So I took the car to a so called friendly tester who wasn't so friendly at all. Main point is emissions and I'm struggling to find a friendly tester local to me (Blackpool) so I'm exploring other options.

I have a full cobra system which has a separate section after the downpipe, I'd rather not have to pull the downpipe in and out etc when the mid section can be removed so easily. So I was thinking of getting a mid section welded up with a cat in for easy swaps, being so far back would this even work? I know heat is a factor so I'm unsure, plus being temporary it could be a normal cat (whatever cell they are) over a sports cat I guess? Or maybe even an ebay/eurocarparts special being temporary, being after the turbo I shouldn't have to worry about changing maps etc either.

Thoughts?

Failing that it's a sports cat downpipe that matches my system, anything other than cobra that would fit as that's 500ish and certainly ain't happening till late Jan/early Feb.

Another issue was apparently my offside headlight is low, but this looks right to me or is this really way out? Where can I get such a thing tested/rectified?


Picture taken from middle of scoop and cars about 2-3ft from the garage door
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I'd get a sports cat welded in.

 

I've had a couple of these ones https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/234299865906

Now regret getting rid of them, tbh, because they're the only sports cats I haven't struggled with MOT-wise

 

Would mean replacing the entire cat back as my downpipe is twice if not three times as long as that.
We talking in the mid section like I mentioned or elsewhere? Any old sports cat or a specific one?

 

You want it on the downpipe really as close to the engine as possible. I have a 100 cell cat that struggles to get through, needs to be driven hard before testing. Looking to swap for 200 cell but that will be less free flowing.

Why not just buy a Cobra sports cat. Will be a lot less hassle.

 

It's basically a 200 cell cat. And made by scorpion for Prodrive. So scorpion down pipe will be just as good.

 

Cost and being done with crawling under my car for a while. I will if I have to but exploring other options beforehand because I'd rather not have to wait till Feb to use the car. I've just spent a good 3k I wasn't expecting hence not being able to get a cobra sports cat till then.

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Hmm, maybe it's just a 200 cell cat, but it looks like a bigger cross-sectional area than the cheapo ones (though I haven't measured). Not sure if this would just affect ultimate flow through the thing, or emissions as well, though.

@MrRtm I think the issue with having a sports cat in the middle section is the distance to the 'hot end', so to speak. If the cat is marginal anyway (as in, sports cat...), then it might need all the help it can get by being red hot, which is more and more difficult the further down the exhaust it is.

 

Yeah I was thinking that, anti lag might help with heat but also might spit the cat out the back lol. Looks like a cobra sports cat is going to be in my future with the lack of friendly testers around me, or at least known to me. My old one moved and can't do it anymore, dam him needing better working conditions haha.

 

Revisiting this thread to say my cobra sports cat bought in 2022 has failed on emissions, hc and lambda is on point, can't get co2 below 0.4 and that's running a bottle of redex through a few days before, cataclean and spt fuel system cleaner the morning of and another bottle of cataclean while beating the sh*t out of it after it failed, it just won't go through.

This is ultimately after 2 years of use because for the first 2 years I only put it on for the mot, third year I just couldn't be arsed with those turbo bolts so left it on, The forth MOT was actually a pain and only got through by shoving a rag in the exhaust and having the sensor half out so realistically this likely failed in less than a year.

I'm pretty sure I bought it from scooby world but with their new system can't see old orders, going to ring them and check but as I doubt them or cobra will do anything about it I'm looking at getting a new cat vbanded in so at least replacement and swaps will be easier, will also mean I can sell the decat to cover some of the costs of replacing the cat

 

Well I've gone and bought a 5" 200 cell sports cat with 3" openings from profusion along with a set of v-bands for 280 all in that my preferred welder will be mashing together next week, I'll be gutting the failed cat and that'll be my decat when wanted/needed.
Cheaper than the cobra and in future will only cost 200 to replace a failed cat and never again will I need to remove those dam turbo bolts, well unless i upgrade the turbo which wont be any time soon.

On a side note, anyone want to buy a cobra decat downpipe? I have no need for it anymore.