{"id":8217,"date":"2023-01-26T21:18:45","date_gmt":"2023-01-26T21:18:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sebpalmer.com\/blog\/?p=8217"},"modified":"2023-01-26T21:48:42","modified_gmt":"2023-01-26T21:48:42","slug":"car-thievery-exhuastion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.sebpalmer.com\/blog\/?p=8217","title":{"rendered":"CAR: Thievery & Exhuastion"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[thievery vid\u2026 need to find!]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some while ago our neighbour alerted me to some footage he\u2019d caught on his home security videos, showing some villains fiddling with several cars on our street, inc. mine!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rear view; exhaust attached by sensor lead!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the time we\u2019d concluded – and confirmed with a neighbour further down the road – that these miscreants were thieving catalytic converters. One of the neighbours further down the road had actually arrived home as the bastards were leaving his front drive. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Look how the thieves cut\/compressed the pipe!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

They were so quickly down and back up again by my car that I assumed they\u2019d decided against bothering to try and take mine. I was wrong! But it took a while for the issue to develop; gradually my exhaust system grew noisier and noisier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It turns out that some cunts do this \u2018professionally\u2019, and use a tool called the jaws of life* (or something like that?) to snip through pipes and noiselessly remove CATs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Sheets and tools in the road, trying to disconnect the sensor.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, as I got into my car today, to go to do a delivery route for Amazon, the whole exhaust system was roaring and rattling like an emphysemic dragon. I barely got 10 yards, and had to stop, get out, and look under the car. Almost all of the exhaust between where it exits the engine bay, and the box at the rear of the car, was hanging loose. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The engine side of the \u2018snip\u2019.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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The rear of the car, and the other break.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Even worse, it transpired that it was solely connected to the car by the wiring of a lambda<\/em> oxygen sensor. After several hours spent getting the car up on jacks, with thoughts of zip-tying it back in place, which didn\u2019t work, I tried to remove the sensor, where it joins the exhaust. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Second view of the rear break.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But that was seized solid; so, no dice! It then became a question of finding out how to disconnect the other end of the sensor wiring. This, it turned out, disappeared up into the bodywork of the car. It took a lot of hard work, both on the car and researching online, to finally crack that conundrum. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And all of this in very cold, muddy, drizzly conditions, with the car protruding several feet into a busy road. Gaaargh!!! I had to cancel the Amazon delivery shift, and forego any lunch. And I spent literally three or four hours doing all this. It\u2019s the sort of thing one ought to be able to do in minutes if, A) one knows the anatomy of the vehicle intimately, and B) has the right tools. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The clip end of the sensor cable. Inaccessible!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once I\u2019d finally and mercifully got the damaged and broken section of exhaust off, I stuck it in the passenger side of the car. Doing all of this did teach me more about the motor. And I took the photos that illustrate this post, which I sent to various MX5 parts folk, and potential repair garages. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A YouTuber\u2019s vid\u2019 located the sensor clip junction, inside the passenger side interior.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It was thanks to the photographic evidence that I learned my CAT definitely had<\/em> been stolen. The most damning and conclusive evidence was how the exhaust had clearly been snipped, and compressed, just around where the CAT ought to have been. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So not only do I have to replace 80% of the exhaust assembly. I also have to get a new catalytic converter. I got some quotes on parts and work. And it\u2019s a nightmare, frankly. Because, as ever, I\u2019m stone broke. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Finally! Unclipped. Allowing exhaust removal.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Still, in the past we\u2019ve always battled through and found a way, even if – as with the cam-belt episode – I had to do the sourcing, buying and fitting of everything myself. This time I can\u2019t see myself doing the installation. Partly this is due to the time of year; having to try and do such work out in the front drive or the main road? It\u2019s just too cold and wet!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The exhaust, sat in the passenger side.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

* As used by fire crews to rescue passengers trapped in crash-damaged vehicles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

PS – This is the YouTube video that enabled me to finally locate and uncouple the sensor:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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