Cat Position

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Hopkins
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Cat Position

Post by Hopkins »

I've just had a new third party cat installed, and it pokes out about 30mm lower than the cross members. Combined with the 15mm lower PZ suspension, it now scrapes on some of the more aggressive speed bumps when the car is fully laden - even when taken very carefully. This is the second third party cat I have had. The first was installed by Essex Rotary and they somehow managed to get the cat almost right up against the heat shield. This time, The Performance Shop installed it and I even took it back to see if they could do anything more - they managed about 5mm. It's still quite a way from the heat shield and they couldn't see a way to change this, given the fixed location of the exhaust outlet.

Does anyone have any ideas? It's making me wonder if, next time, I should just go for broke and get a genuine Mazda replacement...
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PaulAV
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Re: Cat Position

Post by PaulAV »

Maybe some new or adjustable exhaust hangers, if you can raise the midpipe you may be able to get some more movement upwards
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Hopkins
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Re: Cat Position

Post by Hopkins »

Thanks. They did attempt to raise the mid-pipe (I think you mean the pipe connecting the exhaust muffler to the back of the cat) but bending the hanger a bit, but felt that they'd taken it as far as it could go. I see their point, and have no idea how Essex Rotary got it higher! I should have looked more closely. I do have a different exhaust now - at the same time I had a second hand PZ exhaust installed, so perhaps that forces a lower mid-pipe than the stock exhaust.