Type APPROVED or not type approved?

Since I assume that my catalytic converters are goners, I was looking for replacement. Looks more or less like there is just one option, given that I am in Australia: An ebay seller in the UK. He sells a lot of different cats for the X308 3.2L (1998): Type approved and not type approved. There is a bit of saving for not type approved. I would not worry about "MOT"-like exhaust measurement, as this is not being checked in Australia. But I would worry about the engine playing up, if the upstream and downstream O2 sensors measure something else as they expect...!?
Also: Even for type approved, that same seller offers a lot of different versions, and according to ebay-parts-checker only the more expensive ones are correct for my X308, even though I cannot see a difference on the cats...

And do I have other options at all? would it be an option to use the old flanges and weld generic cats in there? Or would the O2 sensor definitely play up? And would the amount of welding-work not justify the saving?

PS: I just got a reply from the seller in the UK. The answer so far is - contrary to the ebay parts checker - that they do amongst all those cats they are selling not have any cat for my X308. I can't believe that, but I can't buy expensive cats with expensive postage, while the seller tells me, it would not fit...
This means: Currently it looks like cats for the X308 3.2L 1998 are nowhere on this planet being sold...!?

PS2: They are serious in that ebay shop: They do not have anything for me. I apparently need NNE6700CA and NNE6701CA (for RH and LH). Also, my question regarding not type approved is pointless now, as they do not ship that stuff overseas.

PS3: OK, I found another UK seller for those correct cats. But the price it getting up and up and up... - thus again: Is it possible to do a DIY weld-fix with new cheap generic cats?

 

For the US/north American members. We probably don't know what type approved means.

Anyway. Our X308s are all 4.0

 

So, I would be very cautious regarding generic ones because they probably don't have the proper filter material. You'll either be replacing them quite soon or they won't function at all with the ECU.

Check this chap out... https://www.xk8-parts.com/2013/06/gr...ic-convertors/ ...says 215 Sterling Pound ea, and he talks about approved ones.
Which is a far side cheaper than I've seen listed here in the US in the $500-1600 range ea.

Now, when you say they are goners,...are you speaking they are rusted through or the like? Or are you getting a code, ...we have a couple of products, with the same intention, that you run through which is supposed to help clean up the CAT.
One is "Guaranteed To Pass" and another is "CataClean". I recently used the CataClean on my Dodge work van because the O2 failed and ran massively rich, coating the CAT. I replaced the O2 and ran a bottle of that through it and the code is gone. I know it cleaned of my intake air temp sensor as well.

Also, in The Marketplace, in the top task bar, there are a couple of 308's being parted out, could save you some money if they are still available? Shipping being your biggest enemy.

 

Thanks, highhorse,
Meanwhile I spotted the cats in your link as well, but I actually progressed even further:

For once, I found NNE6700CA and NNE6701CA even a little bit cheaper than in that link. All those part are aftermarket parts, hence the price difference to the $500-1600, which you quoted. Those aftermarket parts are supposed to be of high quality and are made in the UK. They would have to be, as I cannot find any such parts from Chinese retailers.

There is a site on the internet, where I can see that NNE6700CA and NNE6701CA do fit the
XJ 1998 - 2003 (FROM 812317 TO F59525) CLASSIC
So, yes, it fits. And it is on one end a flange and on the other a pipe.

But on that same site, I can also find that NJA6700CJ and NJA6701CJ do fit the
XJ 1998 - 2003 (FROM 812317 TO F59525) CLASSIC
This means that those 2 ALSO do fit my 862169, and also: one end a flange and on the other a pipe.

So if NNE6700CA and NNE6701CA fit my Jag, that does not mean that NJA6700CJ and NJA6701CJ would not fit. They apparently do fit as well.

And for the latter ones I found that that seller, which I found initially, is actually offering them - so he has parts for me without knowing it yet.

Also, I just found another confirmation on another internet site:
If I look for NNE6700CA, then I do find there NNE6700CA..., but
if I look there for NJA6700CJ, it tell me "1 product found" and shows me NNE6700CA,
which tells me, that NNE6700CA and NJA6700CJ are 2 numbers for exactly the same product...!

So I am getting there.

And yes: I also heard that faulty cats do damage the O2 sensors. I seem to already have first hand confirmation of that, as I have a P1646 error code, which is likely a faulty O2 sensor. Strangle however, that the fault is on a bank 1 sensor, but the real noise cat is on the bank 2 side.

