is my cat gone?

[vw_golf_nutter]

hi all,
my cars a 2.0 cabrio and today its started making a rattly noise when its warm and at low revs like when i pull away. sometimes it sounds crackly. it doesnt do it all the time just started on and off today.
do you think this sounds like the cat, sounds like its coming from under the handbrake.

if so is it worth fitting a de-cat pipe? its £50 for the part. thinking its cheaper than a new cat. but does it fail MOT on emissions if you do this?

thanks

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

Yes it will fail emissions and will give you no gain benefits.  Could be heat shield is

lose which is causing rattle like mine is atm. I am about to replace the whole system

for a Jetex one. Not cos of the rattle but because of the quality.

[vw_golf_nutter]

i dont have a heat shield, it fell off so i know its def not that. so why would people put a de-cat pipe on if it will fail MOT?

[Foreveryoungaus16v]

They put CAT on just before MOT and then take it off after. Or they know an MOT

tester. Most people put it on for the the noise or because they think it is a

performance enhancer.  I was going to de cat mine at one stage but after sound

advice will not be. The standard CAT is not that restrictive anyway.

[vw_golf_nutter]

ok thanks 

[Bellend]

Try to goad it back with treats. Whiskas is a personal favorite or my cat.

[boneybradley]

whats a cat and how does it affect getting an m.o.t?? 



 

[Len]

£50 for a CAT? Cheapo!

Look for other things first like the middle exhaust mounts as they go slack and then the pipe bangs on a crossmember

[gazareth]

I would say a crackly noise is the engine pinging. if it does it when warm and at low revs in a high gear.

[Len]

Do you mean PINKING?