Charlie Farley's 350BHP & beyond 2.0tfsi BUL Engine and K03/4 upgrade project, maybe just 300bhp now.

[Ricky Burrows]

I would of had it off you Rob but timing just isn’t right for me, in the process of moving units and my daily commute is going to double to 30 miles all round in terrible traffic estimate a good 2 hours driving all round on a good day so the b7 is on the back burner and ive just ordered a new ktm rc 125 for the daily work run, so the funds just aint there for the b7....yet

 

[antwan64og]

Swapping in a new turbo is practically Preventative maintenance Rob

 

[Charlie Farley]

So I've started on this lesser power project today.
Double checking what parts i have, what parts i need still and more importantly what i need to do.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I'll need to organise a new exhaust system what ever happens with the CAT / emissions situation , some of the welds on the rear sections are very poor so only sensible to address that problem sooner than later.
Going on with this cutdown project will still need an enhanced system anyway so i'm not really spending out double, but will need to get the CAT problem resolved and then get a whole custom system fabricated to suit.

The K04 modified manifold fits spot on for the B7 CAT and i'll be giving it a good blasting to bring it back to a cleaner carbon free condition.
Also need to address the wastegate which operates the other way around on this setup, not a major problem though.
The K03 housing will be going off this week for enlarging to accept the K04 core which is ready to fit.
I have all the gaskets and small bits to complete a full hybrid ready to fit aswell so its looking like a good start , just have this darn CAT issue bugging me.
Anyway, i expect all will become clearer next week on that front.

The 034 CAT looks to be pretty good condition internally , no obvious signs of blockage etc , i did wonder wether it was blocked and maybe the root cause of the higher emissions than previous years , i don't think it is now, so maybe just an issue with 034 units.

 

[Charlie Farley]

As i need to address the MOT friendly CAT issue it seemed logical to look for something sooner than later as it will be part of the turbo project.

I've been doing some webby searching and Jetex seems like a good option using one of there universal high flow units.
They do a 200 cell HFC as a clamp on unit , but the tails are 3" dia the same as the 034, but no 02 sensor ports.
Now if i purchase one of these and get the tails removed , but then use the tails from the 034 CAT instead i'll end up with a direct fitment unit that should be MOT friendly .

Jetex want £385 for the unit , add on what it will cost to get tails swapped over and welded in i'd be looking at around the £450 mark .
Still not cheap and getting allmost into a new 034 unit cost but if it is more likely to be emissions friendly then it muct be a better option.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Also depends on dimensions of the core section as lenght will be crucial to it fitting with the 034 tails, i sense some proper fabrication on the horizon.
If the 034 tails will fit and finished dimesions are good.

 

[norad97]

Your Cat looks good, so why does it not work as its 250 cell?
I hope your going to contact them for all of us who have bought there product.
I am still going to that Custom exhaust place next week for a chat about our problems.

Don't suppose it's anything to do with carbon build up from these engines?

 

[Charlie Farley]

Your Cat looks good, so why does it not work as its 250 cell?
I hope your going to contact them for all of us who have bought there product.
I am still going to that Custom exhaust place next week for a chat about our problems.

Don't suppose it's anything to do with carbon build up from these engines?

Maybe it's just the design Richard, it appears to be an issue many owners face with this CAT.
I'm going email them tommorow and see what they advise, in the meantime let me know how you get on with the custom guys .
I do find it hard to believe the 034 i have is failing allready, it maybe the earlier version but its just not done the milage and does look ok .
I replaced both 02 sensor a few months ago as i suspected they maybe part of the problem , i refiited the oe cat with the two older sensors and they are fine, no issues at all with the car or in vcds.

The mind boggles.

 

[norad97]

Hi Rob,
Went to the custom exhaust place near me, and had a chat about Cats and the problems we are having with emissions.
There told me, its all to do with the "wash coat" that is applied to Cats at manufacturer, the weaker the wash coat it will deteriate
over time.
They thought that although 034 Motorsport manufacturer the high flow cat, the actually Cat cell is purchased separately
and the issue is where from, US, Europe or China?
They would not be able to make a high flow Cat for our cars due to there age and the costs involved to make a jig and limited
owners who have this cars now.
To do a custom Cat for my car would be about £1400, be cheaper to swap Cats for Mot.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Afternoon Richard,
That does sound like what i was told this afternoon aswell.
It seems a lot of owners with the 034 HFC have mentioned problematic emissions etc and they are getting harder to get through every year, all seems to be down to the CAT core itself and the coating, just doesnt last very long.
I've been quoted from £1k upto £1800 for a custom cat system this afernoon, i think all the time i have the old bus it maybe be a once a year swap over, i'll still need a new system though so may just order a miltek resonated and be done with it.

Thank for the info, allways very appreciated Richard.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Also i purchased my 034 as a used item, so age wise and usage may well account for the failing core.

 

[Charlie Farley]

So given this info we know have it does throw another possible option into the mix.
Right the 034 is pretty well useless now when older and for emissions won't pass an MOT unless you just have a very lucky day ( which will never be me).

If its going to be a swap over every year job then i might aswell just leave it off and refit a straight through test pipe as the 034 is clearly not doing anything from a cat point of view.

Any thoughts.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Maybe this now with a miltek .

 

[norad97]

I had one of those fitted to my car when I bought it, to be honest I was glad it was removed.
I found it a bit to loud and there was vibration in the car at about 70-80.
So if the 034 Cat is failing after some years, could we claim for miss sold product.?
I assume you wrote to 034.?

 

[norad97]

Afternoon Richard,
That does sound like what i was told this afternoon aswell.
It seems a lot of owners with the 034 HFC have mentioned problematic emissions etc and they are getting harder to get through every year, all seems to be down to the CAT core itself and the coating, just doesnt last very long.
I've been quoted from £1k upto £1800 for a custom cat system this afernoon, i think all the time i have the old bus it maybe be a once a year swap over, i'll still need a new system though so may just order a miltek resonated and be done with it.

