Author Topic: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions  (Read 7136 times)

kronec

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Lurker here, mostly to have felt smug about Jazz ownership, as it's been a wicked car for me for many years. I'm not here to lament the loss of my cat converter, as I'm sure many users have suffered similar fates and it's become an all-too-common thread. Seems like Jazzes in North East London have been hit particularly bad recently.

Unfortunately I have just had a mobile mechanic over to assess the damage. I'll need two sensors and a new centre pipe as well. Cash aside (probably about £800 in total), the sensors are on back order from the Honda dealership, for late November, which is a nightmare. The mechanic seemed to be under the impression that this would be my only real option, but he also wasn't really aware of cat-converter theft so I'm hoping asking a group of like-minded people might give me an indication of what I should do.

I've got no vehicle access now, so contacting breaker yards (who are probably already stripped clean of Jazz sensors and cats) doesn't seem to be my best bet. Are there third party components, or anything else I should be looking into? The car means a lot to me (having got it with only 4k on it) and I really want to keep it going, as its done me so right over the years. Thanks so much.

Ninja edit: If anyone could also recommend a specific cat protection product suitable for a Jazz, that would be wicked. Cheers!

sparky Paul

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #1 on: September 03, 2019, 02:20:30 PM »
I'm guessing you have seen the other threads on this subject, particularly the one below, and the links to the other threads therein - there's some useful info there.

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=11449.0

As for protection against theft, I can't recommend any particular product, but I'm going to be looking at them carefully myself, to see if a diy solution can be improvised.

Jocko

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2019, 02:37:22 PM »
kronec. Have you had a look for sensors on eBay?

kronec

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2019, 03:07:00 PM »
I'm guessing you have seen the other threads on this subject, particularly the one below, and the links to the other threads therein - there's some useful info there.

https://clubjazz.org/forum/index.php?topic=11449.0

As for protection against theft, I can't recommend any particular product, but I'm going to be looking at them carefully myself, to see if a diy solution can be improvised.

Thanks sparky Paul. I suppose first and foremost I was trying to ascertain what the deal is with this shortage of sensors that seems to be apparent, and if I could use third party components. The mechanic seemed to be quite iffy about the idea of using parts which weren't from Honda, which in retrospect I guess is a little strange. Annoyingly there isn't good documentation on cat protection for Honda Jazz online at the moment. The product which seems the best looking (Catclamp)'s company seems to have gone out of business, their email bounces back and their phone doesn't connect. Everything else I find seems to be more relevant for vans etc.

kronec. Have you had a look for sensors on eBay?

Thank you Jocko, I've done this, but they are so much cheaper than the ones the mechanic was going to get from Honda (something like £500 in total), are they legit?

Jocko

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2019, 04:44:11 PM »
Euro Car Spares sell sensors. They are definitely legit.

https://www.eurocarparts.com/lambda-sensor

sparky Paul

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2019, 05:26:27 PM »
I've used 'universal' type sensors from eBay on other cars without any problems at all.

Thee drawback with them is that they come without any connector, the intention is that you solder to the tails of the connector from the old one - which isn't much help if they have disappeared with the cat. Of course, if the connectors have gone, you can replace both halves with a generic connector - it doesn't have to match the original parts.

kronec

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2019, 06:12:52 PM »
Euro Car Spares sell sensors. They are definitely legit.

https://www.eurocarparts.com/lambda-sensor

I've used 'universal' type sensors from eBay on other cars without any problems at all.

Thee drawback with them is that they come without any connector, the intention is that you solder to the tails of the connector from the old one - which isn't much help if they have disappeared with the cat. Of course, if the connectors have gone, you can replace both halves with a generic connector - it doesn't have to match the original parts.

Thanks both. I suppose I got a bit shocked when the mechanic showed up and told me I'd have to wait three months for a replacement part.

If I find any further solutions to a cat lock I will update. At the moment it seems the solution people go by is welding the bolts.

sparky Paul

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2019, 08:52:54 PM »
If I find any further solutions to a cat lock I will update. At the moment it seems the solution people go by is welding the bolts.

I'd be interested to see what you find. Not wanting to give specific instructions of how to burgle a cat in 30 seconds or so, but I'm afraid that welding the bolts on the rear of the cat will only put off amateurs.

The 'professionals' come equipped with a piece of equipment, which has become popular recently, that zips through the front pipe in seconds. I should think quite a few will know what I'm talking about. You either need something to prevent access to the cat and the front pipe part (you can't reasonably prevent access to the middle of the exhaust), or some device to prevent the use of the aforementioned tool.

CRC

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #8 on: September 06, 2019, 09:25:53 AM »
I got a phone call from my wife on Wednesday saying that when she returned to her car in Salisbury town centre car park after about half an hour, she got in and started the car only to think that around 100 motorbikes had surrounded her as the exhaust noise was so loud.

When she phoned me, I thought initially that the exhaust had parted company somewhere (it's happened before) but as I was talking to her on the phone,  a policeman tapped on her window to say that they had had a report of someone interfering with her car and, on checking, it was clear that they had jacked up the car, cut the cat out and legged it. This was in broad daylight, around 1:30 in the afternoon in a busy town centre car park with only one entrance and exit ..... the nerve of those "people".

Managed to get recovery sorted out (around £75 to get it to where it needed to be) and have just ordered this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exhaust-Stolen-on-your-honda-Jazz-This-is-the-kit-you-need-Catalytic-Converter/173995558343?fits=Model%3AJazz&hash=item2882f185c7:g:QV0AAOSwu4JciTQF

which I guess is an indication of how often this is happening now.

