Author Topic: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions  (Read 7132 times)

richardfrost

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 1408
  • Country: england
  • My Honda: Black 2005 1.4 SE RIP
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #15 on: September 10, 2019, 10:29:39 AM »
Just got to hope now that the guy sending out replacement kits from eBay doesn't sell on all the addresses of Jazz owners to the thieves!

CRC

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 53
  • Country: england
  • My Honda: 2003 1.4 SE Manual
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #16 on: September 11, 2019, 09:50:23 AM »
You've got a point, but I think I read somewhere that after market cats are of no value to metal recyclers as they don't contain anywhere near the amount of precious metals that the manufacturer's originals do, so I'm hoping that the thieves are aware of this if they happen to jack it up next time.

After all, you can buy a replacement cat from BM or EEC for around £70 inc VAT and delivery, and as they all seem to be constructed from a low grade stainless steel, the cost of the steel plus the work involved in fabricating it and delivering it suggests that there can't be more than a few quids worth of precious metals in there.

My view is that the cheap replacement cat should be viewed now as a "consumable". They're guaranteed for three years ( if that's worth anything), and you just carry on until there's an issue with the sensors or the MOT emissions and then just buy another one. They keep old cars on the road for not much money in all honesty.

The car is now back on the road. The kit all arrived by DHL on Monday after ordering on Friday, so very good service and contained.

The cat (BM - British cat manufacturer)).
Two Woods O2 sensors fitted with the correct Honda electrical plugs, small sachets of copper lube and even the grommet for the rear sensor which comes up through the centre console to plug into the loom by the bear stick.
The centre section of the exhaust (EEC - British manufacturer) complete with the triangular gasket to connect fit between the cat and the new exhaust section ( but not the three 10mm bolts and nuts to clamp the flanges together)
A selection of rubber hangers, the strange spring bolts and nuts and the conical gasket that goes between the rear box and the centre section.

Access is pretty easy when you have a two post lift, but wouldn't like to try it lying underneath the car.

I was praying that the two bolts holding the cat onto the exhaust manifold would come out OK as the rear box ones were corroded so much that the bolts sheared off, but Honda have obviously though of this and with a a 14 mm socket and a couple of half inch socket extensions, once they were loosened, they wound out very easily.

Fitting was a doodle then - re-used the conical gasket at the exhaust manifold end and the bolts and springs there as they were all very good ( but added a bit of copper lube to the threads for good measure) and apart from the centre section exhaust hangers being slightly off, the exhaust sat very well under the car.

The worst part of the job imho is trying to work out how the Honda electrical plugs come apart, especially the front O2 sensor as it's not easy to get to with the new cat in place. Make sure you get the old one disconnected before fitting the cat. Also be aware that on that one, it's the O2 sensor plug end that pushes onto the fixed bracket and the loom end that comes free ..... lost probably a couple of hours working that out  >:(       

Also, I left the old sensor cable in place and cable tied the new cable to the old one as there are at least three "very fiddly looking and very difficult to get to" plastic cable clips plugs that were probably best left there.

Only thing I didn't think looked quite right was the angle of the flange on the new back box, but it did fit and it is gas tight, but it doesn't quite look right, but as that's not part of the kit, I'm probably being a bit picky.

Cleared the fault codes (when the engine was started with no O2 sensors attached) and everything seems fine, though possibly I need to play with the orientation of the back box a little.

I would definitely recommend this kit if you're doing it yourself ... not quite Honda quality, but keeps the car on the road rather than the insurance company writing it off.

 


 

Jocko

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9356
  • Country: scotland
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: Died from rust.
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #17 on: September 11, 2019, 10:04:04 AM »
My cheap cat has been on two and a half years now, and recently past an MOT with excellent emission figures. Cost £85 including all gaskets.

springswood

  • Bob the Jazz
  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 455
  • Country: gb
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: Mk1 Jazz GE3 1.4 Sport 2008
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #18 on: September 12, 2019, 12:06:55 PM »
The cat marking kit arrived. I happy to say it is legit, I never feel 100% sure with eBay. Registering online and fitting was no problem - though I'm not a fan of going under the car, even with axle stands.  So if it gets nicked anyway you can bet I'll be sharing.
"Indecision is a terrible thing"
Or is it? What do you think?

