6 hours later and still can't remove cat.

**AudiTunes** · 02-20-2015 08:07 PM

I just spent the most 6 frustrating and agonizing hours of my life removing all the necessary bolts for the cat converter removal following this guide http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...t-pipe-install to find out I cannot remove the cat pipe with the down pipe like in this guide. I am trying to move it out from the top of the car, but it's impossible (I would remove it from the bottom, but you can't do that with TIP cars, another reason this transmission sucks). I even had a friend for about an hour trying to help me out, but we can't figure out either.

Converter keeps hitting these guys, so it's really hard to push it from the top then outwards.

This is the worst DIY job I have done, I have scrapes and cuts all over my hands, lol.

Any advice? Please don't tell me I'm going to have to remove the cat from the DP, because those bolts are not going to go anywhere, they are completely rusted over, not even PB blaster which I have used for this DIY would help.

**fly300kts** · 02-20-2015 08:09 PM

I did remove mine from the top, no issues and yes, I have a TIP tranny

Phil

**AudiTunes** · 02-20-2015 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by fly300kts

I did remove mine from the top, no issues and yes, I have a TIP tranny

Phil

With the DP intact? like this?

Going to have try to again tomorrow, I destroyed 3 light bulbs trying to get it out. I can't see anything now.

Maybe I should try twisting and turning it.

**fly300kts** · 02-20-2015 08:15 PM

Yes but I removed the rear O2 sensor
I also removed the strap under the car (where you disconnect the DP). This gives you more angle to rotate the assembly

Phil

**AudiTunes** · 02-20-2015 08:16 PM

Originally Posted by fly300kts

Yes but I removed the rear O2 sensor
I also removed the strap under the car (where you disconnect the DP). This gives you more angle to rotate the assembly

Phil

Ohhh, removed the rear O2 sensor, huh. Going to have try that, I just disconnected the rear one from the electric.

And the strap?

Will give that a shot too.

Thanks.

**aluthman** · 02-20-2015 08:18 PM

I would have cut it up or removed the turbo before spending 6 hours on it.

**vce1232000** · 02-20-2015 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by aluthman

I would have cut it up before spending 6 hours on it.

. A sawzall

does wunders..lol

**Chrisw023** · 02-20-2015 08:30 PM

I gave up after trying for an hour and just seperated the cat and downpipe.

**Audibot** · 02-20-2015 08:39 PM

I recall removing it from the top as well. I also remember it being SUPER annoying. But yeah, follow Phil's advice.

**B7OrangeA4** · 02-20-2015 08:47 PM

When i installed my HFC/DP/exhaust setup i pulled it out the top with the downpipe but i had to remove the metal heat shield above the turbo manifold

**kirkendall** · 02-20-2015 09:25 PM

I just did this the other day and I had a hard time as well. All my nuts were cranked sooooooo tight on the cat and when trying to disconnect the mid pipes the nuts were rusted on exhaust. Such a pain in the ass it was

**vce1232000** · 02-20-2015 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by kirkendall

I had a hard time. All my nuts were cranked sooooooo tight on the cat . Such a pain in the ass

**Biged243** · 02-20-2015 10:31 PM

Lmao

**kirkendall** · 02-20-2015 10:52 PM

Lmao i guess that does sound pretty funny

**Jake@JHM** · 02-20-2015 10:52 PM

I remove mine from the bottom. Takes 1-2 hours depending if you stop and eat a sandwich or not. 6MT though.

**Biged243** · 02-20-2015 11:09 PM

I took mine out from the bottom too 6 mt also. Tried for about about 20 minutes through the top and said screw it. The problem was the the down pipe scrapping the ground, I had to jack the car really high though.

**mec** · 02-20-2015 11:30 PM

**Andrew149** · 02-20-2015 11:54 PM

I did mine in a hour, I did get under the car with a extension and a wobbly.

**billyhoyle** · 02-20-2015 11:58 PM

Originally Posted by Biged243

I took mine out from the bottom too 6 mt also. Tried for about about 20 minutes through the top and said screw it. The problem was the the down pipe scrapping the ground, I had to jack the car really high though.

^This is true, but doable with a jack.

I did this twice recently, I'm a manual transmission, but I definitely had to sort of twist/spiral it out, so I bet you would too. I ended up like doing like 3/4 of a turn as you pull it out. Just keep trying. You'll get it. I tried disconnecting the downpipe while it was in the car for about 3 minutes and gave up haha. Way too much of a pain.

**2kwik4u** · 02-21-2015 06:25 AM

I tried to remove the downpipe to catalytic converter but one bolt/nut combo stripped. Ended up pulling the entire assembly out of the top, but had to rotate the section 2-3 times to figure out how it fit to come out. I also had all the O2 sensors removed, as well as the car on a lift. I ended up having the car 2-3 feet off the ground, and standing on a 6' step ladder to get everything to rotate, clear the floor, and clear the hood to come out. Super-Huge-Amazingly-Giant pain in the neck to get it out. I took about 7hrs total with 6.5 being the removal and about .5 of it being the reinstallation of the test pipe and the cleanup of the shop.

