A7 Catalytic converter replacement options

[Ngb5050]

Hitting 129k and it’s looking like my catalytic converters are starting to go. I am tuned as of about 3k miles ago on EPL stage 1 CA 91. Doubt that was the source cause based on the. I’ll of those miles being a cross country road trip on the highway and not spirited driving.

Regardless, I plan on keeping the car long term and want to know what my options are aside from just replacing stock cats with OEM cats from FCPEuro. Are there better cats or cats that are less likely to get spent?

Thanks!


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[WatchMeSpend]

https://www.gesi.us/emissions-soluti...-technologies/

[Ngb5050]

Thanks! Have you used these on your 3.0T?


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[WatchMeSpend]

Thanks! Have you used these on your 3.0T?


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No. Hopefully my cats will last. I have seen them mentioned here and used before.

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...highlight=gesi

[Alabama]

Thanks! Have you used these on your 3.0T?

When US companies sold aftermarket downpipes with a CAT option, several used GESI. RedStar still offers a GESI option on their downpipes so presumably it's a good product. RedStar also offers a cat from a German company HJS Emission Technology GmbH & Co. KG, maybe another option. And, you're not in California!

[Rsniper4]

It seems suspicious to me that a stock cat only lasted you ~130k miles.
Check your tune and make sure you're not running rich/lean. Improper A/F ratios for extended periods of time will damage your cat prematurely.

[Hurricane17]

If the car is burning oil, it will clog the cats. It’s a pretty well known issue on the A6/A7 with the 3.0T. At least on YouTube and in my research so far. Some people have reported clogged cats at much lower mileage than 130k.

[WatchMeSpend]

If the car is burning oil, it will clog the cats. It’s a pretty well known issue on the A6/A7 with the 3.0T. At least on YouTube and in my research so far. Some people have reported clogged cats at much lower mileage than 130k.

Can these be cleaned. I think I remember some people from back in the day soaking their cats in a cleaning solution. I believe they were calling the clogged cats "lava flow" because they looked like they were full of lava.

[Ngb5050]

I change my oil and burned about .5L over 5K miles… which seems pretty good to me. That said, it had a leaky valve cover gasket before, perhaps this caused some premature aging if it was leaking into the the cylinders as well.


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[Ngb5050]

I also find it strange they both failed at the same time, both p0420 and P0430.


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[Valpo A7]

I am stock @ 221,000 miles and burn some oil thanks to the PCV. Original cats.

[Audpor911]

JHM has a hi flow cat kit for these cars.

[Ngb5050]

JHM has a hi flow cat kit for these cars.

My only issue with those is that I will still have CEL with those. I was ready to purchase until I read that. I’m registered in another state but now live in CA so should I ever want to sell the car it would be an issue I believe.

Also, I plan to stay registered in another state as I fall in to a caveat allowing me to keep it registered in the other state. So for the short term I suppose that is really solid option.


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[Ngb5050]

Cats seem to have resolved themselves after it coming back every time I cleared the codes. Changed my oil with the same oil, LM 5W-40 (no ceratec this time), CEL went away in its own. Reset codes, ran through readiness conditions and it hasn’t come back. Not sure if the oil changed was related but that’s the only change between then and now. Hoping it doesn’t come back.

Had a shop check the O2 readings and they’re in spec.

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[zyrofillica]

Cats seem to have resolved themselves after it coming back every time I cleared the codes. Changed my oil with the same oil, LM 5W-40 (no ceratec this time), CEL went away in its own. Reset codes, ran through readiness conditions and it hasn’t come back. Not sure if the oil changed was related but that’s the only change between then and now. Hoping it doesn’t come back.

Had a shop check the O2 readings and they’re in spec.

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Saw this product: CATACLEAN, pour direct into your fuel tank and go. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NysgRXOM6x8) Seems to clear and clean clogged cats. Has anyone tried it with some feedback and good results?