wrx pre cat exhaust help needed!!
05 April 2012, 11:00 PM
#1
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
wrx pre cat exhaust help needed!!
hi i have a 2003 newage wrx fitted with the prodrive performance pack boostin to 260bhp and with only 15000 miles on the clock a rare find!!
My problem is i had to take the car to my subaru dealer after the dreaded engine misfire light started flashing and major misfire problems!!
the dealer informed me the emc was telling them it was a misfire on all 4 cylinders and they had narrowed the problem to the "precat" pipe breaking down inside and restricting gas flow!! they then told me the part would cost around £450 with labour costing about the same on top!!!!!! i am not a mechanic but i know my way around an engine, my only problem is i found a small garage who can supply a pipe for only £130 so im presuming i could get my own and fit it the only problem is all i can find is "up pipes" and "down Pipes" does any one know where i can find what i am lookin for and which one it is???? thanks for all the help in advance.
My problem is i had to take the car to my subaru dealer after the dreaded engine misfire light started flashing and major misfire problems!!
the dealer informed me the emc was telling them it was a misfire on all 4 cylinders and they had narrowed the problem to the "precat" pipe breaking down inside and restricting gas flow!! they then told me the part would cost around £450 with labour costing about the same on top!!!!!! i am not a mechanic but i know my way around an engine, my only problem is i found a small garage who can supply a pipe for only £130 so im presuming i could get my own and fit it the only problem is all i can find is "up pipes" and "down Pipes" does any one know where i can find what i am lookin for and which one it is???? thanks for all the help in advance.
06 April 2012, 12:55 AM
#5
£900 for a cat supply and fit....**** OFF ! 
£50 tops from a breakers and worse case 2 hours to fit ! should come in under £200 and that's if you have to replace the odd stud, bolt or gasket.
Personally for £900 I'd decat the uppipe and downpipe and get it remapped lol
If your car is making 260 on the Prodrive map I would be very surprised
£50 tops from a breakers and worse case 2 hours to fit ! should come in under £200 and that's if you have to replace the odd stud, bolt or gasket.
Personally for £900 I'd decat the uppipe and downpipe and get it remapped lol
If your car is making 260 on the Prodrive map I would be very surprised
06 April 2012, 01:01 AM
#7
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: surrey/west sussex
Posts: 3,189
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
£900 for a cat supply and fit....**** OFF !
£50 tops from a breakers and worse case 2 hours to fit ! should come in under £200 and that's if you have to replace the odd stud, bolt or gasket.
Personally for £900 I'd decat the uppipe and downpipe and get it remapped lol
If your car is making 260 on the Prodrive map I would be very surprised
£50 tops from a breakers and worse case 2 hours to fit ! should come in under £200 and that's if you have to replace the odd stud, bolt or gasket.
Personally for £900 I'd decat the uppipe and downpipe and get it remapped lol
If your car is making 260 on the Prodrive map I would be very surprised
Trending Topics
06 April 2012, 01:09 AM
#8
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
£900 for a cat supply and fit....**** OFF !
£50 tops from a breakers and worse case 2 hours to fit ! should come in under £200 and that's if you have to replace the odd stud, bolt or gasket.
Personally for £900 I'd decat the uppipe and downpipe and get it remapped lol
If your car is making 260 on the Prodrive map I would be very surprised
£50 tops from a breakers and worse case 2 hours to fit ! should come in under £200 and that's if you have to replace the odd stud, bolt or gasket.
Personally for £900 I'd decat the uppipe and downpipe and get it remapped lol
If your car is making 260 on the Prodrive map I would be very surprised
not the cat the Pre cat pipe from the turbo to the cat as far as i can make out.. thing is words mean nothing to me unless i can see diagram or video i wouldnt have a clue!! and yeh prodrive kit is kickin out 261bhp
06 April 2012, 01:13 AM
#9
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thankyou thats wat i was after!! ive searched "precat" and all i get is a decat pipe which i dont really want the hassle of remapin else its just gonna cost me as much as the dealers quote. i am tryin to keep the mileage down and vehicle in as original condition as poss on a very tight budget!!
06 April 2012, 01:18 AM
#10
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
06 April 2012, 01:18 AM
#11
Not such thing as a pre cat pipe Headers, uppipe, downpipe, mid pipe, centre pipe, backbox. Crack pipe maybe as that's what they're smoking.
As for the PPP, claims aren't actual from experience they vary from 218bhp to 251 at best and the map is pretty uninspired. Remapping isn't a hassle, it's a liberation 
Headers, uppipe, downpipe, mid pipe, centre pipe, backbox. Crack pipe maybe as that's what they're smoking.As for the PPP, claims aren't actual
from experience they vary from 218bhp to 251 at best and the map is pretty uninspired. Remapping isn't a hassle, it's a liberation
06 April 2012, 08:45 AM
#14
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the precat is in the upipe before the turbo on some newage wrx.
You can replace it with a decat pipe from a classic (i got one for a tenner) but will probably want remapping afterwards.
