Toyota MR2 Part 2
You may remember from chemistry lessons at school that a ‘catalyst’ is a substance that causes a chemical reaction. A catalytic converter employs this principle as it uses catalyst substances to clean up harmful gases from the engine before they exit the exhaust pipe. Generally speaking, a catalytic converter looks like an exhaust silencer, only slimmer and smaller. On modern cars, ‘cats’ are normally situated right up next to the engine so they’ll warm up quicker. They’re much more efficient when hot, which is why it makes sense for them to be located close to the engine where the temperature is higher.
The MR2
What was going to be a treat doing up a car that provoked old fond memories of my best mate has turned out to be a bit of a mission. The parts for imported cars are a nightmare and I thought getting a new CAT would be easy. I was wrong. After hours and hours researching and talking to experts (yeah right) all the wrong parts arrive and get sent back a few too many times, twice to be honest. I thought I was a good parts buyer and enjoyed looking for little bolts and bushes from shops in Poland and Canada, reading the small print and being a geek but the catalytic converter, no. We eventually got the CAT that I was told to get and made it fit. On to the next 3 days trying to sort the window wipers, yes window wipers with some strange connecter thing that nobody on the planet sells for under £60 and I had never seen! I just had to get it. I also got all the parts back from Toyota and they were fitted with no problems (gaskets and belts). Sometimes the dealers are best. Just sometimes. That was my first time the dealers were on it. I’m trying to get MR2 ready for its MOT. One more thing I need to sort is the brake light switch, the brake light is just on. Got a new switch. Not a pretty picture trying to fit that part but it’s done. I will not be posting a pic of that. Bum crack big-time. Lets do the MOT.
FAIL.
Yes it failed. So the oil leak is not an oil leak, it’s the oil left over from the oil leak I sorted. I will clean the engine more but oil burns on a warm engine and gets greasy. The emissions, that’s my fault. The guy said is that a new CAT, yes i said. Is that old FUEL !! yes i said . He giggled. So i fucked up, old fuel and brand new 1 mile old CAT does not fit in to the governments’s emission box. “Go for a drive”. So I went driving for a few hours with a tank of new fuel and let the CAT warm up (nice car). I have booked another MOT for a few days. So close, having fun though. I want it ready for the weekend so I can spend some time with her.
