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[tunnie]

I suspect the cat maybe ok to start with, but will quickly break down

No experience of Apec brakes, it's a heavy car, but 2.2 lacks power to be doing lots of heavy stopping. Tyres, all down to driving style really and what you want for the money. Otherwise it's an endless discussion, as previous threads will show 

[RobG]

I was considering a used one first off ... everyone seems to be miles and miles away from where I am  The only other problem was if I were to get it delivered it would be even more time off the road 

I went for a non type approved one (I know you shouldn't) as it was £108 including VAT and a £12 surcharge, Total eventual cost is only £96! I was assured that it was a good quality cat, but as usual I am very dubious and I will know for sure when I get it on the car tomorrow afternoon (if it even fits properly). For me I would rather decat it but I know you can't for several reasons A] It's illegal due to the age of the car, B] It would never pass an mot and C] the ECU would have a panic attack

If it sounds like utter cr*p then I will be taking it straight off and fitting a used/genuine one for sure!

The Apec brakes feel o.k on the pedal and they certainly stop the car reasonably but I expect that I will burn through them quickly, this is mostly to do with my driving style. As my brother says I have one speed on all roads and it's usually around the speed limit and I don't slow down enough in corners  I also get through tyres quite quickly but the firestone fuel savers I have on the fronts are lasting well at 2k on them now, The rear accelera alpha's on the rear are extremely close to their limit now and they had plenty on them when I got it (also around 2k miles ago) ... I love how well this car corners, endless grip in the dry but totally sideways in the wet 

So is a non type approved cat. Any MOT tester worth his salt will fail it

[chrisgixer]

It's not an endless discussion at all.

Just ask what's considered best buy at the time. And ignore any posts about euro bloody car parts.

Seemples.

[Mr.OmegaMan]

Oh dear. Pattern cat, they sound dreadful! Better off with second hand breaker off here. Far better quality and sound 

I put a pattern cat on the 2.2 roughly 2 years ago almost, Around £200 fitted and it's been fine (touch wood) Sound, Can't say I've noticed any difference TBH .. Although I don't do a lot of miles probably only a few thousand on the new cat, The 2.2 is more of a backup car now mind..

[Taxi_Driver]

I was considering a used one first off ... everyone seems to be miles and miles away from where I am  The only other problem was if I were to get it delivered it would be even more time off the road 

I went for a non type approved one (I know you shouldn't) as it was £108 including VAT and a £12 surcharge, Total eventual cost is only £96! I was assured that it was a good quality cat, but as usual I am very dubious and I will know for sure when I get it on the car tomorrow afternoon (if it even fits properly). For me I would rather decat it but I know you can't for several reasons A] It's illegal due to the age of the car, B] It would never pass an mot and C] the ECU would have a panic attack

If it sounds like utter cr*p then I will be taking it straight off and fitting a used/genuine one for sure!

The Apec brakes feel o.k on the pedal and they certainly stop the car reasonably but I expect that I will burn through them quickly, this is mostly to do with my driving style. As my brother says I have one speed on all roads and it's usually around the speed limit and I don't slow down enough in corners  I also get through tyres quite quickly but the firestone fuel savers I have on the fronts are lasting well at 2k on them now, The rear accelera alpha's on the rear are extremely close to their limit now and they had plenty on them when I got it (also around 2k miles ago) ... I love how well this car corners, endless grip in the dry but totally sideways in the wet 

So is a non type approved cat. Any MOT tester worth his salt will fail it

If it passes emissions test, i dont see why he should 

[RobG]

I was considering a used one first off ... everyone seems to be miles and miles away from where I am  The only other problem was if I were to get it delivered it would be even more time off the road 

I went for a non type approved one (I know you shouldn't) as it was £108 including VAT and a £12 surcharge, Total eventual cost is only £96! I was assured that it was a good quality cat, but as usual I am very dubious and I will know for sure when I get it on the car tomorrow afternoon (if it even fits properly). For me I would rather decat it but I know you can't for several reasons A] It's illegal due to the age of the car, B] It would never pass an mot and C] the ECU would have a panic attack

If it sounds like utter cr*p then I will be taking it straight off and fitting a used/genuine one for sure!

