A mate has a BA turbo that has collapsed the guts in the cat.

The car is bog standard other than an F6 Airbox and K&N Panel filter and he has no intention of modifying it - he has had it 4 yrs so it's a fairly safe bet he wont be bitten by the same bug.

So - the big question. Is there a bolt on replacement cat that can be used safely without the need to go to the expense of a flash tuner and tune?

Ford NZ have quoted $3900 for a factory cat so that option is cost prohibitive.

Any ideas or advice appreciated.

its legal to not run any cat so tell him just remove it and get a retune cheaper than that and u get the bonus of a tune

Might be cheaper to get a tune in Oz but over here in NZ it is still roughly a grand + the flash tuner.

Not much cheaper for a tune here XR6TWolf. He is probably better off getting either an aftermarket full exhaust, or seeing if you can buy a second hand exhaust from Aus and shipping it over. Still saving heaps of $. $3900 for a cat? It would want to be a pedigree. lol

You probably would spend close to as much as tune and a straight pipe. Take it to speedtech theyll do a good job.

A 400cpi cat should not throw out the factory boost settings, I think they are about that from factory. One here wouldn't cost more than $ 200 to buy.

Am I reading it right.. $3,900 for a CAT? Not a whole exhaust? Pick one up at a wreckers maybe, go to an exhaust shop, they must have a brand that makes oem replacements..

For $3900... I'll fly over, bring a full exhaust with me... Fit it up... Sleep with your missus... Stay for a week on holidays... And then fly back (and keep the change!)

Just thought I'd update this as I had a number of PMs suggesting various things.

He managed to find a second hand cat locally for a mere $30. Had it fitted and INSTANT cure.

What caused it to block is another matter. I have no idea if "it just happens over time" or there has or is another causal factor.

Two PMs recieved suggest cats dont just block - I just sliced the end of this one tonight and I can assure you....they block!

Were this my car I'd have happily headed to one of only two tuners I'd trust in this country, fitted a decent exhaust with high flow cat and tuned it accordingly. It wasn't mine and its owner is happy with factory performance as he has been for the last few years -- I.e. he didn't want to increase power, torque or anything else.

I have to admit it is pretty shocking that when a cat blocks the owner is left with little option but to HOPE for a second hand one or spend rough enough to $2000 to modify a car he didnt want to modify simply because Fraud are happy to stick it right up their customers.