Okay gents so finally got out and under the car. This is as far as my diagnostics went today.

Checked the oil filler cap. Was clean as a whistle and wasn’t puffing with engine on. There was some exhaust coming from the tail pipe. Seemed normal.

I bought the digital thermometer gun and measured the cat with it as David suggested. Low and behold the inlet side temp was nearly double than that of the outlet side.

So a new cat and camshaft cover gasket and hopefully all should be well fingers crossed.

I tried to get at the cat bolts with some penetrant and a spanner but was very much unsuccessful in getting them to budge. I’ll lend an impact driver and see if that helps.

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