Pre-cat. . . . . REMOVED!

[Kam88]

sorry to hear about your friend.

I went this morning and picked up my axle stands and my low profile car that i left at my parents house so it all sorted guys thanks for looking out for me but all good this was i was just being lazy yesterday  have to say car does sounds a fair bit better

Have you found any performance gains? Etc

Interested in doing this, had a go but couldn't get the nuts off. Looking for a garage in S. London to do this... AMD wanted £240+Vat!

To be honest didn't really realise any gains but i only had remap on it a week prior so getting used to the power as it is at moment 

Does sound much better splutters sometimes i love it and seems to pick up little bit better. Just do it yourself cake it in WD40 the night before.

All bolts can be accessed from under the car apart from one at top that has to be done demo top. Remove engine cover and if you stick your hand round the back you be able to feel the nut. all of them are 17mm so for the one on top use a deep 17mm socket with two long extensions which will bring the ratchet near bater tray and you then have much better access 

[GTIEagles]

Glad to hear you are still in one piece.

How did you find removing the downpipe? Is it really awkward to do or am I better leaving it to a garage?

To be honest bit fiddly all in all about an hour to take off and about 45 to put back on not so hard much easier on ramp but i did in on my drive way. what did help was the fact that i caked the bolts with wd40 day before i did think about paying a garage but at the prices they quoted i done it myself.

Doesn't sound too bad then. How does it separate from the exhaust end?

[Rampage]

sorry to hear about your friend.

I went this morning and picked up my axle stands and my low profile car that i left at my parents house so it all sorted guys thanks for looking out for me but all good this was i was just being lazy yesterday  have to say car does sounds a fair bit better

Have you found any performance gains? Etc

Interested in doing this, had a go but couldn't get the nuts off. Looking for a garage in S. London to do this... AMD wanted £240+Vat!

To be honest didn't really realise any gains but i only had remap on it a week prior so getting used to the power as it is at moment 

Does sound much better splutters sometimes i love it and seems to pick up little bit better. Just do it yourself cake it in WD40 the night before.

All bolts can be accessed from under the car apart from one at top that has to be done demo top. Remove engine cover and if you stick your hand round the back you be able to feel the nut. all of them are 17mm so for the one on top use a deep 17mm socket with two long extensions which will bring the ratchet near bater tray and you then have much better access 

Thanks dude, may give this another go then. Thanks for the tips! 

[Kam88]

Glad to hear you are still in one piece.

How did you find removing the downpipe? Is it really awkward to do or am I better leaving it to a garage?

There is 2 13mm bolts undo them and Steve slides off that's it's splt

To be honest bit fiddly all in all about an hour to take off and about 45 to put back on not so hard much easier on ramp but i did in on my drive way. what did help was the fact that i caked the bolts with wd40 day before i did think about paying a garage but at the prices they quoted i done it myself.

Doesn't sound too bad then. How does it separate from the exhaust end?

[Kam88]

sorry to hear about your friend.

I went this morning and picked up my axle stands and my low profile car that i left at my parents house so it all sorted guys thanks for looking out for me but all good this was i was just being lazy yesterday  have to say car does sounds a fair bit better

Have you found any performance gains? Etc

Interested in doing this, had a go but couldn't get the nuts off. Looking for a garage in S. London to do this... AMD wanted £240+Vat!

To be honest didn't really realise any gains but i only had remap on it a week prior so getting used to the power as it is at moment 

Does sound much better splutters sometimes i love it and seems to pick up little bit better. Just do it yourself cake it in WD40 the night before.

All bolts can be accessed from under the car apart from one at top that has to be done demo top. Remove engine cover and if you stick your hand round the back you be able to feel the nut. all of them are 17mm so for the one on top use a deep 17mm socket with two long extensions which will bring the ratchet near bater tray and you then have much better access 

Thanks dude, may give this another go then. Thanks for the tips! 

If any other questions let me know what I did is unplugged the lambda sensors rather then undoing them that might help aswell

[Rampage]

Cheers bud! 

[Chris92]

I bought a new exhaust sleeve/clamp incase mine was stuck on and it was just aswell as mine was rusted up and never coming off so out came the grinder.

Can't say I've notice any difference apart from more turbo noise inside the car but it's very faint and I always have my music on so never hear it anyways. Would I do it again? Hmmm probably not unless I was going stage one.

[rdfcpete]

 @GrayMK5GTI  In essence, then, the precat filter is acting as a petrol carbon filter and preventing excess soot from exhausting out the pipes, like a PPF? lol.

What's economy like further down the line now, has the MPG still stabilised with continued better figures? Must equate to 50 miles or so per tank, on average?

Seems win win this mod 

[GrayMK5GTI]

The pre-cat is soley to reduce cold start emissions, which is a requirement in some countries (NOT UK).

It's not designed to catch carbon like a DPF (as petrol engines don't make soot like diesel), it's so close to the turbo so it heats up quickly to do its job within 30secs of engine start (ecu dumps fuel into combustion chamber to heat both cats up quickly from cold).

I noticed much better turbo spool and a marginal mpg increase over the 18months I kept the car for. It's worth remembering that anyone with a Milltek, BCS (or any aftermarket downpipe) will NOT have a pre-cat either.

For a "free" mod, it's definetly a win win 

[GTIEagles]

I had planned to do this yesterday whilst replacing the inline thermostat but no way am I going to attempt this without a ramp! I just couldn't get enough height on the axle stands. I think I will just get a garage to do it instead 

[Kam88]

i did it n exile stands and it is bit fiddly 

[Amir32]

I had this Mod done yesterday, I'm yet to make a video recording of the difference from stock to this mod, anyone interested in hearing the difference follow me on Instagram am1r32

[raven8472]

Had my Pre cat removed today ( Thanks AKS -Alex) on my Standard GTI.  Few thoughts after doing around 50 miles.

1) Small increase in exhaust note  maybe 10% with Turbo whistle more noticable

2) Improved throttle response and turbo feels likes its coming in earlier along with butt dyno feels slightly better pull in acceleration.

3) Too early to tell on MPG but for the small cost and if done with care (Had the gasket and some difficult bolts replaced) well worth it. Will be getting Stage 1 sorted soon.

[patpong_pete]

Had my Pre cat removed today ( Thanks AKS -Alex) on my Standard GTI

small fee ? how much was it in total ?

your in safe hands with  AKS -Alex

[raven8472]

About an  hour labour cost and few extra pounds for the gasket and bolts. Got my cam follower swapped at the same time( old follower had some wear after 60k miles)  , I didn't have any issues with the cost and pleasure to deal with.