Be careful with that flex coupler as well on the "downpipe" I borked mine pretty good, and now have an exhaust leak there. It's small, and I want a new exhaust anyway so I've left it leaking slightly. Been a year now and I still need to fix it, but I'm broke and short on time!

**JDillon15** · 02-21-2015 07:41 AM

I paid someone else to do mine. =D

After I stripped one of the bolts on the bottom, I was over it.

**krewbrew** · 02-21-2015 07:42 AM

Did mine a month ago. Pulled it out the top. Had the car 18" off the ground. Key was getting it way up in the air to angle the downpipe. Had to cut the downpipe bolts out after I took to whole unit out. Used a dremel. 6MT though.

**B7Joe** · 02-21-2015 07:45 AM

Originally Posted by JDillon15

I paid someone else to do mine. =D

After I stripped one of the bolts on the bottom, I was over it.

Me too. Didn't even try it. Mech charged me $100 iirc and definitely cursed me after. lol

**JDillon15** · 02-21-2015 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by B7Joe

Me too. Didn't even try it. Mech charged me $100 iirc and definitely cursed me after. lol

I dont even know what mine charged me. It was a fiasco.

Had him change out the cat and change the oil. The oil filter housing was over torqued and broke. So they had to order me a new one.

Between the cat install, buying a $20 oil filer, oil, and oil filter housing... It ended up costing quite a bit. ^_^

**AudiTunes** · 02-21-2015 10:57 AM

Originally Posted by fly300kts

Yes but I removed the rear O2 sensor
I also removed the strap under the car (where you disconnect the DP). This gives you more angle to rotate the assembly

Phil

It's definitely the rear O2 sensor that is preventing me from removing the cat, it keeps hitting the top metal bits.

So I tried removing this guy, for a good hour, and he isn't coming off. I'm completely exhausted at the moment and ended up breaking a wrench because I was on top of the engine and pushing it down against O2 sensor bit but it just wouldn't budge, so I used more force and broke my adjustable wrench

I'm normally not the type of guy to give up, but I wouldn't wish this job to the worst of my enemies, this has been physically and mentally draining.

Going to give it one more shot.

**drumnjuny** · 02-21-2015 11:10 AM

you need to take a break, drink a beer possibly have a nap, then come back to it after you shake off some of the frustration.

trust me, anyone who works on their own car has been there. just need to take a break and come back to it, you'll have it out in 5 minutes when you do.

super light pb blaster spray... also definitely use the right size wrench (not adjustable, that won't give you enough torque on it and you might even sligthly strip the o2 sensor) or use a o2 sensor socket with a socket wrench.

good luck!!

**aluthman** · 02-21-2015 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by drumnjuny

use a o2 sensor socket with a socket wrench.

^This

**srcrash715** · 02-21-2015 11:23 AM

I was in the same boat, but with my giant hands I couldn't get the cat off either because of that one bolt. I went out, bought a sawzall then cut the cat off and the bracket. I had zero f's left at that point and didnt care because the aftermarket downpipe didnt use that stupid support bracket.

**krewbrew** · 02-21-2015 12:09 PM

I ended up using a torch to heat up the cat to get the lower oxygen sensor off after stripping it pretty badly. PB blaster didn't do it.

**AudiTunes** · 02-21-2015 12:17 PM

So I finally removed the O2 sens.....but the cat is still stuck , the space is just too small to be able to squeeze it through (I would probably have to remove the turbo, if I get to that point, I'm just going to pay the mechanic 200 bucks to do it), it feels like I'm trying to help my A4 give birth to another A4. I keep hitting the left side of the engine bay with the test pipe.

Lol, these are the light bulb shards.

**drumnjuny** · 02-21-2015 12:29 PM

don't be a bitch... what's the mechanic gonna do that you can't do? pull harder, twist more, or take it out from the bottom.

you're 90% of the way there don't put it back together to go pay someone $200

**krewbrew** · 02-21-2015 12:30 PM

Wiggle it out. What is your location?

**AudiTunes** · 02-21-2015 12:33 PM

Anyone know what this is?

I'm in central PA

**drumnjuny** · 02-21-2015 12:34 PM

that is a hangar for the downpipe.

post in regionals and see if someone is willing to help you out for some beer.

**AudiTunes** · 02-21-2015 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by drumnjuny

that is a hangar for the downpipe.

post in regionals and see if someone is willing to help you out for some beer.

Would removing that help me move the dp out from the top?

**AudiTunes** · 02-21-2015 12:39 PM

Going to give it another shot.

I'll keep you guys posted.

**drumnjuny** · 02-21-2015 12:40 PM

wouldn't hurt. take a picture from further away, i have a 6MT and haven't had a cat in 4 years but i remember it being a pain in the ass when i got it out.

Originally Posted by AudiTunes

Going to give it another shot.

I'll keep you guys posted.

that's the spirit!!!

**krewbrew** · 02-21-2015 12:41 PM

I am in lower NY, so a bit far. On my 6MT car I had to take the heat shield for the axle boot as well as the downpipe bracket off. Look at what is in the way and take it off. Job was a PITA but HFC is awesome.