Looking for all cat related information I also found this: Especially in the US, but also in Sydney and starting from there thru Australia, we have a new cancer in our society: CAT-theft! They just cut out the cat from under your car. In regards of the X308 I think however, that that cat is a bit difficult to cut out and steal...

 

Not the best option given the need for fab work but an option nonetheless. The OEM cats wouldn't fit in my Mark 2 project so I used a pair of universal Magnaflow cats. It's important to select one with a provision for a mid-bed sensor - the upstream sensor is mounted in the downpipe just before the cat. I have just over 20k miles on an '01 XJR drivetrain with no performance issues and no codes. Forget if they were 2 1/4 or 2 1/2" pipe. They were inexpensive as I recall. Good luck
mid-bed cat

 

Hi Peter, I recently replaced the Drivers side cat on my 2000MY XJ8 3.2. It was the slip on/slot fitting rather than the bolt fitting and it was the equivalent for the part number you mention above. I got a great service from Cats2U in the UK it cost me about £150. They also do the bolt-on cats for the flexible coupling but based on the part number you give, I think you need the same one as me.

The item came well packed and included a gasket, manifold bolts, O2 port blanking plugs (the cat has three O2 sensor holes and I only needed two), and clamps. Strangely (and I was apparently unique here), the outlet was a little wide for my centre section but I simply flared it a bit and it then fitted perfectly. I fitted the homologated (type-approved) version but the non-homolgated was the same price.

It runs perfectly and I've had no error messages. Certainly, after 2,000 miles, I've seen no performance of fuel consumption impact. The car passed its UK MOT with flying colours - all emissions well within the limits - not bad for a 22 year old car with over 100,000 miles on the clock.

Here's the link to the item I bought. https://www.cats2u.co.uk/jaguar/7337...-fk90848c.html

By the way, SNG Barrett sell exactly the same item as an aftermarket reproduction part and charge £100 more than Cats2U.

Cheers

Mark

 

The cats on these cars seem to be an issue from time to time.
While I tend toward OEM when possible, it is great to know there
are alternatives that will work.

 

If you've not seen it, I have a write up on O2 replacements, but it involves removing the CATS,....https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...cement-195018/

One thing to keep in mind regarding some of these cheaper CATS, is they require the bungs to be welded in.

Stealing CATS off these cats would be a serious challenge even for the most desperate of thieves.

 

Yes ...I am absolutely sure cat thieves would try to find easier pickings
than what they would find under these cars.

 

@ Dough: Thanks. I was thinking about that option of welding in a cheap generic cat, but in case the X308 system does not accept it, it is a lot of time and money left. You put it into a Mark 2, but I would not know, if it works on X308.

@ markdpeter: I checked your link. It is exactly that BM catalyst which I intend to buy. I will but RH and LH. Your link initially suggests an 11 Pound saving compared to what I found, BUT the combined postage for the 2 is on your link 150 Pounds (to Australia) and only 75 Pounds via ebay.
And yes: I also do have the rear slip-on (=slot fit) version, not the rear flange screw on version.

I also received meanwhile confirmation from BM catalyst that those 2, which I have in mind (see above) are the correct ones. They themselves do not sell them. They sell them only "thru their distributors"... - that that case, it would be really handy, if their distributors would have a clue of what they are selling, because it was a hard fight to convince the seller that he sells me those on the basis, that I think they are correct (which has now been confirmed by the manufacturer after I asked him DIRECTLY), while the seller hasn't got the foggiest of what is going on...

 

That is because the seller is just that, a seller. Probably never seen or installed an exhaust part in their lives or even bothered to look it up for reference. The most they see is a computer screen with an order and it thus ships direct from the manufacturer. Almost seems deceiving in the process.

Thing is, most folks won't even do half the research you've done and will get burned in some form, but won't know it.

 

Well, the seller looked up the reference guide, but found only NNE6700CA, for which he does not have a BM cat, but seller just cannot manage to confirm that that P/N is the same as NJA6700CJ, regardless of how deep I stuck his nose into it. And for the latter part he does have the BM cat BM90848H. These were the RH numbers - similar story for LH, and that story ends with BM90902H. H stands for homologated, which means type approved. The not type approved ones seem to be a GB specialty, are not that much cheaper, and are most likely of lower quality, and they do not send them overseas - probably for good reason.

I placed my order now - I could not order last night, as I did not even have a look yesterday, that I have a slip-on connect in the back - I was sure, but I had not had checked that visually. Good thing that, because to day I paid AU$9 less compared to yesterday - due to changed exchange rate...

