Project NewAge 3rd cat remove.. Grrr!

[scouk]

Well it's certainly turned into a bigger project than expected.

Got a PPP decat pipe from Spaceman on here (Cheers mate!) and still waiting on my PPP
backbox to arrive, already got lost in the post once *sigh*. Anyway, got the
car lifted up and had a look as what needed to be done. Fair amount of
corrosion on the bolts as expected but then noticed something unusual. Someone’s
obviously been here before me. One fo the bolts holding the cat pipe onto the
downpipe doesn't look normal.

 

 

From the looks of things someone has been lazy and just taken a piece of
all-thread and welded a nut onto it instead of using a proper bolt. Looks like
it's also welded directly onto the downpipe which isn't good. Also on the other
end of this "home made" bolt there is nothing! there's no nut a on
the other end to hold it all together! Ok maybe it's fallen off but without a
proper bolt in the first place it wouldn’t' surprise me if there never was
one. 

Anyway, the decat looks like it's going to need a bit more thought. 
Assuming I can get the other bolts off the gaskets are probably all screwed so
will need to find a set of them from somewhere. Also with that bolt probably
welded in place getting the cat pip off is gonna be a sod as it wont just slot
out of position. Will have to remove most if not all of the exhaust section
just to get it out then again to put it back together. Grrr! Going to wait
until the backbox arrives before tackling it. If it's all gonna have to come
off anyway.

Ok I know the car has had a few owners before me but this certainly looks
like a bodged job! I know the vehicle was serviced at T&C in aberdeen but I'd be
shocked if they were the ones to do this work and NOT put in a proper fixing
bolt!

Anyhoo, rant over for now.  Just goes to show that the simplest of
things often turn out to be much bigger projects than first thought.. More peed
off with the bodged job under the car than I am about not getting the decat
fitted at the moment...  Question is, is it worth trying to remove the
offending bolt or should I just leave it in and stick a nut on the end of it
this time..

 

 

[pinky-lad]

gutted

same for me wen i had my rover coupe
i cut both ends off and drilled it out, easyer said than done tho

lazy cowboys thats wot i say

im sure you will do a good job tho which is a good thing

good luck 

[imprezapete]

Is that between the Downpipe cat and the centre cat?

[scouk]

Downpipe -> Cat Pipe (This one) -> Center Section -> Back box


Pretty sure on the classics the cat pipe and center section was all one but on the standard new age it's seperate..

[drb5]

Had the same problem with Mctwistuk's.

 

Get a grinder to it.