Is my cat knackered?

[hellierlee]

Got a 2004 Audi a4 1.8t s line. Ok story goes I have had a tapping noise coming for a while now and yesterday I just lost all power, and it stalls when idle. I can rev it and it stays running but it won't drive, just creeps along. My friend has said it could be your cat knackered so just seeing your thoughts? Many thanks

 

[starnon]

I don't know Audi's that well, but I know cars, and that really doesn't sound like a knackered cat. Your friend might be mistaking it for the lamda sensor which is usually on the cat, or downpipe, but it wouldnt affect it that badly.

 

[hades-]

have you got any warning lights up ?
id get it on vcds or a scanner b4 you change the cat
could be anything

 

[hellierlee]

He actually said it could be a blocked cat. So he reckons I should take the cat of and see if the car runs then without stalling. Then obviously if it runs then the fault points to my cat

 

[starnon]

Well, as noted it could be anything. Probably easier getting a garage to run a diagnostic on it that taking the cat on-and-off.

 

[hellierlee]

True but can't get it to a garage lol

 

[hades-]

if your mate is so sure its the cat get him to prove it by removeing

 

[Paul100]

hang on i have a photo of a knackered cat somewhere, it may help. I will dig it out....

 

[hades-]

knackerd cat

http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad138/bez0435/6318_zzz-warning-******-dead-cat-is-exactly-what-you-get.jpg

 

[AudiLeon]

It is entirely possible. How hot is it getting if it does run? Does it smell of rotten eggs?

Get it off, smash the internals of the cat out with a pole and run it. Extra bhp and easy fix.

 

[Paul100]

]here it is...................

 

[Paul100]

knackerd cat

http://i929.photobucket.com/albums/ad138/bez0435/6318_zzz-warning-******-dead-cat-is-exactly-what-you-get.jpg

hate it when someone else finishes off your joke.............................

 

[Paul100]

It is entirely possible. How hot is it getting if it does run? Does it smell of rotten eggs?

Get it off, smash the internals of the cat out with a pole and run it. Extra bhp and easy fix.

Wont that fail an emmissions test at MOT time?

 

[hades-]

if it is the cat and you smash it out
it will sound ****e

 

[AudiLeon]

Wont that fail an emmissions test at MOT time?

Probably not tbh

 

[hades-]

its a petrol so removeing or smashing the internals out of the cat will fail the mot

 

[AudiLeon]

its a petrol so removeing or smashing the internals out of the cat will fail the mot

I've had a car pass an mot without a cat.

 

[hades-]

pre a certain yeah they do pass but the a3 wont
what car was it ?

 

[AudiLeon]

pre a certain yeah they do pass but the a3 wont
what car was it ?

A 97 Vectra V6

 

[docurley]

Dose the CAT glow red if you keep the car running for a while also look in the VAGCOM/VLC section and post up there to see if someone is local to you and would not might scanning the car. Another option is by one of thouse had scanners of ebay there basic but will let you know if you have any code and comes with a book to tell you what the problem is.

 

[starnon]

I would really advise getting it properly diagnosed, there must be mobile vagcom people around? It 'might' be the cat, but only as much as it might be anything else: fuelling problem/diagnostic shutdown mode/internal failure etc. And removing a cat can be a pain in the backside: a whole afternoon of rolling around under the car hoping that the studs wont snap and having to replace the gaskets, and chances are it may not fix it.