The Apec brakes feel o.k on the pedal and they certainly stop the car reasonably but I expect that I will burn through them quickly, this is mostly to do with my driving style. As my brother says I have one speed on all roads and it's usually around the speed limit and I don't slow down enough in corners  I also get through tyres quite quickly but the firestone fuel savers I have on the fronts are lasting well at 2k on them now, The rear accelera alpha's on the rear are extremely close to their limit now and they had plenty on them when I got it (also around 2k miles ago) ... I love how well this car corners, endless grip in the dry but totally sideways in the wet 

So is a non type approved cat. Any MOT tester worth his salt will fail it

If it passes emissions test, i dont see why he should 

Agreed, but it`s illegal to fit a non type approved cat to cars post March 1st `01

[henryd]

I was considering a used one first off ... everyone seems to be miles and miles away from where I am  The only other problem was if I were to get it delivered it would be even more time off the road 

I went for a non type approved one (I know you shouldn't) as it was £108 including VAT and a £12 surcharge, Total eventual cost is only £96! I was assured that it was a good quality cat, but as usual I am very dubious and I will know for sure when I get it on the car tomorrow afternoon (if it even fits properly). For me I would rather decat it but I know you can't for several reasons A] It's illegal due to the age of the car, B] It would never pass an mot and C] the ECU would have a panic attack

If it sounds like utter cr*p then I will be taking it straight off and fitting a used/genuine one for sure!

The Apec brakes feel o.k on the pedal and they certainly stop the car reasonably but I expect that I will burn through them quickly, this is mostly to do with my driving style. As my brother says I have one speed on all roads and it's usually around the speed limit and I don't slow down enough in corners  I also get through tyres quite quickly but the firestone fuel savers I have on the fronts are lasting well at 2k on them now, The rear accelera alpha's on the rear are extremely close to their limit now and they had plenty on them when I got it (also around 2k miles ago) ... I love how well this car corners, endless grip in the dry but totally sideways in the wet 

So is a non type approved cat. Any MOT tester worth his salt will fail it

If it passes emissions test, i dont see why he should 

Agreed, but it`s illegal to fit a non type approved cat to cars post March 1st `01

It is but I don't know how it could be policed,I fitted two golf cats recently,one older non type approved and the other a newer type approved,they looked identical bar the price

[cd 2.2]

we will see what happens on test day in july with the cat, Both front sides are now back together and I have a few comments on the things I have fitted!

The brakes ... Well I can sure as hell say they stop the car, as this is important so you avoid death I think they serve the purpose well! They don't feel as sharp as the EBC red stuff pads that my dad for some reason fitted to his 2.2. But after flushing all of the dead and very green brake fluid out of the system they are a massive improvement to what was already fitted (not even bedded in yet either) !

The front wishbones ... Although a total PITA to get lined up at the rear bush, they fit extremely well to the car and didn't pose any kind of issue as far as fit is concerned. The car now feels like it's attached to the road and the steering feels as it should! I'm happy with them for now, we will see how they go long term (I'm not saying how much they cost yet as I might get hung, drawn and quartered for buying them in the first place  )

I have yet to fit the cat and camshaft sensor, I will be collecting them in the morning also the obligatory trip to the Vx dealer to collect the gearbox cooler seal O rings I have waited 2 weeks for (all this technology and it takes 2 weeks to post something from Germany Land)!

I think I have broken the front end Geometry in some way as the car isn't behaving as you wou would expect it to ... It's driving in a straight line no issue, the steering wheel has turned to the left slightly, It seems to have the urge to pull left ever so slightly and it pulls left if you brake hard! I'm presuming the tracking is off a smidge and the camber is wrong slightly on one or both sides  It's really unavoidable doing this kind of work and I'm letting the professionals sort this problem out on Tuesday!
So really it seems a case of, so far, so good    Just a shame I have to get the rear wheels murdered to get the rear discs changed due to the locking wheel nuts being fubar

I was considering a used one first off ... everyone seems to be miles and miles away from where I am  The only other problem was if I were to get it delivered it would be even more time off the road 

I went for a non type approved one (I know you shouldn't) as it was £108 including VAT and a £12 surcharge, Total eventual cost is only £96! I was assured that it was a good quality cat, but as usual I am very dubious and I will know for sure when I get it on the car tomorrow afternoon (if it even fits properly). For me I would rather decat it but I know you can't for several reasons A] It's illegal due to the age of the car, B] It would never pass an mot and C] the ECU would have a panic attack

If it sounds like utter cr*p then I will be taking it straight off and fitting a used/genuine one for sure!

