Rattley CAT

[KillerHERTZ]

About 5 months ago my cat started to rattle, so off to my garage I went.

They fixed it by tieing down the inside and I was told it would last for a while, it did until this weekend

As ive just forked out for 2 new rear dampers (£80 each ) I cant afford a new cat.

Whats the worse that can happen if I leave it? My MOT isnt for months yet so thats not a problem.


Cheers

 

[aka$h]

Having had similar troble I asked the same question at MB, the rattle is the baffle begingin to break up and rattle. The can have two knock on effects, one is the particles go further down the exhaust and clog up the middle box or rear box. Another problem is that the engine could suck some particles through the down pipes and possible score bores etc. Not sure how much truth there is in that but thats what a MB dealer told me.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

As gases are coming out of the car, I would have thought it was unlikely for fragments to get sucked in?

 

[Will]

Have heard similar advice - other than that people will laugh at you as the rattling gets worse! (sorry)

No, sorry to hear of your problem. My old C200 has started rattling from the cat(s) - a friend owns it now! I think proper MB ones are a fortune, and the really cheap ones can be pretty nasty.

Will

 

[KillerHERTZ]

I was quoted around £400 from my garage so I think I will keep my stereo loud so I cant hear it

 

[Koolvin]

My rattly CAT still passed the MOT.

your 1995 W202 will have a CAT with 2 down pipes (more expensive than the newer one with 1 down pipe CAT) Down

pipes from the Manifold just incase you are wondering.

 

[grober]

Are you sure its not just the thin metal heatshields on the down pipes and not the cat itself

 

[Dieselman]

As gases are coming out of the car, I would have thought it was unlikely for fragments to get sucked in?

Uh..Uh!! It definately happens.

The ceramic part of the cat becomes loose in the housing, hence the rattle, this then allows exhaust gasses past the side of the honeycomb and causes pressure behind the honeycomb.
This then blows material back into the engine.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Are you sure its not just the thin metal heatshields on the down pipes and not the cat itself

Yeah its been checked and fixed (temp)

 

[grober]

If its not the heat shields then sounds expensive

 

[peterchurch]

Hi,
My mechanic found a place that will remanufacture your old one for £200 if you want to...

But if you really cant afford it at the moment get the pipe off and get rid of the ceramic honeycombe ... I wont pass the MOT but at least it wont block the pipe and blow back into the engine (and you will be free of the noise)

 

[BimMerc]

You can get one for £160 on ebay!!!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=38786&item=4540325688&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

might be worth a try, it will be warranted for a year at least??

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Hi, never noticed these replies.

Im gonna take it to my garage first see what they say again.

That eBay one seems to good to be true?

 

[D5ECK]

Isn't it weird, somebody posts a message about this and the next day my car starts with exactly the same noise....... Trip to the dealer is in order i think.

Somebody post they have won the lottery please!

 

[pinball]

Yup definately the honeycomb that's broken loose inside the CAT- I got another one from Euro Car Parts for £279 and fitted for £25

 

[Glideman]

Mine’s been noisy for the past 12 months, are the ones from Euro Car Parts as quiet as the OEM ones? They do sound cheap, dealer wanted around £1000 for a new one

 

[pinball]

Well the guy ay Euro Car Parts said they were made by the same manufacturer but without the MB star (but I guess they would say that anyway....).
I can't say whether as quiet as OEM - but then anything's going to be quiter than what you've got now.....
The only other suggestion is to get one off one of the merc breakers http://www.mercland.co.uk/ or mercman