 

Finding suitable parts for these cats seems to be a serious challenge
for our brethren down under. I am glad you found them.

 

It's actually not THAT bad, Randy, so far I was persistent enough to get all the feline spare parts I wanted...:

Well, I liked the footnote of another member here, which said - and now adapted to myself: "Hi, I am Peter - and I am an AUTOholic!"

During the day I work in my Jags and in the evening I mainly write here in the forum, what I did AND I source the parts...
Initially I ordered a lot from britishpart (in the UK). Their prices are not too bad, but the postage oncost is bad, especially, it you buy only 1 or 2 parts, which for that reason is prohibitive. I think I placed 4 mega orders there - and successfully got a discount for bulk order. But then they would not play ball anymore - no more discounts - and I started to realize that I can get most parts elsewhere as well, and often cheaper - it just requires a lot of research. Some parts from alibaba (S-Type cam covers), some from aliexpress (generic parts & gaskets, but also Jaguar parts), some from the US (after long research I found a parts, which should actually not exist (the missing half of the S-Type water pump, as you can buy only half a water pump for an S-Type, and if there is a leak in the other corroded half, you are buggered. But I found out that that missing half was used on an old Ford pump. The pump itself was slightly different, hence of not much use, but I could salvage the other half from those pumps. A dealer in the US had old stock of those Ford pumps and I bought a bunch. And Yesterday I received the top part for the X308 shock absorber from the US (ebay), as I accidentally damaged mine, while figuring out of how to fix the rotten rubber dampers).
Some parts from ebay in Australia, some parts via google search (like ATF from local companies - very hard to source the right stuff - on that note: ATF Fuchs Titan 4400 for X-Type works like a dream - I did a full flush! (yes, that what seemed so far impossible on the X-Type with a Jatco jf506e transmission!) and the 2.1L FWD accelerates now like a 2.5L AWD). ....and some parts I just make from scratch (like a "custom design" upper and lower front grille for the S-Type).

And if that is not enough: Occasionally I also "fix up" a Jag from my 1/18 collection: I got a 1/18 X-Type from the US in silver, slightly scratched, but I wanted it to match my racing green 1/1 anyway, so I disassembled the 1/18 into all its parts and painted it green. It also got matching number plates with the 1/1

 

Update: New cats arrived today, new O2 sensors, too (big coincidence).
I already started on the job: I figured to swap the cats, I first have to take out the complete exhaust system, which I did already, and the right cat is already loose. No problem there.
I am not sure yet however, of how to remove the left cat, as there is basically only access from the top to 1 of 4 bolts... Did someone solve this riddle already?

And those Brainiacs selling the cats in GB have not included the exhaust-gaskets from cat to manifold! The expensive cats cannot be installed now, because they did not include the definitely required gaskets, which are penny-items - which however gets quite expensive again, if you have to pay expensive postage for them again, and waist again time waiting...

Thus: Is there any reason as to why I should not buy a 300 square-mm exhaust gasket sheet (Platinum material), 1.6mm thick? I can get it in a shop nearby. Does someone have an OE gasket to be able to confirm, if 1.6mm thickness is about correct?

 

It's all included in my write-up, wrenches and all.

 

@ Highhorse: Thanks, Although you did not give me the link to your write-up. I found it quickly:
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...cement-195018/
I saw there that I have to remove the heat shield first.
While I would have figured that sooner of later myself, it was very good that I had confirmation (from you) that that is what I have to do, because getting those three T27 bolts off (after removing the expansion tank) was so difficult that I might have doubted that this is the way to go... But it was...

I have removed now both cats and the complete exhaust system. I am currently making things "shiny" again and then I'll reassemble everything again.
I'll write it all up when I am done.

 

The link is right in Post 8,...glad you found it though. Its always nice to have confirmation on a train of thought.

 

Heheh..yes sir...sometimes you have to go back to go forward.

 

About that planned write up of a DIY Guide of the cat swap X308:
After having created al lot of DIY Guides for X308, S-Type and X-type, which hopefully helped a lot of people, I decided to stop posting on this forum altogether, as LLLA decided somehow that it would be a great idea to harass and aggressively bully me on a personal level for trying to find a good technical solution for someone in the S-Type section, who asked a question on this forum. It's not that I am getting paid here - so need for me to put up with that kind of bullying. It's just sad to see that 1 bully can wreck it for everyone.
I planned to do a DIY Guide for the catalytic converter swap on the X308 next - well...
I am not sure at this point, if or when I will write here something again. Sorry to all the others...