Or if you want like for like i have the one i removed from my blob here:
£35 plus delivery, complete with a working EGT sensor
You can replace it with a decat pipe from a classic (i got one for a tenner) but will probably want remapping afterwards.
Or if you want like for like i have the one i removed from my blob here:
£35 plus delivery, complete with a working EGT sensor
Last edited by DonNedly; 06 April 2012 at 08:53 AM.
06 April 2012, 09:58 AM
#15
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
wow so much help thanku so i think i am gonna go for a new up pipe and not go like for like as so this incident doesnt happen again, still a bit confused though so here goes... which pipe would you guys recommend that would not need a remap and would still pass emmisions on mot??
06 April 2012, 10:12 AM
#16
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If you remove the pre cat you will still pass emissions with the downpipe cat still present (only blob wrx have pre-cat IIRC)
personally i would get my map tweaked when fitting a decat up-pipe. you may also get a check engine light as most decat upipes don't have anywhere for the egt sensor.
All classic upipes are decat and will fit your car.
personally i would get my map tweaked when fitting a decat up-pipe. you may also get a check engine light as most decat upipes don't have anywhere for the egt sensor.
All classic upipes are decat and will fit your car.
Last edited by DonNedly; 06 April 2012 at 10:13 AM.
06 April 2012, 10:43 AM
#18
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
06 April 2012, 11:10 AM
#19
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
bug and blob wrx have pre-cat.
personally i would just get an uppipe from a classic if you are going decat, loads of people on here selling them.
the egt sensor is a cat-on-fire sensor so you would want to remove it anyway if going decat.
A word of warning, changing an uppipe can be a bit of a pig and may take a few hours depending on how good you are with a spanner.
so this would be a good option???
http://www.japspeed.co.uk/Subaru-Imp...e/p-24-72-441/
http://www.japspeed.co.uk/Subaru-Imp...e/p-24-72-441/
the egt sensor is a cat-on-fire sensor so you would want to remove it anyway if going decat.
A word of warning, changing an uppipe can be a bit of a pig and may take a few hours depending on how good you are with a spanner.
28 April 2012, 02:14 PM
#20
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
well an update to this problem!! ive taken off the old up pipe and after a close inspection with a camera that there is nothing wrong with the pre cat its clear as a bell so much so that u can see daylight rite through from one end to the other!!
so i am still no closer to finding out why she is jumping and missing like a bitch!!!!
3 hours work for nothing
so i am still no closer to finding out why she is jumping and missing like a bitch!!!!
3 hours work for nothing
28 April 2012, 03:25 PM
#22
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Hertfordshire
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Id take a stab at the neutral position switch. or the cam sensor. Ideally you need to get a laptop pluged in to see what there doing while driving the car around.
28 April 2012, 04:57 PM
#23
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
its driving me insane. thing is i ordered a new decat upipe to replace the factory but im not sure if its wise to try it and see if it does sort the problem cause if it doesnt then i will have less chance of returning the decat pipe its more the expense than anything else. plus there just isnt anyone within 30 miles who has the equipment to talk to a subaru!!!
29 April 2012, 08:55 AM
#24
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
decat uppipe is a good mod anyway especially as you have got this far.
whack a k&n panel filter in and get it mapped.
Most of them travel, Dynamix is only in Dorset and he will come to you.
whack a k&n panel filter in and get it mapped.
Most of them travel, Dynamix is only in Dorset and he will come to you.
29 April 2012, 06:56 PM
#25
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
29 April 2012, 07:29 PM
#27
Scooby Regular
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Rotherham
Posts: 424
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Do the mod mate. Get a 2k2 1/2 watt resistor ( red red red gold ) off ebay, about a quid for 5 and pop one in the female connector plug under the plastic tray on the drivers suspension turret. Its best to solder two 2.5mm male spades one on each leg of the resistor then stick a bit of tape over to cover it.
Last edited by madmarx; 29 April 2012 at 07:45 PM.
29 April 2012, 08:08 PM
#29
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
its not just an error code mate the engine was jumpin around in low revs ie 1st gear over speed bumps and if you give it some beans it feels like theres a restrictor on her!! turbo kick in fine but something is only givin out about 70% of wat she used to have. i think im gonna try fuel filter next dunno if the fuel i use isnt up to spec..... i use esso super unleaded as thats all thats in my little town apart from morrisons! and i would never even consider that super or if i pass a bp it a tank of optimax!! just finger crossed for the up pipe helpin her out though really miss bein able to drive her properly and having to (sorry to any females) drive her like a girl lol
29 April 2012, 08:08 PM
#30
Scooby Newbie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: cornwall uk
Posts: 22
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Do the mod mate. Get a 2k2 1/2 watt resistor ( red red red gold ) off ebay, about a quid for 5 and pop one in the female connector plug under the plastic tray on the drivers suspension turret. Its best to solder two 2.5mm male spades one on each leg of the resistor then stick a bit of tape over to cover it.