MG1

  • Registered Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #19 on: September 25, 2019, 01:49:01 PM »
Found out I lost mine today.  Local garage quoted me £480 including labour.  Seemed a decent bloke but if I source the parts myself using that ebay link and paid for labour I would save myself a fair chunk.

Or I can claim on insurance, i've never claimed before and I do have no-claims bonus protection but no idea how it much it might affect my premium?    Any ideas?


sparky Paul

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3436
  • Country: gb
  • My Honda: 2015 GG6 Jazz EX 1.4 I-VTEC / 2008 GE3 Jazz SE 1.4 i-DSI
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #20 on: September 25, 2019, 05:47:49 PM »
Not another one.  :(

Or I can claim on insurance, i've never claimed before and I do have no-claims bonus protection but no idea how it much it might affect my premium?    Any ideas?

You have to work it out for your particular situation, it can be difficult to add up the future costs of a claim now. However, even with protected NCB, incidents like this are quite often not worth an insurance claim.

You have to consider your policy excess, which you will have to pay yourself anyway, and then the fact that insurance companies take into account any 'incidents' in the last 3-5 years when calculating your premium, and incidentally that also includes claims where other drivers were at fault, and glass claims, both of which you must declare.

While your protected NCB will protect you from loss of bonus with your current insurer, note that 'protected' NCB are not transferable to other insurers. If you wanted to change insurer at renewal, the new insurer will calculate your NCB as though your NCB was not protected at the time of the claim. This gives your present insurer greater scope to increase the renewal price. It's the reason I don't bother with protected NCB, unless it's only a few pounds extra.

MG1

  • Registered Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #21 on: September 26, 2019, 08:42:38 AM »
Many thanks Paul, ran the figures through a price comparison to see the impact if I claimed and it's quite a jump for the first year, plus there's the excess to pay so probably better off not going through insurance

Much like the first post can anyone help identifying the exact mk/model?  I want to make sure if I get the parts from ebay that I get the right ones.  V5C lists it as first registered in 2008, Honda Jazz SE, 5 door hatchback, 1339CC, Petrol, Manual.  Variant starts with E6*2001/116..., Engine starts with L13A6...

This is what I was looking at from the same seller as above  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exhaust-Approved-Catalytic-Converter-Centre-Silencer-Fitting-Kits-O2-Sensors/183728291781?hash=item2ac70f3fc5:g:QV0AAOSwu4JciTQF

EDIT: Just checked the VIN and its LUCGE375.... which suggests it's a MK1 GE3 with a 1.3 L L13A i-DSI engine?
« Last Edit: September 26, 2019, 09:16:54 AM by MG1 »

sparky Paul

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3436
  • Country: gb
  • My Honda: 2015 GG6 Jazz EX 1.4 I-VTEC / 2008 GE3 Jazz SE 1.4 i-DSI
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #22 on: September 26, 2019, 10:36:53 AM »
The other problem you have to consider with an insurance claim is that they are very likely to write an 11+ year old car off for this.


This is what I was looking at from the same seller as above  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Exhaust-Approved-Catalytic-Converter-Centre-Silencer-Fitting-Kits-O2-Sensors/183728291781?hash=item2ac70f3fc5:g:QV0AAOSwu4JciTQF

EDIT: Just checked the VIN and its LUCGE375.... which suggests it's a MK1 GE3 with a 1.3 L L13A i-DSI engine?

That's the same as our 2008 GE3. Looks like the right kit to me, I think all the mk 1 exhausts are the same.

Honda describe it as a 1.4 i-DSI, but it's the 1339cc L13A engine.
« Last Edit: September 26, 2019, 11:09:33 AM by sparky Paul »

MG1

  • Registered Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #23 on: September 27, 2019, 02:51:35 PM »
Thanks, spoke to another garage yesterday who quoted 2.5k and a 3 month wait using official parts  :o

Taken the plunge on the ebay one, bit concerned about the cat quality, there doesn't seem to be much info out there but if it can get me through the next 2 MOTs i'll be satisfied.  Would have been prepared to go for a better quality aftermarket one but it would be hard to stomach if it happened again so perhaps just being resigned to seeing it as a consumable as CRC said above might be the best way to go about it.  Also a small chance if they jack it up and see it's a low grade replacement they might not bother.

