[A4] How much for a catalytic converter for my A4?

[Peter Kirby]

BALONEY!!!

I have never had to replace a converter in any of my cars (VW Golf --
290,000 km, 1988 Audi 90 -- 287,000 km, 1990 Audi 90, 310,000 km, Audi
A4 -- 160,000 km, and a couple of Subarus that have gone over 250,000
km).  Granted much (~70%) of my driving is highway.

Did Joyce's mechanic actually read the CEL codes?  Even if the CEL
code for a bad converter is indicated, chances are it's the 2nd O2
sensor and not the converter that is bad.

A bad converter will either be plugged up or blown apart.  If it is
blown apart power loss will not be a problem and it will be LOUD.  If
it is plugged up it will be consistent in terms of poor power.

At work we had a Ford van that was having a hard time getting up big
hills (full 15-passenger van pulling a trailer).  The Ford dealer told
us it was the converter that was plugged up.  He changed it (~ $600, I
think) and 100 miles down the road we realized it was no better.
Turned out to be the fuel filter!!

Be careful unless paying $1000 for perhaps an unneeded converter is
your idea of a good time.

Peter

On Jan 23, 2008 11:25 AM, aaron <jungle at hickorytech.net> wrote:
> If your car has over 140k on it...the cat is prolly toast....especially if you are
> running any aftermarket software or let the car run rich for long periods of time.  I
> found it cheaper to get a "high flow" cat from Techtonics Tuning that to buy an oem
> one.  Plus the hi-flow cats are a great perf. mod.!
>
> ..aaron
>
> -SABIS Educational Systems Network Administrator
> --Carpe Diem
>
> On Wed Jan 23  8:17 , "Joyce Furono"  sent:
>
>
> >My car starting acting up recently where when I was shifting down a gear to
> >slow down, and then shifted back up to speed up, it would kick back, lose a
> >little power for a second, and then decide that it could give me power after
> >all and then speed back up again. The check engine light would blink for a
> >few seconds and then go off. Then after a couple of times of that, then the
> >check engine light would just stay on. He's saying it's clogged.
> >
> >This didn't happen all the time. It mostly happened when I was taking a
> >particularly sharp turn at speed, or when I was trying to go up a hill in
> >the middle of traffic. Basically when I find myself needing a little more
> >power than if I were driving on flat, straight ground. So something is
> >definitely not working right.
> >
> >As a little backstory, my husband got my car into a wreck that essentially
> >damaged the underside of my car so that it practically ripped the oil pan
> >off, or ripped a hole big enough that it lost all it's oil in a very fast
> >amount of time. So that resulted in us having to replace the transmission
> >and get a new oil pan. So my mechanic did that, gave my car a tune up it
> >probably desperately needed and sent me on my way. And it worked fine for
> >about two weeks.  I'm thinking it was either the accident that precipitated
> >the cat converter malfunction or my not having given the car a tune-up for a
> >year. Although all in all, I drove the car a total of 2,000 miles last year
> >as I started taking public transportation to work.
> >
> >I ask about the oxygen sensor mainly because it's a relatively inexpensive
> >part (at least compared to the CC) and some car care sites recommend you
> >replace the oxygen sensor when you replace the cat converter.
> >
> >Joyce
> >
> >On Jan 23, 2008 5:16 AM, Peter Kirby 4pkirby at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Why does he think the CC needs replacing?  Ditto re O2 sensor.  You
> >> may want a second opinion.
> >>
> >> Peter
> >> 2001 A4 1.8tq
> >>
> >> On Jan 23, 2008 2:17 AM, Joyce Furono furonobono at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> > Hello all,
> >> >
> >> > My mechanic just informed me that I need a new catalytic converter for
> >> my
> >> > car. I have a 2001 A4 1.8T Quattro. I've been going to this mechanic for
> >> > years and have never felt that he was ripping me off. He quoted me $950
> >> for
> >> > the job. That seemed a little high to me since it looks like I can
> >> purchase
> >> > one for about $200-$300 online. (actually even cheaper than that). And
> >> it
> >> > doesn't seem as if it should take hours and hours to install the new
> >> one.
> >> > But I'm not sure.
> >>
> >_______________________________________________
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> >)
>
>
>