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Tales of woe Lupo Auto cat converter


arosa-beeftex
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Ok, so just to round up a really crap year, Bad Santa and his naughty elves decided to visit my Lupo parked roadside under a light and cut the cat off. Yup. Snip snip and gone. And of course as there is an oxygen sensor behind the cat that has gone too.

Two weeks on I am still looking to find a replacement part. Anybody able to help? I have dredged the Bay, ECP, GSF, walker online, BM exhausts, Autodoc, google and in desperation Amazon, but nothing.

My car is the 1.4 16v AUA automatic, and is now dead. Scrapping is not an option yet, I just spent £500 approx 3 months ago on the timing belt, waterpump, thermostat housing and exhaust system. Really not in the mood to be charitable and scrap my get around which only has 51k on the clock.

So please, sympathy and assistance greatly appreciated, especially the latter.

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A breakers yard will probably have one- easiest option. But lots of pain... There was a red arosa (manual) in Wokingham breakers identical to your's. They might be able to remove and send it to you? "A1" breakers.

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Hi MK2, thanks for the information, much appreciated.

 

Unfortunately the manual cars use a different part. I have phoned and contacted every other source who I have spotted and with no luck getting a match. Considered second hand and found a match car potentially on findapart or someone, but the problem is you don't know what you will receive, i.e. incorrect (8v engine part) , damaged, broken up, corroded. Plus I can't drive there - no cat.

A bespoke system is approx. £600 (phone quote) - looks like that is the only way to keep the car alive.

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Thats a really sh*tty thing to happen - I knew it was a thing, but not seen it myself.  I'm surprised they targeted such a small low car, I can only think it must have been parked in a crime favourable location or run out of easy to access Chelsea tractors / pick ups.

What other damage did they do to get under the Lupo? - did they screw up your sills?

As long as it's not too far and the chopped off section of exhaust isn't catching on the road - just drive to wherever you are getting it fixed, really noisy but dont pay to get it towed.

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7 hours ago, mk2 said:

You could slide on some flexi pipe if they've left some regular tube each side and clamp with some pipe clamps- only so you can drive it- with a check engine light and some leaks...

Thanks mk2, this is my expected xmas weekend project! Car is parked on the road so tricky getting under it.

I have seen a repair exhaust pipe on the bay but need to check the length before I order it. I think a 40" connector pipe is about £25.

 

image.png.381ee477ef867bb19ea0e822e07faab9.png

LR5V - the crooks have cut off about 3 feet length from just behind the cat mounting pins, and in front of the C clamp connecting to the middle box so they must have taken an inch off there too. There is no sill damage that I could see but I will check again. The car was parked very close to the kerb, and the n/s door was roadside, so I did wonder how they got underneath. Obviously well practiced.

And guys, just so you know, I am not restricting my new or second hand parts search to a Lupo. I have found that breakers are not very informative or want to spend time looking at technical specs, they just want a sale. In my search I have looked at any and every exhaust catalogue I can find (Bosal, Klarius, Walker, React....) and cross referenced the O.E. part number as well as replacement part numbers. But this is causing a separate headache (see below). I have also telephoned most spares factors as well as messaged trade sellers on ebay - no joy.

 

image.png.331fd5802a6e5bc3662ea866cd1501e4.png

This image is from the Klarius catalogue. The mounting pins are shown as offset on this unit - on the car they are together. Plus the curve and length of the pipe from the flange looks short, if it represents the actual item. The flange is a 4 bolt, but the angle is also crucial and needs to be checked. The lambda point seems correct. The OE part number was verified without prompting by one helpful part supplier. I have cross referenced the Walker part number 20622 / 20349 - and it brings up non-sensor cats or non- Euro 3 compliant items on the bay!

Unfortunately the flex on the exhaust cat is original and due for replacement, so no-one is prepared to cut and weld a cat on without doing a full repair.

Separately, on the lambda, does anyone know where the plug for the rear sensor fits in the engine bay? I took the car in to a local mechanic, who claimed that it is a 3 pin 'D' plug when every catalogue screams 4 pin! So I have to check the wires as well to see if there are two White, one Grey and one Black or something else. Oh, and the mechanic could not source a length of exhaust pipe to fit the gap!!!???

Ah well, I just noticed it is xmas, so I will put my woes behind me for now and sincerely wish you all a merry and prosperous one. Sadly a lot of us have to make sacrifices and won't be able to see our nearest and dearest. 

 

 

 

Edited by arosa-beeftex
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Yeah - breakers really just want to break! 

For a used part try https://www.stevensvwspares.com/ they should be a bit more caring/knowledgeable

New part - you may be over thinking this, the angle of flange will be taken up by the flexi, due to exhaust route under sump I dont think Auto-box effects  - new pattern parts on Ebay throw this up, for Lupo with your engine: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-VW-Lupo-Polo-1-0-1-4-1999-2003-Catalytic-Converter-Type-Approved/372334037935?_trkparms=aid%3D1110006%26algo%3DHOMESPLICE.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D225076%26meid%3De5638d61d2784deb938946909a2594f1%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D5%26rkt%3D12%26mehot%3Dpf%26sd%3D114477466283%26itm%3D372334037935%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D0%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSimplAMLv5PairwiseWebWithDarwoV3BBEV2b%26brand%3DEEC&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

at £90 its worth a punt to get you going - granted it's not as good as OEM, but wakes me wonder how the crime is worth it

Rear Lambda sensor connection is usually under the car  - enclosed in a black plastic box near to the tunnel - 2 small plastic nuts (iirc 8mm) hold it on and it opens to reveal the connectors. access from drivers side, you can just about reach it without being under the car.  Hopefully they cut the lambda cable rather than just yanking it out.

