wakko

Hi Guys,
Seen quite a few threads mentioning that their car has a decat exhaust. I thought that these mods were illegal. Is this true and is it a case of putting a standard exhaust back on just for the MOT?

Tim Bomford

Of course its illegal! Its down to the individual if you are prepared to run the risk or not.
Yes you will have to put the cat back on for the MOT unless you can find a garage that will test your car using a donor vehicle for the emissions part.
There are several owners that have had twin catted mid sections made that can be borrowed for a modest fee!
Hope this helps

Best wishes

Tim

wakko

Thanks for that Tim. I guess a sports cat is the best option then?

Dracoro

Actually, as far as I know, decats themselves are not illegal (could be wrong here tho) but you must pass the mot emissions test (at mot time or any other time if you are stopped for that matter). Of course this effectively makes decats illegal as you'd not pass the emissions test without one!

KTM3

maybe wrong here

Cats are there to reduce immissions (sp) if with a de-cat your car still is below the legal guide line ( 0.3 I beleive for uk spec and 5.0 for imports ) then it is not illegal.

Andygreer

iTrader: (4)

if you get stopped and tested on the road your very very unlucky, its happened to me but i had a cat any ways. Bascily what would happen is you would get a 7 day thing to get it sorted and take it to a local DVLA testign station for a retest....... ;-)

Tim Bomford

Personally I would run the risk! Have had a sports cat on my old 22B and it was not a lot of cop and it was pretty hit and miss as to whether it passed the MOT too. Had to make sure the car was sooooooooo hot and do the emissions part immediatley you arrived.
Get your car MOT'd. get the cat taken off the same day then you have a whole year to worry about it, or failing that buy a brand new car...cat off then 3 years to worry about its 1st MOT!

Tim

Dracoro

And screw your warranty. What a false economy.

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

All imports outside of the EU that were manufactured before (approx) May 1995 do not need a cat at all and only has to pass the basic emissions test.

So my decat is completely legal.

Don't ask me to prove this, its very hard info to find on the DVLA site, but when I imported my first impreza many years ago it was in the booklet that came with all the forms.

GC8

Pre-cat test for all imports (not refered to specifically), registered before 01-09-95.

StiX

iTrader: (4)

The Ninja Sports cat I have passed the MOT on its own easily, with no worrying about getting it super hot at all.

Doesn't appear to be that restrictive either - I am running 273/273 with TD04.

Ns04 is running 320bhp with his, can't remember what turbo he has tho.

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I was considering taking the second cat off, then I got a random stop check.. lucky for me it passed.

Not risking it now. Might if I aim for 300bhp