I figured it out! It took me a while coz I'm not a computer person, but I might as well share my learnings with fellow sufferers.

The defaults are indeed piggy backing on downloaded lots.

They are hidden in the 'DC caches' in EArts-Sims 3 and are not visible on any search.

The only way I've found to deal with this is take preventative action: always rename the DC cache folder before I install a new lot (DC caches holds all official Sims 3 downloads but lots per ce are installed on a different folder). The sims installer recreates the folder and then when I'm done with installing the lot I delete the newly created 'DC Cache'  folder and re-instate the old one.Thus, I only get my lot, and nothing dodgy. I may be missing on other things that came with the lot though, I haven't play tested this extensively. This is obviously a computer illiterate person's way of dealing with the problem, but until some bigger brain posts a solution , it will have to do...

Deleting the DC Cache blindly, and the rest of the cashes, corrects the problem if one is stuck with hideous default replacements, but, also deletes all downloaded material installed into your game through the sims 3 pack format/sims installer.

Thats all I know:)

Thank you!

Switching to A. story driver solved the problem 

That's it really...!

WA and Awesome.
Works like a charm, until 1am.
First it freezes,
and then it crashes...

I've got no other mods of any kind.
I use the default config file.

I love awesome, can't live without it!
Any ideas?!

This is driving me insane!I know its a long shot, but maybe somebody out there has a cure!

I DON'T like default replacements, I have never downloaded or installed any kind of default replacements.
And yet, I am stuck with these default replacement eyes that I absolutely abhor.

My Mods folder doesn't contain any default replacement eyes.
I know where these defaults come from, so I deliberately run a search for the file (after downloading it ) but its nowhere to be found (at least not in a pure .package form).
I completely deleted my documents/EA games and forced the game to regenerate= any new neighbourhood I create uses the original CAS eyes, but, when I re-introduce my saved neighbourhoods (just the save files, nothing else!) I am stuck with the replacement eyes in the saved neighbourhoods, but have the original eyes (in sims and in CAS) in any new neighbourhood I create.

I am forced to conclude that these defaults somehow get embedded in selected neighbourhoods saves.
I am convinced that they piggy back on lots I download and install.

Please...does anyone know what's going on and how I can get rid of these default replacements?