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Thanks LR5V. I have already been in direct contact with that bay supplier and he told me he does not have a fitment for my car! I am going to have a look under the car tomorrow for the O2 sensor. Yeah, they snipped the sensor cleanly when they took the exhaust.

Interesting that you sent me details about Stevens - I used to use them a lot when I had my beetle(s)! Obviously keeping up with the times and moved on to breaking new VW models.

Bernd has given me a lead as well - thanks. Waiting for a response from the supplier.

Otherwise I'll fall back to plan B which is the repair pipe and it will make the car driveable and also give me some time to sort the cat out. 

And if that fails, well maybe I should try the custom exhaust route.

Is it my imagination or do repair prices inflate during holiday periods?! Grr.

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Yeah, i'd go down the basic pipe route, ideally with an oxygen sensor mounting in there. Then you'd at least get somting close to normal power (it'll be in major limp mode otherwise). That'll buy you time till evrything is back to normal-ish after the hols.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok, been a crappy whole month since the car was disabled but fingers crossed, I have managed to get the right cat. Wasn't easy - looks like there is a cross referencing issue somewhere.

Anyhoo, if it fits, then yaay, the Lupo lives for a few more years. Otherwise there is a tempting scrappage offer hiding in the wings as a final resort.

Thanks to the contributors. A problem aired is a problem shared etc.

 

 

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Ok, first of all, yaaay, the car is fixed. 

A very important lesson was learned during my search for the correct part - it took a bloody long time but was worth it in the end!

The cat part number for info. is BM90849H - the H indicating it is Euro 3/4 compliant.

Most illustrations for this part show the sensor is mounted in the down pipe. Most fitment guides say it is suitable only for manual transmissions. Most fitment guides say it does not apply to the AUA engine code.

Lying sods.

Everyone with the part available for sale declined my offer to buy their part as 'based on the registration it was not suitable for that model'.

Saw this item on the bay, and this seller was the ONLY one who replied to my enquiry and said that it was the correct cat.

image.png.8163225363ecd23131758d4b8b67e097.png

 

 

Although not very clear the picture shows there is a sensor mounting point at the back of the cat. Bought the item, took it around to a friendly local mechanic, and it fitted. Perfectly and without any mods!

 Couldn't source the correct length Oxygen sensor, and couldn't trace the plug so had to buy a Bosch universal unit 0258986507 which was a cut and join. The stated sensor is 1.576m long NGK part number OZA510-V2. Again, no-one could supply one at a reasonable price, and it was a nightmare tracing where it plugs into. Again FYI, the garage finally traced the connector and it is on top of the gearbox apparently.

This has been the worst 6 weeks with the car, but I am glad it came good in the end.

Some not so interesting shots attached of the aftermath of the theft.

 

 

 

Couldn't take any yet of the pride and joy cat fitted as I collected the car this evening.

 

 

 

 

 

pic4.jpg

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pic1.jpg

pic2.jpg

Edited by arosa-beeftex
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Looks the same design as my SDI... (but I know isn't). What amazes me is that they went through all that effort to get perhaps only £15 from a scrap metal place. Must have been thin, deprived little scroats to get under there and pull it out.

oh, the pain for 5 weeks... never good when things like this happen. My bet is the cops turned up, gave you a crime report number and then said "on your way then. Next...." It sadly appears that the only thing they investigate properly now is violent crime, fraud and covid rule breakers.

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11 hours ago, mk2 said:

Looks the same design as my SDI... (but I know isn't). What amazes me is that they went through all that effort to get perhaps only £15 from a scrap metal place. Must have been thin, deprived little scroats to get under there and pull it out.

oh, the pain for 5 weeks... never good when things like this happen. My bet is the cops turned up, gave you a crime report number and then said "on your way then. Next...." It sadly appears that the only thing they investigate properly now is violent crime, fraud and covid rule breakers.

Lol, cops turn up? No chance, all I could do was report it as an incident on a website and receive an auto email with a reference number. Got a call from a PCSO a few days later who tut tutted and tsk tsked and said 'Not heard them steal one of a VW before' and 'no chance of identifying it, sorry'.

Move on, nothing to see here.

TBH I reported it for statistics, and also to ensure that if I got stopped driving my car for repair (I was optimistic at the time) then I would be covered, sort of.

Doesn't make any sense why they pinched it - just hope it doesn't happen again (lightning doesn't strike twice, does it?)

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7 hours ago, Chonpy_snake said:

Wish I had seen earlier have a cat in the shed from a 1.0 looks the same 

Cheers mate, but might have been different fitting etc. Plus not the easiest of things to post and return.

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