Hi All,

Looking at my friends Ka (03 1.3 duratech)
Its needing a front pipe which includes the cat and a flexi, So its not going to be the cheapest to replace. I have been having a look around but still not sure the best brand to buy and where from, have always been a fan of Bosal and Walkers exhaust systems in the past.

Any advice would be very much appreciated

Phoned Kwik Fit for a price, they Quoated [b]£546.05[/b] fully fitted
So I dont think thats going to be happening.

found a Cat on Ebay for £159.83 but only hope its going to be reasonable quality

Or

If anyone in the central Scotland area with a bit of welding know how

It would be an easy repair as its only the last couple of inches around the flange, As far as I can see a 6" pipe with a flare/flange and another 6" straight section of pipe slightly larger in Diameter and a bit of gas welding is all it needs.

(assuming I get the manifoled nuts off)

Would rather place a few crisp notes in someones pocket than get ripped off

try here buy[artsby.co.uk or .com

excellent products at a great price if ur not sure on the parts just phone them with the reg & tell them what your after & they will give you a price
the postage is cheap as chips

cat £84.00 plus vat central pipe 19.00 + vat
rear box n tal £30.00 + vat
u need to phone for a front pipe

where in scotland are you located?

Hey Delboy sounds good, but not sure what the web address is?

Im in Wishaw my pals car is in Westcalder but it drives fine at the moment, have to actually listen for it blowing or give it a good rev.

I have had a Proper look at this exhaust, The Flexi ends at the flange so there is no room for a [u]Quick[/u] repair.

So I am planning on getting the front pipe / cat from Ebay. Been in touch with a guy who has bought and fitted one and he seems quite happy with it, so fingers crossed

Got the front 'pipe' from Ebay, Came with 8 nuts and washers, 2 nuts, washers and bolts, and also both gaskets. Also got a certificate for the cat.

Was wondering where I could get hold of some exhaust studs just in case.

I have asked the guy I bought the Exhaust from so hopping he can supply them too, but any info is always welcome

[quote name='bt_cav' timestamp='1316037738' post='144224']
Got the front 'pipe' from Ebay, Came with 8 nuts and washers, 2 nuts, washers and bolts, and also both gaskets. Also got a certificate for the cat.

Was wondering where I could get hold of some exhaust studs just in case.

I have asked the guy I bought the Exhaust from so hopping he can supply them too, but any info is always welcome
[/quote]

do you know what size the studs are and what thread size? ive got a whole load of genuine ford ones to fit a focus so they may well be the same?

Hey Stef,

Cheers for that but I poped into Ford and ordered some up, will measure them and let you know what size they are.

At the moment I am SO frustrated, Unbolted the front pipe but cant get it down passed the drive shaft or up, so I am thinking I am going to unbolt the coil to give me more room and try bring it up and out.

The problem is there is a heavy bracket still bolted to the front pipe but the 10mm bolt heads are too badly rusted, tried 1 but no joy it rounded also tried 3/8" but No joy.

had the car up on axle stands so the wheel / drive shaft is hanging, its not far away but just not going to get past grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

[quote name='bt_cav' timestamp='1316348932' post='144613']
Hey Stef,

Cheers for that but I poped into Ford and ordered some up, will measure them and let you know what size they are.

At the moment I am SO frustrated, Unbolted the front pipe but cant get it down passed the drive shaft or up, so I am thinking I am going to unbolt the coil to give me more room and try bring it up and out.

The problem is there is a heavy bracket still bolted to the front pipe but the 10mm bolt heads are too badly rusted, tried 1 but no joy it rounded also tried 3/8" but No joy.

had the car up on axle stands so the wheel / drive shaft is hanging, its not far away but just not going to get past grrrrrrrrrrrrrr
[/quote]

are you using a 6 point (hex) or 12 point socket? 12 point type have a habit of rounding heads

Hey Mate,

no all my sockets are single hex

[quote name='bt_cav' timestamp='1316351021' post='144617']
Hey Mate,

no all my sockets are single hex
[/quote]

do you have mole grips? you will probably end up shearing the bolt if its only a 10mm head but it will get the bracket off?

yea I was thinking of that, tried it but it was with the straight jaw welding type but found my proper mole grips there's not a lot of room but I'll give it another go

Not having any joy, removed coil but no help, going to have to cut through the old cat to get past the drive shaft eye shields at the ready

[quote name='bt_cav' timestamp='1316358017' post='144629']
Not having any joy, removed coil but no help, going to have to cut through the old cat to get past the drive shaft eye shields at the ready
[/quote]

how did you get on? doesn't sound too good

If i was home I would have loved to help out as im only about 25 miles to west calder and im quite often at livingston but unfortunately im working 450 miles away at the moment

Hey Stef

Cheers for your support mate

When I eventually got hold of a reasonably sharp chisel I cut around the cat as much as I could reach, about half way.....when the rain came on and my arms weighed about 5 stone each and I looked like I had been in rolling in ash because of what came out of the cat. decided it was time to call it a day.

I'll be heading out first thing in the morning to get some new hack saw blades and saw through the rest.

Will let you know how I get on, only hope the new cat goes up with out so much bother with out the bracket on.

I have never thought the KA was a particularly Good looking car, but seeing the back of it as it drove off this evening was beautiful

What a pain in the arse that was, got new hack saw blades, but the handle of the palm saw broke.... Not to worries I thought cant be expensive I'll get another....But no, none to be had anywhere, so I was sold a blade that fits in to 'any' stanley knife which didn't fit so got a new stanley knife, worked well got most of the way around the cat....got the rest with a 24" chisel from above The front pipe came out much easier in 2 parts, chiseled both bolts off the bracket, wacked it all back togeather using a drop of copper slip on the studs & blots etc..., Front pipe went up no problem without the bracket (fitted it after)

Also fitted 2 new Lambda sensors in.

Proper job me thinks

[quote name='bt_cav' timestamp='1316474242' post='144852']
I have never thought the KA was a particularly Good looking car, but seeing the back of it as it drove off this evening was beautiful

What a pain in the arse that was, got new hack saw blades, but the handle of the palm saw broke.... Not to worries I thought cant be expensive I'll get another....But no, none to be had anywhere, so I was sold a blade that fits in to 'any' stanley knife which didn't fit so got a new stanley knife, worked well got most of the way around the cat....got the rest with a 24" chisel from above The front pipe came out much easier in 2 parts, chiseled both bolts off the bracket, wacked it all back togeather using a drop of copper slip on the studs & blots etc..., Front pipe went up no problem without the bracket (fitted it after)

Also fitted 2 new Lambda sensors in.

Proper job me thinks


[/quote]

Well you got there in the end nothing worse when you get one of them jobs that goes from bad to worse.. although it does make you more determined.
Any links to this stanley knife blade?

sounds to me like its a job well done

Hey Stef

yea working outside with only car ramps is not as easy as it is inside a garage with a pit or ramp, but the show must go on

The heat shield and bolts were a pain too, all three of them

here's a link for that hack saw blade [url="http://http://www.stanleytools.co.uk/product/147169#writeTab"]Clicky[/url]