2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Sat 19 May 2012 14:16
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - Ivanovich

The Catalytic Converter Box on this car had a hole in it and the Fitment Centre said they could not weld the hole. The price of that Converter in South Africa is over 1,000 BrPds and the rear Silencer Box is 385 BrPds! They persuaded me to replace the whole exhaust system with two Universal Silencer Boxes and new Piping. My question is as follows: The Exhaust System now is terribly noisy and I believe that I must get them to put in a 3rd Silencer Box. Will these modifications affect the Engine and Fuel Economy? They claim that it will improve the Performance and Economy

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 19 May 2012 14:23
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - unthrottled

Those prices are ridiculous. You can get a catalytic converter for under £150 in the UK. It would be cheaper to pay postage to SA!

A single resonator and a rear silencer should do an excellent job of quietening the exhaust down with only only a sm all pressure drop.

I can't understand why you've been sold the disaster of a system that you have got.

People equate noise with power, but fiddling around with the exhaust will only have a negligible effect on power and economy either way.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 19 May 2012 15:49
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - gordonbennet

Did you go to an exhaust centre that specialises in bog bore noisy things for boy racers, cos it sounds like thats what has been fitted to your car.

Even if you have 4 silencers, if all of them are straight through jobbies it'll stll sound dreadful.

Usual method in UK if OE exhausts are ridiculous prices, and pattern difficult to find (some are rubbish anyway), is to buy a pattern CAT, as Unthrottled mentions, then depending on age and potential life of car, get a stainless steel system fitted usually with a lifetime guarantee (well for as long as the company trades), most stainless centres offer silencers to suit what the customer requires, from OE standard through to dreadful racket.

edit..don't suppose you've still got the old system?

Edited by gordonbennet on 19/05/2012 at 15:52

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 19 May 2012 16:12
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - unthrottled

I'm not sure stainless is worth the extra, unless you do very short trips in a wet environment. if the exhaust system gets hot, then corrosion should be very slow. Stainless steel has a nasty habit of turning into mild steel where it is welded.

If you have annual emissions testing, it is nigh on impossible to get a decatted car through the test.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 20 May 2012 17:05
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - Ivanovich

Hi Gordon,

I actually asked for Stainless Steel and they told me they are unable to source them in South Africa and they would cost 3 times that of Mild Steel. I tried a large franchise group of Fitment Centres but they had no idea on what to do with a leaking Cat apart from suggesting they remove it but did not know what to do with the Sensor! I then went to a company that has been trading in Johannesburg for 29 years as they advertised in a National Newspaper as being experts on Cats and Exhaust Systems.

I will return there on Monday and try and get my old system back. The Agents for PSA/Citroen are useless and quoted those ridiculous prices for the replacements. We are definitely Third World here in South Africa.

By the way my Brakes are still Squealing but this week I will get the Discs skimmed. I was quoted 100 BrPds to fit New Discs to the front. I had replaced the Pads already.

Thanks for all your help.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 20 May 2012 16:50
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - Ivanovich

Please could you give me the name and Website of a Firm that can supply me with a Cat for this Citroen. Thanks for that advice.

There are two Universal silencers fitted that are absolutely useless. I am going back to them first thing on Monday and getting them to put back the old system.

Unfortunately South Africa has a lot of cowboys in the Motor Trade.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 20 May 2012 17:49
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - gordonbennet

Therre must be makers or importers in SA, surely, anyway...

www.cats-direct-shop.co.uk/

www.cats2u.co.uk/

www.eurocarparts.com/catalytic-converter

www.eurocats.co.uk/

I had a couple of companies recommended by others in my favourites, typically now i want to find them i can't.

The sites above are a small selection from a search engine, i have no idea how good they are or whether they would consider sending to SA, all you can do is ask them, and its entirely possible that other suppliers in Europe might be cheaper anyway, and more inclined to send, though who to ask i haven't a clue.

If you do buy from Europe, you'll have to make very sure that the cat you order will fit your car, for obvious reasons i imagine very accurate measurements will be needed, i once owned a Volvo 122s that had been in South Africa for its first 10 years, completely different to UK models, engine fitted was not available in UK, so take great care..

Best of luck with this, you're a braver man than me running something as complicated as a Citroen in your country if parts and service are a problem, i'd be running a Toyota bakkie..:-).

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 May 2012 18:04
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - Ivanovich

Thanks Gordon,

Unfortunately the cost of Air Freight plus Customs and Import Duties negates buying in the UK or Europe. The Government is hell bent on protecting "local" manufacturers in spite of the fact that they cannot compete on highly technical issues. I am now onto the 3rd Rear Silencer Box and it is not anywhere as good as the original 8-year-old Stainless Steel one which they refuse to put back (they say that there is rust forming inside the Box)as they will not Guarantee the rest of the system if they do this.

I have driven thousands of miles throughout Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland and Namibia and it is quite amazing to see the old French cars still travelling around the bush. Of course these days the Toyota and Izuzu bakkies are in vogue.

What sold me on the Citroen C5 was the incredible hydropneumatic suspension, it's like armchair driving! The next best was the old Toyota Camrys we had here in South Africa but Toyota dropped them in 2005.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 May 2012 18:09
2004 CITROEN C5 2 LT. AUTO - REPLACING CATALYTIC CONVERTER WITH A STRAIGHT BOX - Ivanovich

Unfortunately the Local manufacturers either don't respond or ask ridiculous prices like the Citroen Agents! Service is almost non-existant in South Africa these days.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link

We give you the low down on how to save on insurance, little-known tricks and tips, what insurance groups mean and how to use insurance aggregators to beat insurers.

Insurance group finder and how to save on insurance

Looking for a garage you can trust? Honest John's Good Garage Guide has thousands of reader recommended garages, plus how-to guides and tips on servicing.

The Good Garage Guide