Notes:

There are a number of reasons for bypassing the cat, on a 1.8i there is a small power increase, it is likely to aid in engine cooling as you are removing a "blockage" from the exhaust system - thus allowing the hot gasses to escape more easily, the life of the catalyst is prolonged as it is not being worn out and finally, fitment of a cat bypass roughly doubles the volume of the exhaust. The downside to this is that without the cat, the F will fail the MOT emissions test and there are green issues that need to be taken into consideration. I am not going to get into this topic here due to lack of space and this being the wrong forum for my opinions on the subject.

Things to note & Tips:

• Obviously, do not attempt this if the exhaust system is hot!

• Removal of the (unbolted) catalyst can be a bit tricky, a tip is to remove the flexi-pipe end first and slide the rear silencer box as far as possible to the right in its rubber mountings. This should make it easier.

• I have a piece of old carpet which I spread on the ground prior to working under the car. This saves your clothes from getting filthy. Also, a good tip is to use some surgical latex gloves, again, for cleanliness reasons.

• Storage: The cat should be blanked off with some cardboard both ends (use the old nuts for this) and stored upright in a dry place. (Picture 7)

2nd May 2001, Andy Phillips (AKA: Scarlet Fever)