I would like to buy an old Lexus LS400. What terrifies me is catalytic converters. I have never owned a car that had one and don't want to. I think that all Lexus's had them from new as standard even before the legislation that made them compulsory.
Here are the questions:
1) Were Lexus's ever produced without Cats. If so to what date?
2) If they were not would it be legal to remove the Cat from a pre-legislation registered car and replace it with a non-Cat exhaust.
3) If 2) is possible would I get such an exhaust for a Lexus or woud it need to be specially made?
Advice appreciated.
Stuart.
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I think cats only became a requirement around 1992/3 so anything before then could have the cat removed.
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Why worry about the cat?They dont often go wrong and if they do they dont cost too much to replace,plenty of aftermarket available or 2nd hand.All Lexus models have cats as standard,for every market.
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I looked into this when investigated my Carlton purchase - on a car costing under a grand you don't want to be shelling out for new cats!
The legislation says that if the car was registered before 1st January 1993 then it is only liable for the non-cat MOT test and they can be removed legally. Check the Vehicle Inspectorate site at www.via.gov.uk for more info.
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Does anyone know of a company that makes cat bypass pipes? I've just been looking on the Internet for one for my 1990 Audi Coupe, and can't find anything.
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My '90 Audi 100 2.0E 135,000 original exhaust 'went' last month - the flange of the downpipe which mates with the 'cat' had corroded. Rather than a new downpipe the ever helpful chap at Kettering Selectatyre just sawed the flange off, removed the 'cat' and inserted a short bit of pipe. V cheap and works a treat.
Also, beware cheap cats. Our Passat failed its emissions at 160,000, probably because I struggled to a garage on 2 or 3 cylinders when the HT leads failed. [what is it with VW/Audi HT leads? I've given up on them and use cheap orange ones from the local autoshop - they're better!] I had it replaced with a cheapo and the exhaust is now uncomfortably noisy - I think it doubled as a silencer. The Audi sounds just the same.
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Any exhaust specialist can make by-pass pipes. BBR of Brackley used to do cat by-passes and re-chipping to compensate for loss of back pressure. All Luxus always had cats, but they can be legally removed, by-passed and ECUs re-programmed up to the end of 1992J. After that the car won't pass its MOT test without its cat equipment.
HJ
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wonder what fuel do they use in the Far East ...?
My Lexus 200 handbook recommends that when the petrol guage is reading "red" or "empty", "you should fill up (except China) ..."
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Try the internet for companies that make Cat's for Lexus much cheaper that OEM, I would not run it without the Cat as you will effect the Oxygen sensor's and subsequently the ECM.
Eleanor
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