Well, finally done it on my 03 model!  Bought a Che manifold and spent a lovely day, mainly tryng to remove the last nut from the main cat to the manifold (did I read somewhere that its a 2 hour job? 10.30am to 5.30pm with GP break in the middle of 2 hours).  Excessive use of dremmel, drill, hammer & chisel eventually freed it! everything went back on ok and no left over nuts etc found.  Only probem was that one of the threads in the Che was a different size from the original manifold, but thanks to my good buddy Dave (main mechanic in the op) we found a replacement in his box of bolts.  Car started up fine (didnt bother disconnecting the battery to reset the sensors thingymebobwhotsit as told to by Che)  phew.... now feel at peace with the world.
Precats were in excellent condition with no sign of degradation.
Left the top heat shield  off so that I can check the manifold nuts next week-end. Just drove gently to work today so as not to blow anything, and also as my bloody back is killing me!

Just had a look... nice shiny manifold is now golden colour... still, it won't matter when the heat sheild is back on.   Its not a problem leaving it off for a while is it? will only be doing my normal 30 mile round trip each day.

Thanks for all the info fellow members   s:D s:D  

Al

[muffdan]

no probs running with it off. When I put my Che on I left the top part of the heat sheild off for good.

Jason

[NorthandSouth]

I've got a Che manifold and no heat shield...been running it like this for quite a while now as Ste (Spit) said I didnt really need it...its hiding in his garage somewhere lol

[Anonymous]

my cat has just been gutted!!!pre cat gone,no longer paranoid of every little noise!took me 8 hours to remove and get everything ready for refit.three bolts snapped on lower joint,had to dremmel all five manifold bolts and persuade with hamer,chisel and threats!1&1/2hr refit.

costs:
stainless nuts,bolts & washers=£10 approx(screwfix)
ring gaskets=£7(toyota)
dremmel=£40(b&q)
dremmel blades=£10(b&q)
peace of mind=priceless!!!!

[ekimq]

I too joined the pre-cat-free club yesterday.

Having bout a Che header from ianrawlins, I spent a few hours trying to remove 2 of the three amigos. Eventually they decided that I was too cavalier and went all roundhead on me. Quick trip to the local tyre and exhaust centre where a nice man used his big blowtorch and got them off in about 5 minutes for free   s:) s:)  

The Che didn't line up with the engine brackets (mid-level bolts) or the bottom (for the three new amigos), so spent a while loosening everything until I got it all in. Tightening everything up led to 1 manifold nut (2nd from left) which has a pipe right across it - had to buy a 13mm spanner just to tighten it. Started her up, ROOOAAARR! Turned her off and tighted everything again - found one of the bottom nuts was still quite loose. Now all is quiet, relatively speaking, but definately louder than standard.

Also, the top heatshield wouldn't fit - I could put the sensors in and 1 bolt, or 4 bolts and 1 oxygen sensor.

So, overall I'd give the Che 7 out of 10. It does it's job, but the tolerances compared to the standard component aren't up to scratch. In a few days when the scabs have healed, I'll have forgotten all about the fitting and will enjoy all the noise along with my cat-free existance   s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce:

[Gif]

So here goes it then!

Up on ramps, plusgas everywhere including me.  Thought I would check the obvious thing first, are they still in there or would I be lucky and find that some kind soul had already completed the job for me.  No such luck, off came the top heat shield with no problem at all.  Out came the O2 sensors and sure enough the little blighters are still in there.  Onwards and upwards, or downwards in my case.

Started with the obvious removal of the undertrays.  Except thats where the first of two bolts have sheared off   s:( s:(    Thought that was the easy bit!

More plusgas everywhere now and will wait a few more days before attacking the manifold bolts and amigos. Whats the best way of dealing with the sheared bolts then guys?  Drill them out and re-tap holes for new bolts?  Is there any other way?

Will continue the saga as the job continues for the benefit of any other newbies out there who may follow in my tracks.

[markiii]

undertray bolts you might just wind out from above with some mole grips

but likely it will be drill and retap, or drill and cable tie instead

[Gif]

Ah the old cable tie trick    s:D s:D    I had forgotten I did that on a Passat I once owned when the guts were ripped off by something I ran over.  It wasn't alive by the way!

So what am I to expect on the Amigos and the manifold then Markiii?  Is plusgas going to shift them or will I be looking at major surgery shortly do you reckon?

[markiii]

if you p-lusgas well and doit with teh enginehot the 3 amigos should be ok

manifold depends on teh condition of teh nuts

[Gif]

Engine hot eh?  Me and hot exhaust pipe usually means plenty of burning skin   s:) s:)   Would it not be better to leave the studs cold and heat the nuts to expand them or am I being far too scientific about this?

Thought I would buy a nut splitter and tap and die set on the sod's law principle that if I hadn't bought them everything would go pear shaped but now I have, I will have wasted my money cos I won't need them   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:    Let's see if good old sod's law works with reverse psychology!

I am hoping with the age of the car and the low mileage, that the bolts are going to give up without a fight.  They all look in pretty good condition so here's hoping. That said, I thought that about the undertray    s:oops: :oops: s:oops:

Mr T has just rung to tell me the gaskets are in so there is no going back now, it's do or die today probably.

[markiii]

6 sided deep socket on a long extension and you shouldn;t get burnt, at least while working on teh 3 amigos  :-) :-) :-)

[ad_car_08]

I'd just like to add to the three amigo's discussion..

I was having a torrid time trying to get bolts undone (even with all manner of penetration fluid, potions and spells), and that was even before I touched the three amigos!
My next door neighbour saw what trouble I was having and lent me his breaker bar to see if it would help. Thinking the breaker bar would be abit OTT for such possibly delicate bolts I got the socket wrench on them, but not one of them would budge.
In the end, I decided what the hell, and put the breaker bar into action....and they squeeked free, piece'a'cake!

moral to my story - drench any troublesome bolts in penetrating fluid, leave for 5mins, make sure your socket fits perfectly, then carefully & slowly undo with a breaker bar - worked for me!

[muffdan]

Good luck  s:) s:)

[markiii]

oh yes you will need a breaker bar

[Gif]

How long?  Is 6 feet enough   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[Gif]

Thought I would provide an update after much swearing.

Two of the three amigos are still my amigos having given in.  One nut free, one stud free.  The other is not my amigo however as he has done the Oliver Cromwell thing and gone all roundhead   s:x :x s:x  

Any views?  Is the nut splitter the way to proceed now?  It appears no amount of cursing is going to persuade him to give in.

Any other ideas out there?

[markiii]

irwin nut removers would be my next approach

you are though using a 6 sides socket not a 12?

[Gif]

6 sided.  The one in the middle at the rear is the problem.  The socket just chewed it to bits so it's completely round now.

Thanks for tip, not seen the Irwin device before. Have to go and source one.

[Gif]

Do you mean like this one?

 m http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/produ ... t-grip-set m

[uktotty]

Irwin and LOTS of heat and then bang it on hard!

[Anonymous]

Or if that fails grind off head,drill through using small to large drill bits till you get a hole big enough for nut and bolt.2 of them bolts you can see on other side of flange i guessing it one of these if its the one that isnt drill and tap.

[Gif]

Irwin acquired so will have a go soon and let you know.  PS thanks for all the support   s:) s:)  

It's the centre bolt so can see the other side btw

[markiii]

make sure you keep plusgassing and again do when hot, if youget a good grip but it's stuck fast chances are teh stud will snap

[Gif]

Now I know why the guy in the Mr T parts department was smiling when I ordered the gaskets   s:) s:)    Suspect he guessed what I was up to.