Fingers crossed that it all fits ....


 

sparky Paul

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #9 on: September 06, 2019, 11:47:36 AM »
Some enterprising fellow there, price doesn't sound out of the way at all, with all the bits included.

The only problems you might run into are the connectors to the O2 sensors, if they have been ragged off with the cat. Not a serious problem to find a way around though.

springswood

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #10 on: September 07, 2019, 07:56:27 AM »
I was looking into this, wondering how to prevent theft if possible. Thanks to google is see Cambridgee police suggest marking the cat. Since the stuff can be got on eBay for three quid I've ordered some and will let you know how it goes.
Basically you etch a number on the cat, log that so the police stand a chance of tracing it. Also there's a window sticker to discourage the scrotes. Of course they'll probably just do someone else.

As with other metal thefts (signal cables off the railways were popular) the scrap metal yards must be able to spot them. Especially when they've been cut off. So rate as scotes too in my book.

By the way the eBay link is https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Catalytic-Converter-Marking-Kit/383002565659?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
« Last Edit: September 07, 2019, 08:15:44 AM by springswood »
"Indecision is a terrible thing"
Or is it? What do you think?

sparky Paul

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #11 on: September 07, 2019, 08:42:10 AM »
I'd thought about marking the cat, but anything etched on can be ground off easily. If you put a sticker in the car window, it just tells them to look for the marking before they weigh it in. Whatever the marking was, it would really have to be invisible, or at least not obvious. But, having said that, it's got to be better than doing nothing and waiting for the cat to disappear.

Its a difficult problem, not helped by the fact that certain scrapyards still turn a blind eye to this sort of thing. They will happily accept cut off parts, that's how most cars are broken up - they don't mess about unbolting everything to weigh it in for scrap.

Mechanical methods of protection will only slow them down, increasing the danger of being caught. I was thinking of some sort of alarm with a steel cable attached to the cat - cut the cable, or any significant movement of the cat without the key in the ignition, alarm goes off. They might get half way through the job, but there's a fair chance they would stop before they got the cat off.

I don't think the most determined can be stopped by anything. There have been cases where people have been threatened with violence when they have attempted to intervene in this type of theft.

CRC

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #12 on: September 07, 2019, 01:01:47 PM »
I checked the situation regarding the O2 sensor cables, and I can see both of them hanging down in the bay where the cat used to be, so  that's actually good as it means they put the cutter through the cables rather than ripping the wiring connectors out of the loom.

The kit shows photos of the new sensors with connectors and even a grommet on the after cat sensor, so I'm hoping that everything is just going to fit.

The seller is very good on communications, checked the registration number against the kit and has sent it by DHL, with an expected delivery on Monday. I took the  opportunity of also ordering a back box so that the entire 16 year old exhaust will now be replaced provided that the two manifold bolts come out OK.

At a total price of 258 pounds delivered including VAT (there was a 10% Ebay voucher available), that's just 22 pounds more than a single sensor from Honda as detailed on the Lings Honda website.

Where would we be without aftermarket suppliers .....   

Regarding protection, I noticed that the scumbags sliced through one of the plastic protection plates in that area and I'm wondering if a steel or aluminium plate that mounts with nuts and bolts where those plates currently mount might prove a deterrent, but will have a look when I'm under there.

Kinda glad that I bought  second hand two post car lift in the summer and twisted my farmer brother in law's arm hard enough that he let me install it in one of his barns, so access is going to be pretty easy.

Apparently the police are looking at CCTV of the theft, but I guess that's not going to help me as I'm pretty sure the insurance company would write the car off if I tried to claim for the repairs ...... >:(

Jazzdriver

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #13 on: September 07, 2019, 04:41:22 PM »
Thieves commonly use a trolley jack.  Of course, they aren't fussy where they put it and can cause terrific damage to the floor of the car by jacking it up using the jack in the wrong place.

sparky Paul

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Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #14 on: September 09, 2019, 07:59:50 AM »
I checked the situation regarding the O2 sensor cables, and I can see both of them hanging down in the bay where the cat used to be, so  that's actually good as it means they put the cutter through the cables rather than ripping the wiring connectors out of the loom.

The kit shows photos of the new sensors with connectors and even a grommet on the after cat sensor, so I'm hoping that everything is just going to fit.

The seller is very good on communications, checked the registration number against the kit and has sent it by DHL, with an expected delivery on Monday. I took the  opportunity of also ordering a back box so that the entire 16 year old exhaust will now be replaced provided that the two manifold bolts come out OK.

At a total price of 258 pounds delivered including VAT (there was a 10% Ebay voucher available), that's just 22 pounds more than a single sensor from Honda as detailed on the Lings Honda website.

Where would we be without aftermarket suppliers .....   

Regarding protection, I noticed that the scumbags sliced through one of the plastic protection plates in that area and I'm wondering if a steel or aluminium plate that mounts with nuts and bolts where those plates currently mount might prove a deterrent, but will have a look when I'm under there.

Sounds like you're in business. It could have been a lot worse than 258 quid at the end of the the day, and as you say, any dealings with the insurance would be sure to result in a write-off on a mark 1. By the time you factor in the excess and 3-5 years of increased premiums, it's certainly not worth it.

Good thought about the plastic guards around the cat area, you could fabricate a single plate that replaces both and covers the cat - it would certainly slow them down quite a bit, and really that's the best you can hope for. You would have to make sure there was adequate air flow to the cat though, as it gets very hot indeed.

Don't forget to patent it, we might all be buying them soon!
« Last Edit: September 09, 2019, 01:43:21 PM by sparky Paul »

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