Be good if anyone using the cheap aftermarket cats could keep the forum updated with their lifespan



culzean

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8017
  • Country: england
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #24 on: September 27, 2019, 03:02:51 PM »
Thanks, spoke to another garage yesterday who quoted 2.5k and a 3 month wait using official parts  :o

Taken the plunge on the ebay one, bit concerned about the cat quality, there doesn't seem to be much info out there but if it can get me through the next 2 MOTs i'll be satisfied.  Would have been prepared to go for a better quality aftermarket one but it would be hard to stomach if it happened again so perhaps just being resigned to seeing it as a consumable as CRC said above might be the best way to go about it.  Also a small chance if they jack it up and see it's a low grade replacement they might not bother.

Be good if anyone using the cheap aftermarket cats could keep the forum updated with their lifespan

The sad fact is that you could be buying your original CAT back,  this must be an easier way for crims to make profit from stealing them than trying to recover the metals from the matrix..
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

Jocko

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 9356
  • Country: scotland
  • Fuel economy:
  • My Honda: Died from rust.
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #25 on: September 27, 2019, 03:40:08 PM »
My £85 cat, bought from my local motor factors, has been on the car two and a half years, and has passed two MOTs, with the emission numbers spot on.

sparky Paul

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3436
  • Country: gb
  • My Honda: 2015 GG6 Jazz EX 1.4 I-VTEC / 2008 GE3 Jazz SE 1.4 i-DSI
Re: Long time lurker, cat converter stolen (usual story), specific questions
« Reply #26 on: September 27, 2019, 07:16:47 PM »
Taken the plunge on the ebay one, bit concerned about the cat quality, there doesn't seem to be much info out there but if it can get me through the next 2 MOTs i'll be satisfied.  Would have been prepared to go for a better quality aftermarket one but it would be hard to stomach if it happened again so perhaps just being resigned to seeing it as a consumable as CRC said above might be the best way to go about it.  Also a small chance if they jack it up and see it's a low grade replacement they might not bother.

I don't think you will have any problems, so long as it doesn't go missing again.

The BM cats are fine, I've fitted one before and it lasted me a few years, then the friend who bought it off us several more years before they scrapped the car for other reasons. The cat was still fine and passing emissions.

Even the old pre-2001 non type approved cats seemed to last okay. So long as they don't get contaminated by oil or fuel, they should last the car out.

MG1

  • Registered Member
  • *
  • Posts: 5
Just to update, the jazz has been back on the road for a couple of weeks now.  Mechanic took longer that expected to fix it, said it was a bit tricky largely because of the manifold bolts. Also ordered a registration plate for it, probably not going to stop them but worth a go.  Thanks for the advice

culzean

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 8017
  • Country: england
Some people will only consider you an expert if they agree with your point of view or advice,  when you give them advice they don't like they consider you an idiot

sparky Paul

  • Approved Member
  • *
  • Posts: 3436
  • Country: gb
  • My Honda: 2015 GG6 Jazz EX 1.4 I-VTEC / 2008 GE3 Jazz SE 1.4 i-DSI
https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/news/motoring-news/put-the-cat-in-a-cage-catalytic-converter-cages-are-being-fitted-to-combat/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CHUB_MEMSIN_A_W1_2020-03-11_160437_11682468&cid=eml-email-CHUB_MEMSIN_A_W1_2020-03-11_160437_11682468-Drive_NL_MEMB_1st_Feature

seems they wind some chain around the pipes ( to impede pipe cutters ) and put some wire mesh across the cat itself - total material costs £20 tops ...

The main thing is to protect the front pipe from hand exhaust pipe cutters. They need to get the three cutter wheels in contact with the pipe, and be able to rotate the cutter 120°. If you can stop that, you will prevent the vast majority of thefts.

Tags:
 

anything
Back to top