V6 cat mounting bracket problem

Replacement V6 Catalytic converter woes..

I just thought I'd pass on my tales of woe with this one.

As part of my ongoing battle to get my 2001 V6 through the MOT I've had a big fight with the exhaust system (also all of the brake lines, rear brake cylinders... etc. etc.)

The silencers were marked as "advisory - technical description - nearly knackered" (in slightly better language).
As I had to replace all of the brakelines anyway I dropped the rear silencer and found that it was perforated and actually blowing.

I've also got the beginnings of what appears to be HGF. The existing cat is marginal at best and I don't really want to poison a new one until the HGF problem is sorted.

Anyway, I found a complete system online for a good price. I hit the credit card and ordered one. When it arrived, I found that the cat was not type approved (it could only be legally supplied for a pre 2001 vehicle).
The system was advertised as suitable for 2000-2006. I had just assumed that a type approved cat covering all years would be supplied.. my bad.

I tried fitting it anyway and found that the front mount was wrong. It was about an inch out.. (hitting on the housing before the downpipes aligned).

A call to the seller resulted in a replacement cat being dispatched the next day.. this with an assurance that this was the correct cat.

Yes, you guessed it.. the replacement cat also had the mounting bracket in the wrong place... identical to the first.

As far as I know, all of the V6's are identical wrt the cat mounting stud.
A call to the supplier resulted in them escalating this to the manufacturer who stated "that all of their manufacturing jigs were to specification"..

I don't care what they say... this cat will not fit on a 2001 with the bracket in the supplied position. Everything else on the cat is fine.. apart from the mounting bracket.

See the attached photo which shows the original LR cat with the replacement below. The images were taken from above the brackets, looking down.

The seller now says that they will refund me for the cat part of the deal.

I've now refitted the original cat (as per the original plan) and I'll just see what happens with the emissions test.

If it fails, then I'll just cut off the incorrect bracket and use a generic adjustable exhaust hanger. I shouldn't have to... but I have been refunded... :>)

I had **great fun** removing the original cat... Well done to LR in deciding to put one of the downpipe joints just above the front crossmember.. I had real fun removing rusted in nuts with virtually zero access..
The fun continued with the pressed in studs. I had to drill out five of the little sods! God! I **HATE** these on exhaust systems!!

Sorry to "go on a bit".. I just needed to "vent"

Bodge99

How many miles is on the car? Mine passes the Mot emissions without any guts in my cat!!
What are your HGF symptoms?

Hello:

Nodge68:

It's a 2001 with just over 60K on it. It had 43K on it when we got it approx 5 years ago.
It looks like it was a second car for somebody.. I think it has spent most of its life sitting on the drive.. There was a water leak from a wrongly fitted door seal so I think that the interior was very humid for a considerable length of time.

Most of the problems that I've had with it seem to be related to it having little use..
e.g. really gummy injectors when we first got it. A little injector cleaner really worked wonders..

Everything and I mean everything is/was really tight.. All nuts and bolts are very badly rusted up. I had to disconnect/reconnect virtually every electrical connection (several times) to clear surface corrosion on them..

I had to use an angle grinder to remove the rear brake cylinders.. not on the fixing bolts... ha no! I actually had to cut the little b***ers off! and even then they fought me to the last few mm of aluminium.

I'm thinking of early signs of HGF due to coolant loss. The thermostat housing seems sound as does the radiator and all coolant hoses. Oil cap has a little mayo under it.. but that might be due to our low usage (just "round the doors").

We got it for next to nothing as the S/H car dealer couldn't sort out the electrical problems (connector corrosion problems coupled with several dry joints in the engine management, central locking and security ecu's)

I love the car to bits. I can easily move 4' fish tanks if I take the rear seats out. It's also great for carrying my daughters wheelchair. I'll be very sad when it finally does expire. I'm dreading any future VCU problems and the potential costs involved at belt change time.

Sorry.. I'm in full "waffle on" mode.. I'll be a good boy now and go and feed the fish.

Bodge99.

Before condemning the HGs check that the header tank is crack free. The KV6 doesn't pop HGs like the 1.8 unless it's been run with low water! Other places for water to be lost is the thermostat and top hose elbow and the heater matrix. The water pump can leak too, often after periods of layup!!
Cam belts are easy to do if you are methodical
I've a guide in my signature
At 60K miles the cats should be fine, justmake sure they are proper hot for the emissions test. Letting the engine idle for 5 minutes before the test isn't enough to heat them

I also read on the Rover 75 forums that the inlet manifold gasket on the kv6 can be faulty and let water in as well.

Great read for the KV6 engine:

The 75 and ZT Owners Club Forums - View Single Post - Problem with V6 oil level.......

Hello,

Nodge68:

I changed the header tank last year... cracked spigot.

Thermostat, hoses and matrix seem OK as far as I can tell.. I haven't specifically considered the waterpump yet.. thanks for the tip.

