Having fitted a downpipe to my Sti3 I enquired as to it passing the mot emission's.I was told that if the car was very hot and it was tested immediatley it should pass.
Wrong!
I have tried twice today and neither time would it get close to the pass mark.Both times were after giving it a good run at higher speed's.
I have now got the painful job of putting the cat back on to pass the mot and taking it off to enjoy the best of the car.
I really enjoy the difference the downpipe make's but is it worth all this aggro!
Perhap's there is an easier way?
Cheers Paul.

Bad Bads,

Why are they testing the emissions, you have a imported STi3, so they haven't any official figures for that car (import) I thought just a quick look around the tailpipe was the most that they could do ??

I'm sure someone who knows better will post on here.

Cheers Phill C

Na not really! just seconding your view. They cant test for something they dont have figures for. Try another garage.

I must admit that had been my train of thought but they tested for emission's last year(cat still in) and have done so again this year.
Does someone out there know the actual regulation's?
Cheers Paul.

There aren't any, it's an import ;)

Cheers Phill C

Cars after mid 95 require a cat to pass emissions (even if they are imports) . The figures are not the same as uk cars , they are figures set by the DOT . If you look under section 6 (I think that is the section) of the mot book it is explaned there . Try phoning the DOT they're really helpful :rolleyes:
Dave

Having spoken to someone today it seem's that if the engine detail's come up on the machine then it has to pass the emission's.They are slightly different to the UK one's but still it seem's unpassable with only one cat in the exhaust system.
Here's to thinking of a way to get over it next year!
Cheers Paul.

Can't you get a single (better) cat for the centre section that would allow it to pass!? Much easier to change the centre than the downpipe!

Power Engineering do high flow cat's for the centre section.
Is this enough to pass emissions?

Has anyone else done this? I might have the same troubles soon.

CJJ.

I think PE also do a catted downpipe as well that is supposed to be much better. Isn't it an M?75 ??

Cheers Phill C

Had the same problem with my STI IV with a full SS exhaust, couldn't get it thru the emissions no matter what I fiddled with or how much I caned it up the road.

Was resolved by taking it to SS who put a center cat in, got it MOT'd and passed, and then took the center cat out again.. All in the cost was pretty low, something like £40ish including the MOT..

cheerio

Couldn't you lower the emissions with a AFC ? for the MOT, then turn it back to what it was before, just a thought.

Cheers Phill C

I've got an STi4 which failed due to SS downpipe - a PE center got me through but £400 though !

It seem's to me that the centre cat on an Sti isn't worth a w**k!
Just to get the car through the emission's is a pain and,or very expensive.Do the UK boy's get the same problem when they fit a S/S downpipe ?
Cheers Paul.

sti 3 should have a centre cat - though late ver 4s and all 5s + 6s had just the one cat in the downpipe - P1 had one cat but with more efficient platinum rich filling.
still possible to get a pass with NO cats - managed it with my STI 5... trick is to hold revs at circa 4000 rpm for a while with engine warm whilst measuring with the probe in the exhaust - then lift throttle and take reading as the revs drop to the requisite 2000 - odd rpm - the ECU will lean out the mixture enough to get a 'technical' pass - NB we are talking absolute D.O.T. maxima here NOT the emission figures for a UK spec car - you will need a sympathetic testing station and need to tell them to test the car with the identification set to 'no limits'.


else borrow a UK centre section from a dealer/breaker

Paul W

does this also apply to 22b's or are there figures available for them? Is there a database to view over the net?
Cheers Geoff

Hi! Cool website - just been converted to the world of Subaru 4WD after going everywhere sideyways in my 200SX ;) I've been running a de-cat car for a couple of years and the local garage puts the emissions probe in the exhaust of another nearby car, rather than faffing about putting cats on and removing them again :) Any Scooby dealers offer this service?

Not if they value their franchise. Isnt it against the law???
Thats why no one goes to them for MOTs!

i was talking to m8 today who had a custom ss system knocked up at a place in cardiff for his escort at a very good price circa £220 fitted.

he was saying they do cat sections also - if anyone is interested i'll find if they could do a high flow centre section and how much - should be cheaper than £400, i had a sports cat fitted to my old legacy a couple of years ago for £260 fitted (got garage to cut centre pipe and welded in high flow cat).

i was thinking about a ss downpipe for some time but don't want the annual hassle of swapping it so this may be a good solution.

rich

My dealer offered to fit a sports cat come mot time, for the test-they charge about £25 for this "service".
Also the place where I bought my exhaust, offer the same for about £10.

Do you not think it possible that you will be charged to fit the MOT passing cat when all they will do is test a car sat next to your's?
Perhap's I am being too cynical but I have heard of it happening.
Will a high flow cat fitted in the centre section reduce the effect of the downpipe?
Cheers Paul.

I've got a Scoobysport downpipe and fitted the PE centre with cat and it actually feels better than with the original centre (STi4). I don't know how it compares to a de-cat centre though.

Paul - there's a UK centre catted pipe sat in my garage doing nothing if you want to borrow it...

Simon (MoT due Sept 2001 but should pass as I have std downpipe, Magnex decat centre and SS backbox).