Re: [doc] steering joints and cats!!

["claire_usher71" <claire@xxxx>]

Hi all,

would just like to add my 2pth here...... the Dutch pipes are really 
good quality stainless steel - Flopsy, Lex, Tinny and PSO (to name 
but a few) are sporting these now and they look good and do the job 
perfectly. DGS has an aforementioned 'bit of bent pipe' (which was 
manufactured by Mark at a time when the stainless pipes were not 
available) which will soon be changed for one of the Dutch ones due 
to rusting and its starting to blow.

Catalysts were not a legal UK requirement until 1993, so any car made 
before then does not have to undergo a cat test during the annual MOT.

Remember that most of the cats on our cars are over 22yrs old now and 
as many DeLoreans havent seen much use and get laid up for a long 
period of time, it is not surprising that the cats are now breaking 
up and failing. The normal life span of a catalyst in a modern car 
is about 5-6 years, but they have to warm up to be effective which 
can sometimes take up to 10 miles. In my days at Vauxhall, we had 
low mileage (under 20k) Corsa's with cats needing replacing at less 
then 3yrs old as they were failing due to lack of use, whereas the 
high milers like ex-company Cavaliers and Vectras were still on their 
original cats at 150,000 miles + (Daves Cavalier still on original 
catalyst with 158,000 on clock).

Bye for now,

Claire
#2292 'Flopsy'