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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17327

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
My Puma is trying to de-cat itself!
Over the last couple of weeks I have become aware of the tell-tale sounds and smell of an exhaust leak, and initially I thought it would be my annual problem of the front branch of the exhaust manifold coming loose, or failing that the common Puma problem of the manifold/turbo flange joint leaking.

A careful inspection has however revealed it is neither of these - my leak is caused by the flange on the top of the downpipe separating from the pipe along the weld! Big Cry

So, bearing in mind that I cannot afford to be without the vehicle for more than a couple of days, I think my options are:

1) Buy a new genuine downpipe complete with cat. At approx £750 this is not a particularly appealing option!

2) Remove the old pipe and try to find someone who can TIG weld it (it is stainless). Downsides - time, finding someone to weld it, uncertainty of result.

3) Fit a decat pipe, for approx £100. Upside - decat, cheap. Downside - cat needed for MOT.

4) As 3, but then try to get the old pipe welded before it is needed for MOT (and possibly drill out cat prior to refitting). Upside - cheap, decat.

5) If such a thing is available and affordable, fit a decat pipe that looks like the original downpipe.

Can anyone suggest any other options?

I know that views are mixed on decatting the Puma, with some (including highly respected tuners) arguing that some back pressure is advantageous, so is it worth looking at decat options? Would those who have decatted recommend it?

Does anyone know of a supplier of decat pipes which look as thought they have factory cats fitted?

Please feel free to pm rather than reply publicly if preferred.
Post #410691 24th Mar 2015 11:08pm
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Likeomg



Member Since: 29 Jun 2012
Location: Lake District / Newcastle
Posts: 2637

2010 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Stornoway Grey
has anybody actually failed for not having a cat in yet... Shocked ?
Post #410695 24th Mar 2015 11:28pm
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ian series 1



Member Since: 17 Nov 2014
Location: south
Posts: 3127

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 CSW Bonatti Grey
One of the first things I did on my 2008 2.4 was to dump the cat!
It was MOTd a few weeks ago.

When handed the pass certificate all they said was....that's a really nice Land Rover! Razz 80" 80" 86" 88" 90"

Wanted, Forward Control Anything considered.
Post #410702 25th Mar 2015 6:54am
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munch90



Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: guildford
Posts: 3558

England 
guessing at 90% of mot stations it wont be a problem , most testers are more for safety concerns , brakes , rust etc

maybe a problem if you get stopped by vosa , they tend to go bit more mad about the rules

would I decat probably no as I don't think the benefits are that much , and don't want any extra noise

I know stainless welds best by tig even more so with marine stainless , but most standard exhaust stainless ( most exhaust stainless is cheap magnetic stainless with a high steel content ) will mig weld with normal steel wire ok , ok weld will rust , maybe not as strong but its a faster option for quick repair and still could last years
Post #410704 25th Mar 2015 7:01am
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Likeomg wrote:
has anybody actually failed for not having a cat in yet... Shocked ?


Yes!

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic28888....t+mot+fail

Morning Blackwolf....Option 5 and 'adapt at leisure'.....For ease I fitted mine in the same place a TD5 one is fitted. Thumbs Up


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Details here along with a couple of other options:

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic26633.html?highlight=cat If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #410715 25th Mar 2015 7:48am
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theorangebandit



Member Since: 03 Jun 2013
Location: Stowmarket
Posts: 862

One of the high three tuners (Alive, BAS, IRB) stock or have mentioned stocking in the future a sports cat for the puma. Yesterday u may want to put some emails in to figure out who. Could a second hand cat with the guts smashed out not be found ?
Post #410740 25th Mar 2015 11:31am
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
'Faux' ones are already available but look rubbish. This was a thread from Alive.....

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic26709....sports+cat

And a public forum unanswered thread question from a few months later. (May have had an answer by pm.)

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic30320....sports+cat If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #410749 25th Mar 2015 12:32pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17327

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
I spoke with Alive this morning - the "sports cat" downpipe doesn't exist and will not exist since the price was going to be prohibitive. There are as far as I can tell no "faux cat" pipes avilable for the TDCi - they only way would be to make your own by drilling out the core of the cat.

(Speaking of the drilling out option, there was a thread on here with pictures from someone on the forum who'd done precisely this, but I can't find them. Can anyone else locate them? I'm probably being cack-handed!)

It is rumoured that there was an "empty cat" pipe available from LR at some time for export markets, but I cannot find the part number and I doubt that it is readily available.

Alive can supply a very smart decat pipe which allows the heatshield to be refitted. The outcome of the MOT would probably depend on the experience of the tester. There are several on here who have had this arrangement pass the MOT.

