2000 E46 318i Decat

[andrewbuch]

Has anybody done a Decat on a preface 318i?

Also how would I know if the cats still in place & has not been replaced by a resonator/other box?

The car is on 141000Km so think it might be blocked so time for removal. Well thats the story I am telling my dad .


Just need help identifying the cat, compared to a resonator box it would be replaced with.

And also if someone has done it before on the M43 engine, if it made a difference to power & exhaust tone.


Cheers

Andrew

 

[HotboX]

howzit,
ive done it to my 2000 318i pre-facelift. it was the first box in the front, smaller than the other two. it did make the car louder and gave it a very distinct de-cat tone(sort of M3 but on a smaller scale). it also felt a bit more free with regards to power. i took it out and fitted a straight pipe instead of another box.
Regards

 

[Spy007]

Andrew this was the decat on mine. Might help a bit.


http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=9230

 

[andrewbuch]

Cool thanks. Will look into it. Would rather replace it with a resonate box to keep the m3 sound for the real m3s.

howzit,
ive done it to my 2000 318i pre-facelift. it was the first box in the front, smaller than the other two. it did make the car louder and gave it a very distinct de-cat tone(sort of M3 but on a smaller scale). it also felt a bit more free with regards to power. i took it out and fitted a straight pipe instead of another box.
Regards

---

Thanks I did check it out.what did it do to the sound of gopher?

Andrew this was the decat on mine. Might help a bit.


http://www.bmwfanatics.co.za/showthread.php?tid=9230

 

[Spy007]

Not much. Actually can not even tell if it did anything to the sound. Increased throttle response and power.

 

[andrewbuch]

Plans are in motion The mechanic said after 100 000Km he usually gets rid of them so said I must take it out. Now to tell the father (Owner of car) that it needs to come out. I have a piece of pipe left over from when I fitted the free free flow to the E36 so will first replace the cat with that then Depending how it sounds, Will maybe go for a small resonator/box instead..

 

[GeminiMike]

Dude seriously if your cat is still in good nick LEAVE it. I have just done mine, straight pipe (no box) and also added a minicat to post sensor so that the ECU thinks I have a cat however I have been having issues with fuel. It is using alot more juice, and I think the reason for this is that I have messed with the cars computer and may have to have it remapped. Honestly there isnt that much more power, just a little more torque lower down and the sound well its nice, but becarefull not to end up paying for it. Also if you remove your Cat - dont sell it, well actually you can give it me

 

[andrewbuch]

How do you check a cat? the car has done 142000Km now..

 

[Sankekur]

I think the cats will be gone after 142000km's, also the 2000 318i doesn't have any post cat sensors so the sensors shouln't be a problem.

 

[andrewbuch]

I think the cats will be gone after 142000km's, also the 2000 318i doesn't have any post cat sensors so the sensors shouln't be a problem.

Thats what I was thinking.. Seeing as my Mechanic suggested it, I am not worried about it giving problems

 

[GeminiMike]

Cats usually give off a rotten egg smell when they poked

 

[andrewbuch]

Well I get a rotten egg smell quiet often, always thought it was the clutch.. then had a new clutch fitted as the old was broken. got the rotten egg smell still..

 

[Yulz9081]

@ Gemini Mike, that post cat fooler/Mini cat only needs to be there if the cats on your branch manifold were removed. If you just took the centre one off the main pipe you don't need the cat fooler, I stand to be corrected but maybe take out the mini cat and see if there's a difference.
I had the Mini cat installed on my 318 F/L only after removing all the CATs incl the ones on the branch manifold as only then was the engine light triggered.

 

[andrewbuch]

I was just thinking about removing the big cat under the car. Asked today @ my local super Quick, was told that It will give problems.. But I do not think he knew it was the m43 engine

---

I think I must just cut it out & replace with strait pipe & see what happens

 

[Yulz9081]

Andrew i did that at 1st. Just the big cat was removed with straight pipes. Fuel dropped slightly,raspy-ish tone but no problems with the car, only had engine light triggered after replacing my branches and then needed the post cat fooler.
So go for it :thumbsup:

 

[andrewbuch]

Got a quote from Powerflow in Randburg for R350 to cut out my middle (only) CAT & replace with strait pipe.. Will be getting it done after exams in November, just before my trip to the coast..

 

[Sankekur]

There had better be vids/sound clips :rollsmile:

 

[Diablo Jnr]

Removed my cat as it was broken and replaced with straight pipe...didnt like the tin sound, so ended up installing power flow box just to get rid of the tin sound...much happier now.

 

[andrewbuch]

So On Tuesday when I visited LZ, He organised my car to be Decatted

There is everything in the shopping area that he is in, I was just in that one place & got my aircon serviced, My car Decatted, My dents removed...


So the Decat, I went with replacing it with strait SS pipe..

Noise wise, I notice no difference when the windows are closed..

With the windows open, there is a tinny/raspy noise around 2500 to 3000 rpm.. and then its not really noticeable that anything has been done

Will see if it affects fuel consumption over the next few months... (3000Km roadtrip in December too)

 

[andrewbuch]

So it turns out the Tinny/Raspy sound I was hearing was infact a stuffed centre silencer, with that replaced.. the car now sounds the same as it did with the CAT still in place