If the belts get done... then I'd prefer to do it myself (both for reasons of cost and interest). The cost of the belts (et al) is enough to start with, let alone the engine setting/locking kit (Laser - £230 ish, Sealey - £350 ish.)

I understand that it is possible to "home brew" cam lockers and do the job without "pukka" tools but without previous experience doing this job, I'm hesitant attempting it without the kit..
The last engine that I rebuilt was a 1798cc B series (MGB). Not a lot of plastic or aluminium in that lump!

I'll have a look at your guide.. many thanks.

Anyway, that's a job for the future.. I've still got the MOT to get through..

Bodge99

Zefrench: Thanks for the link.. I'll have a look later tonight.

Bodge99

bodge99 said:

Hello,

Nodge68:

I changed the header tank last year... cracked spigot.

Thermostat, hoses and matrix seem OK as far as I can tell.. I haven't specifically considered the waterpump yet.. thanks for the tip.

If the belts get done... then I'd prefer to do it myself (both for reasons of cost and interest). The cost of the belts (et al) is enough to start with, let alone the engine setting/locking kit (Laser - £230 ish, Sealey - £350 ish.)

I understand that it is possible to "home brew" cam lockers and do the job without "pukka" tools but without previous experience doing this job, I'm hesitant attempting it without the kit..
The last engine that I rebuilt was a 1798cc B series (MGB). Not a lot of plastic or aluminium in that lump!

I'll have a look at your guide.. many thanks.

Anyway, that's a job for the future.. I've still got the MOT to get through..

Bodge99

Click to expand...

Cam belts are not really any more difficult than on a twin cam engine. I've done them lots of times, even did a guide to show how it's done.
The KV6 inlet manifold doesn't normally let water enter the engine without it being visible

where did you have the exhaust from don't tell me it was from Mr . Exhaust

Hello,

No names for the seller.. but the cats are available on Ebay for about £90.
You'll see the same photos on multiple sellers..

I'll dig out the paperwork and post the part number later on..

Bodge99

Hello.

The cat part number is BM90871H. A slight clue in the first two letters regarding the manufacturer...

Bodge99

Update:

My V6 passed the MOT this morning...

As stated above, I'd refitted the original cat and had decided to "suck it and see" regarding the emissions test.

Anyway, considering that I had given the cat quite a bit of abuse in actually removing it from the car, (let alone removing the remains of 5 pressed in studs) I was gobsmacked to see the emission results:-

Fast idle
CO 0.00% (was 0.1%, limit 0.2%)
HC 2 (was 5, limit 200 ppm)

Natural idle
CO 0.00% (was 0.2%, limit 0.3%)

The tester actually complemented me on the brakelines that I'd made up. Well chuffed!

I'm a **very** happy bunny now!

Bodge99

bodge99 said:

Update:

My V6 passed the MOT this morning...

As stated above, I'd refitted the original cat and had decided to "suck it and see" regarding the emissions test.

Anyway, considering that I had given the cat quite a bit of abuse in actually removing it from the car, (let alone removing the remains of 5 pressed in studs) I was gobsmacked to see the emission results:-

Fast idle
CO 0.00% (was 0.1%, limit 0.2%)
HC 2 (was 5, limit 200 ppm)

Natural idle
CO 0.00% (was 0.2%, limit 0.3%)

The tester actually complemented me on the brakelines that I'd made up. Well chuffed!

I'm a **very** happy bunny now!

Bodge99

Click to expand...

Emissions look good to me!! The factory cats are well up to the task
Well done on the MOT!!

Hello,

Nodge68:

The "was xx" figures were produced at the same test centre by the same tester about 3 weeks ago.

Many thanks for your help, suggestions and tips over the last couple of weeks... You've helped me get the car legal just before the really bad weather arrived.

Plenty of further jobs to do on the car.. but nothing that's really urgent for now.

I intend to look at opening the idle control valve stepper with the view of writing up an overhaul guide when the weather is a little better.. I'm working in the back yard as SWMBO won't let me bring any more stuff into the house... I've already got several computer motherboards, laptops, a couple of Bell Punch adding machines and a Remington typewriter in bits in the front room... I don't **really** want to push my luck.. ;>)

Bodge99

bodge99 said:

Hello,

Nodge68:

The "was xx" figures were produced at the same test centre by the same tester about 3 weeks ago.

Many thanks for your help, suggestions and tips over the last couple of weeks... You've helped me get the car legal just before the really bad weather arrived.

Plenty of further jobs to do on the car.. but nothing that's really urgent for now.

I intend to look at opening the idle control valve stepper with the view of writing up an overhaul guide when the weather is a little better.. I'm working in the back yard as SWMBO won't let me bring any more stuff into the house... I've already got several computer motherboards, laptops, a couple of Bell Punch adding machines and a Remington typewriter in bits in the front room... I don't **really** want to push my luck.. ;>)

Bodge99

Click to expand...

I'll look forward to seeing the write up on the stepper, but understand your position regarding stuff in the house My SWMBO doesn't like my projects in the house either but then i've no excuses as i've plenty of workshop space!!
Good luck with your V6