nintynineA6Q
If you dont mind me asking, did your car have a CEL or codes telling you you had bad cats? And if so, did the universal cats make the CEL go away?
Also where did you get the universals?

Thanks

 

I think the model number for the ones I bought is 642-53004, and if I remember right, I got them from Jeg's.

The CEL was on before I replaced the cats, but I don't have a scanner, so I don't know if anything changed afterwards. One of these days I'll have to look into the whole VAG-COM thing since I think I'm going to have this car for a while.

 

The 2.8L has a LOT more wiggle room around the downpipe area than the 2.7T, you won't be able to do that procedure without pulling the entire downpipe.

To the OP, if you are unsure of where the cats are, look for the O2 sensors. If there isn't an O2 sensor after what you think is the cat, then its not a cat.

 

Thanks, did your Check engine light go out after installing the new cats?
Also, I heard that you can go to AutoZone for a free scan if that helps?

 

The CEL is still on, so I need to figure out what it takes to reset it and then see which codes, if any, still show up. Somehow I doubt that the code scanner I have for my Mustang will work. I'll have to let you know what I find out. If only I could swap the Mustang's computer into my wife's car...

 

Do a search in this forum for VAGCom -- it will give you all you need to find a cheep code scanner and reset device for Audi.

 

I've read that the OEM cats on these cars flow really well and other than the downpipe one, provide little restriction. Anyone with aftermarket cats feel any difference after a change?

 

N/A engines no, 2.7T engines, oh yeah. The set miltek sells adds 20ftlbs of torque just by adding their downpipes, even more if you go without cats. On turbo cars its all about flow.
Probably one of the biggest bang for the buck mods you can do besides a chip.

 

I bet it would be hard to beat the flow of the empty factory cat I had, but really the only difference I could tell was that it was a lot quieter. Unfortunately though, getting rid of the loud rattle made it possible for me to hear that the center muffler is rusting through and leaking, so I have another upcoming exhaust project. I'm sure that crazy-shaped muffler isn't cheap, so I wonder if my wife would notice if I welded a couple Cherry Bombs together and replaced it with those. After all, there are two more mufflers back there. How much of a difference can it really make?