I did wonder if a printed label with a convincing bar code and the words "catalytic converter" stuck on the middle silencer might be a low-cost solution!
Post #410776 25th Mar 2015 1:30pm
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K9F



Member Since: 12 Nov 2009
Location: Bournemouth
Posts: 9610

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 XS CSW Stornoway Grey
Afternoon Blackwolf.....

Oh the irony......it was my cat ZeDefender purchased and knocked the guts out of! Hence the reason I had to travel down the path I did when legislation changed. Mind you the freedom decatting gave the engine I would have been loathe to refit a standard one anyway. It was in my view the cheapest performance enhancement and engine protection modification you could do next to EGR blanking.

Details here:

http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic15424....p;start=45

I at one stage was contemplating buying a Ford Transit 2.4 one and adapting to fit by again fitting it where the TD5 one was, at less than £100 exc VAT it would have been a viable solution. a 'cat's a cat' and it is just a visible check.

http://www.cats2u.co.uk/29666/Catalytic-Co...RANSIT/2.4 If you go through life with your head in the sand....all people will see is an ar5e!!

Treat every day as if it is your last....one day you will be right!!
Post #410817 25th Mar 2015 3:54pm
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fatman



Member Since: 14 Jan 2014
Location: Athens-Greece
Posts: 126

Greece 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 USW Keswick Green
Re: My Puma is trying to de-cat itself!
blackwolf wrote:
Over the last couple of weeks I have become aware of the tell-tale sounds and smell of an exhaust leak, and initially I thought it would be my annual problem of the front branch of the exhaust manifold coming loose,
so this also happened to your puma too? Apart from my broken turbo i also observed a manifold leak behind the a/c compresor,but i didn't check the retaining bolts and nuts,thought that the manifold wrapped - as for the decat do it K9F's way.
Post #410825 25th Mar 2015 4:18pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17327

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
@K9F - Thanks for the link - I think I did find that thread but skipped the bit I was looking for!

@Fatman - Interesting to know it isn't just mine that does that trick with the front branch of the manifold. About once a year I have to tighten it up again. Curiously it is just that one branch, the others are fine. I don't have A/C on my Defender, and I am so tempted to machine a large chunk of that bracket that holds the alternator (and A/C compressor if fitted) to improve access and possibly cooling.

Thumbs Up
Post #410842 25th Mar 2015 4:56pm
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carrotbay



Member Since: 18 Aug 2013
Location: Northants, UK
Posts: 699

United Kingdom 2008 Defender 110 BMW M57 3.0 Diesel XS CSW Auto Santorini Black
TMD do a 'sports cat' .. a bit pricey through at £695 + vat Shocked

http://www.tmdtuning.com/exhausts/tmd-sports-cat-detail 2008 Defender 110 XS SW - M57N2 / 6HP28X
Post #410849 25th Mar 2015 5:23pm
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Cupboard



Member Since: 21 Mar 2014
Location: Suffolk
Posts: 2971

United Kingdom 2011 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 HT Corris Grey
Just because it's stainless doesn't mean you have to TIG weld it. Sure, TIG welding is the nicest sort but you can stick and MIG stainless (with appropriate stainless sticks/wire). I've never got round to learning how to TIG but have welded stainless stuff Thumbs Up

However, an exhaust is quite thin which will make it trickier.
Post #410900 25th Mar 2015 7:28pm
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Dave-H



Member Since: 08 Feb 2011
Location: Surrey
Posts: 1507

England 2007 Defender 90 Puma 2.4 HT Tonga Green
munch90 wrote:


would I decat probably no as I don't think the benefits are that much , and don't want any extra noise



I refitted my cat last year for the MOT, and can honestly say I've noticed no difference whatsoever in performance or fuel use Smile

And [As Munch says] with the cat It's a little less noisy [Mine has centre box removed], I actually prefer it now.

No longer convinced by the 'Pros and cons' arguments ... My cat is staying put Wink Guns and Landrovers .... anything else is irrelevant.
Post #410960 25th Mar 2015 9:25pm
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blackwolf



Member Since: 03 Nov 2009
Location: South West England
Posts: 17327

United Kingdom 2007 Defender 110 Puma 2.4 DCPU Stornoway Grey
Well, "there's your problem" as they say on Mythbusters.

I thought there was little crack , I wasn't quite expecting this! This could be a bit challenging to repair, and getting the flange at the right angle won't be easy.



Click image to enlarge




Click image to enlarge
Post #411584 27th Mar 2015 11:34pm
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