The Apec brakes feel o.k on the pedal and they certainly stop the car reasonably but I expect that I will burn through them quickly, this is mostly to do with my driving style. As my brother says I have one speed on all roads and it's usually around the speed limit and I don't slow down enough in corners  I also get through tyres quite quickly but the firestone fuel savers I have on the fronts are lasting well at 2k on them now, The rear accelera alpha's on the rear are extremely close to their limit now and they had plenty on them when I got it (also around 2k miles ago) ... I love how well this car corners, endless grip in the dry but totally sideways in the wet 

So is a non type approved cat. Any MOT tester worth his salt will fail it

If it passes emissions test, i dont see why he should 

Agreed, but it`s illegal to fit a non type approved cat to cars post March 1st `01

It is but I don't know how it could be policed,I fitted two golf cats recently,one older non type approved and the other a newer type approved,they looked identical bar the price

£179 including vat for type approved, £108 including vat for non type approved including also a £12 refundable surcharge on the non type approved cat making it £96 all in you do the math 

[TheBoy]

I think I have broken the front end Geometry in some way as the car isn't behaving as you wou would expect it to ... It's driving in a straight line no issue, the steering wheel has turned to the left slightly, It seems to have the urge to pull left ever so slightly and it pulls left if you brake hard!

If it does so predictably, check the wishbone bolts are correctly torqued. If they are, sounds like the bushes didn't last the warranty period

[chrisgixer]

As always, when recommending parts to others. It's utterly pointless doing so until the life of the part is spent, so all aspects can be passed on to others.

Before you take the car for set up, do yourself a favour and check the wishbone bushes haven't failed already. (and that the steering idles has zero vertical play. And I do mean Zero. As anyone here will tell you that's had a failed idler.)

How did you tighten the wishbone bolts? And don't say "with a spanner"

Edit, TB Has spotted it already.

[cd 2.2]

Tightened bolts with a torque wrench as you should do! The front bolts were tightened when the car was on the floor ... there doesn't seem to be any play is the wishbones at all I already checked all of the bushes for breakage / abnormal wear and damage of any kind ... They thankfully look fine 

I'm not sure how to go about checking the steering idler for play as it's a system I'm not familiar with to be quite honest 
All in all the car does feel a lot tighter ie over bumps and round corners, also the steering feels heavier than it did before. It used to be feather light (abnormally so) and really twitchy before I replaced the wishbones ... I'm going to look at the idler I think as everything had to be disturbed to do the job 

[cd 2.2]

*Just finished messing around under the car with a light ... Doesn't seem that there is any play in the steering arms and track rod ends at all*
 I think it's just down to tracking getting knocked off during replacing the parts and the top bolts for the hubs are also camber adjustment so I most likely have those out of balance! That would definitely cause handling weirdness, Had a similar issue with my mk1 golf earlier this year and that was caused by passenger front wheel being 10 degrees out and drivers wheel being 2 degrees out ... both in opposite directions 

[Entwood]

A "normal" wishbone change with Vx/Lemforder/Myle bits always needs a full geo setup .. you've used a, basically, "unknown" source whose dimensions may be very slightly different to OE .. if so then camber/castor/tracking will ALL be in error to a greater or lessor degree. I would be having a FULL GEO done ASAP, if done by someone decent like WIM .. if there is a problem with either the wishbones, or any other component .. they will soon advise you of that fact !! 

[cd 2.2]

A "normal" wishbone change with Vx/Lemforder/Myle bits always needs a full geo setup .. you've used a, basically, "unknown" source whose dimensions may be very slightly different to OE .. if so then camber/castor/tracking will ALL be in error to a greater or lessor degree. I would be having a FULL GEO done ASAP, if done by someone decent like WIM .. if there is a problem with either the wishbones, or any other component .. they will soon advise you of that fact !! 

Heard allot of good about WIM ... unfortunately they are not in this area The only place that springs to mind is Nobles Motorsport in chesterfield .. I know he is good and completely professional (if not a little on the expensive side)! Also would anyone know the Geometry settings for the front end on a FL omega? It's something everyone seems to have their own preference about the way you set them up

[Andy B]

.....
Heard allot of good about WIM ... unfortunately they are not in this area .....

How about a trip to Bolton and Nigel Langs (http://www.nigellangsgarage.co.uk/page/Wheel-Alignment/)