Thank for the info, allways very appreciated Richard.

You mean a none-Resonated.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Non - res is the noisy version , well i thought it was.

 

[norad97]

Mine is a non-res not noisy at all, infact you car sounds louder than mine.

 

[norad97]

Did you look at Magnaflow Cats, cheaper than Jetex.

or this
https://www.darksidedevelopments.co...l-cpsi-universal-sports-cat-catalytic-convert

https://jetex.co.uk/sports-catalytic-converters/products

 

[Charlie Farley]

I did see those

I had one of those fitted to my car when I bought it, to be honest I was glad it was removed.
I found it a bit to loud and there was vibration in the car at about 70-80.
So if the 034 Cat is failing after some years, could we claim for miss sold product.?
I assume you wrote to 034.?

Do you still have that decat pipe Richard?

 

[Charlie Farley]

I had one of those fitted to my car when I bought it, to be honest I was glad it was removed.
I found it a bit to loud and there was vibration in the car at about 70-80.
So if the 034 Cat is failing after some years, could we claim for miss sold product.?
I assume you wrote to 034.?

I've emailed 034 but as yet no reply Richard, but i have been doing some research and speaking with other exhaust manafacturers, and there does appear to be something in this substandard coating .
The coatings just dont last and the effectiveness just breaks down , prettywell makes the cat useless from an emissions side of things, which does tally up with the high readings and the lack of blockage.
So two options on the cat front , i either refit the 034 and just use it as semi straight through setup since it is not really doing much or just go with a decat pipe.
Then i need to sort out the rest of the system, probably a resonated miltek as they are an off the shelf item at present , resonated maybe best if i go with a decat so its not really loud.

 

[Sidrick]

Isn't the 034 item sold as 'for off-road use only'?

 

[Charlie Farley]

Well it's not rated for highway use which is why they won't certify it missions friendly for road use and that's the same for all these higher flow cat devices, its all a gamble really.
I knew what i was getting into and a possible swap out situation every year at the start to be honest so it is no surprise , being a 250 cell device it hoped it may have had better odds of passing than lower cell count ones.
We mess around with our cars so we have to be prepared for the consequences, no one else to blame really , just find a workaround that works.

 

[norad97]

I did see those

Do you still have that decat pipe Richard?

Sorry I sold it on this forum.

 

[Charlie Farley]

No Probs Richard.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Best plan now i think based on my current OE system is nearly shot is to order a new resonated miltek as they are in stock , refit my 034 and see how things go.
The 034 with a resonated won't be any louder than what i have.

 

[Jon13s]

Sounds a plan. I may be employing the hit and hope come mot time. I did wonder whether the cat could be recoated or anything. But its looking more like its a case of replace with something.

I wonder whether it gets too hot being that close to the turbo?



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[norad97]

So I guess next Mot I might have a problem, I wonder if Cataclean would do anything?
What about fitting one of the cats I posted links to? But would need some fabrication work.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Unless there is a way to ensure the car will pass the emissions with the 034 or any other HFC then i think its a swap over situation.
Even if you went down for a pre MOT check on the emissions and it just scrapped through , there is no way of being sure it will pass on the next visit. you'll just be wasting time and another mot failure fee.

Maybe best to plan ahead with this sort of thing and get an MOT friendly CAT fitted before hand or something that will pass, not ideal i know but i really cant see what the other options are unless the OE CAT is left fitted and that would defeat the whole object of having fitted a HFC to start with.

 

[UisT4]

My MOT place does a free retest, might be worth finding somewhere similar so if you pass first go you don't need to mess around with swapping the cat over

 

[Charlie Farley]

If only it was that simple, nice thought though chap.

 

[norad97]

I am lucky, my local mot garage owner is a friend and my sons know his daughter who also works there,
They checked my car when it had de-cat pipe fitted before Mot was due and found out it would not pass.
So before the Mot is due, I will ask the to check again before the test.
I still have the OEM Cat in my boot that I got off the previous owner.

 

[Charlie Farley]

Just wondering what would happen if i just gutted the 034 making it a straight through pipe, still not MOT friendly but maybe more effective than a 250 cell cat that doesnt work that well.

 

[norad97]

It would be become a de-cat pipe.

 

[Charlie Farley]

I would indeedy, and it would be free aswell.

 

[antwan64og]

You’re good reviews on the 034 CAT had put it on my to do list.

aftermarket CATs usually suck in comparison to OEM. The cheaper ceramic internals are the key suspect.

JHM claim they use a more expensive core but I don’t know.

easiest way is if you know someone or have a garage with good welders. Get the OEM CAT core and get V bands welded on.
Get the 034 CAT cut and V banded.
swapping the OEM cat for a gutted 034 core(or straight pipe) is then a super simple job

 

[Charlie Farley]

I have no regrets buying the 034 hfc, it is what it is and it does work very well , just a shame its hasn't lasted longer but i'd still recommend one .
This is the first time the car failed the emissions with the 034 fitted so i cant really complain.
The reduced mid range with the 034 removed is very noticible indeedy .

I'm not having much joy in sourcing a good used miltek cat back system so looks like it will have to be a new one , coupled to a decat pipe, i'll just change it over prior to MOT .

 

[Sidrick]

Almost sounds like you could buy my car, take the intercooler, the miltek resonated cat back, the 034 cat, the Vis HPFP. Solve a few problems and make a few quid....

 

[Charlie Farley]

Now your tempting fate Scott.

 

[Sidrick]

We should talk

 

[Charlie Farley]

Indeedy Scott.