| Archive for The Motor Forum talking cars since 2006 |
| "him" |
The Saxo - The ongoing "project"...It is MOT time, and so I need to refit the CAT, and I thought it would be a good excuse to get the small hole that has developed in the small silencer in the main system welded up at the same time.So it was out with the "ramps" again... 
While the car was outside the house, some local "hoodlums" tried to steal it, I caught one of them in the act... 
The car now has no exhaust at all (other than the Milltek 4-2-1), and sounds awful, interestingly when the car just had the cat pipe connected it sounded loud but somehow more "cultured" than the raw noise it currently makes! I will perhaps take some recordings for the exhaust (or should I start a NO-Exhaust thread), during the refinement. Manifold only CAT and Manifold Full system The Exhaust as it currently looks 
The car normally runs around with the Janspeed 'DE-CAT' on it, notice that it has a silencer on it, the engine was happier with this than the straight 'OLD DE-CAT' as apparently it upsets the "pulses" in the exhaust as the engine "expects" a silencer in this location? It also makes the car quieter so it is a "win-win" for me. The CAT is a metal type, so it actually isn't too restrictive (as CAT's go), but the engines' responsiveness suffers with it fitted. Plus I guess the silenced DE-CAT does actually look like a CAT to a casual observer? 
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| Matt |
I hope you punished the miscreant by putting them in the wheelie-bin! 
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| Apex clipper |
I had mine passed with the de-cat. It was a pain in the balls keep changing the thing over...I found a man that can...
That's quite a posh ramp! |
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| "him" |
It is indeed, but quite time consuming to erect... ...the eBay seller charged a fortune for postage too!!! 
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| "him" |
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| Apex clipper |
Looks very much like Cotswold stone. |
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| Blarno |
Ghetto ramp-age! | ||||
| BeN |
Any chance of a 'face-off' with Franc once it's done?
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| Blarno |
There'll be a long wait for that! | ||||
| "him" |
I reckon mine will shade it at the moment, when 'Franc' is finished (running a VTS lump) I suspect it will be closer?
Lighter weight (both 'Franc' and 'Blarno') vs a bit more power and shorter gearing? If the turbo route is taken, then I fear the AX will win... 
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| Blarno |
Turbo is favourite at the moment. (Cheaper) | ||||
| "him" |
What have you found? | ||||
| Blarno |
Mr Spannerman has informed me that the exhaust manifold on the 1.4 TU is easily adaptable to take a turbo.
And 1.4 TUs are common as muck. It's going to be a real ghetto pikey fest of an engine, but hopefully pretty punchy. |
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| TimR |
Is the 1.4 TU the one that sounds like a sick diesel engine at idle? | ||||
| "him" |
The diesel ones do... (TUD)
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| "him" |
Buggery Bollocks, tried to refit the CAT tonight (in the rain) and the bolt/spring assembly is no use whatsoever...
The holes in the CAT are almost twice the size of the ones on the DE-CAT, so I need to get another tomorrow, still, all good fun eh?
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| GonnaBreakABuggy |
Only if the tappets haven't been set right, otherwise it's sweet as a nut. |
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| "him" |
DOH! Having sat down and thought about it, I am being an idiot... I need to beat out the fixings from the DE-CAT and fit them into the larger hole in the flange of the CAT.
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| DradusContact |
The bolts snapped removing my standard manifold the other week, meaning it will probably never go back on, not that i even planned on that anyway.
Milltek are the future if you ask me. |
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| Apex clipper |
Mit...Atmospheric dump valve? |
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| Apex clipper |
Agreed. Quality items...Millteck. Wish they were available when mine came out, the only one at that time was Mongoose...shyte welding!! |
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| "him" |
A bit late updating this, but the car is back together again and sat back on the ground. The exhaust is "leaking" a little where I fitted the CAT to the manifold, (not blowing, but wisps of gas are escaping) but the welded silencer is fine.
As I am going to take it off again later I am not worried though...
The MOT is at 2PM, so fingers crossed... My Dad is dropping the car over to the MOT station, so no doubt he will hate it! I am sure after driving his Mondeo TDCi mine will feel like it needs at least another 3 gears. |
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| "him" |
Well it passed, with a few advisories :-
suspension lowered at front suspension lowered at rear handbrake requires adjustment I will await Dad's "review" of the car! |
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| Boxer6 |
Just cut down on the handbrake turns, and you'll be sorted for next year! (or was that your dad?!?!  )
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| SpecB |
Why the hell is having lowered suspension an MOT advisory? As long as the springs haven't been hacksawed in half I don't see the problem. | ||||
| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
What does an advisory mean in the context of an MoT? Presumably the car either passes - and you get the piece of paper, which is all you need - or it doesn't. | ||||
| SpecB |
You get a yellow piece of paper with potential upcoming problems these days such as tyres near the legal limit or corroded components etc. | ||||
| "him" |
Indeed...
In addition to the above :- suspension lowered at front CHECK suspension lowered at rear CHECK handbrake requires adjustment OK It also said Plastic cill covers fitted THEY ALL LOOK LIKE THAT!
I wasn't there when my Dad arrived back with the car, but according to Amanda he seemed "like an excited child", and was talking to her brother about how a "Lexus tried it on, on the way back..."
How immature!!!
I think he quite enjoyed driving it, and in his own words after speaking to him "my car feels like a piece of sh*t, speed wise"... I suggested he should get himself something faster then! 
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| Blarno |
I once got an advisory on my Fiesta about it having clear repeaters that flashed amber.
Like they're supposed to. 
Nick, the advisory is to warn you of something that is not quite failable (?) but may well be by the time the next test comes around. For instance, Jo's Vectra got advisories for brake lines and one of the rear dampers. I haven't done them yet, but better get my arse in gear before October. |
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| Apex clipper |
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| Matt |
The Astra's exhaust has been an advisory for the last two MoTs.
It'll be replaced by a custom stainless once I have the monies. |
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| Dr. Hfuhruhurr |
Makes sense in that context. But the important thing is that it's not a fail at the time, as ultimately an MoT is just another piece of paper you need to drive your car legally. |
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| DradusContact |
Too many people rely solely on the MOT for finding problems. The MOT doesnt mean your car is roadworthy afterall. | ||||
| "him" |
It does, but only on that day, what it isn't is a "12 month gurantee" that it will be by the time the next one comes around.
http://www.motester.co.uk/CarOwne...tIsTested/tabid/2598/Default.aspx |
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| DradusContact |
Ah but there are a dozens of things they dont check. If they did they would be there all day. Stuff like the clutch doesnt get touched | ||||
| simonp |
Milltek brought out one of the first ones for the Astra VXR, so a lot of owners had them fitted. A lot of these zorsts then snapped in two at the cat end! I think a fair few have Remus ones on now, which is now the semi-official sports exhaust fitment in VX dealers. |
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| GonnaBreakABuggy |
I can't wait to see my advisory sheet...
"Everything altered" |
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| Boxer6 |
Better stop buying old cameras and the like then!!
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