MOT's and the Future

Linus27

Advanced Member
Messages
753
Hi All,

It seems that its getting harder to find a friendly MOT centre these days with regards to decats. I've had no problems the last 7 or so years but last year was a major ball ache and the garage had to remove my 4-2-1 manifold and refit an OEM system to get it through the MOT and then refit the 4-2-1 system. This is not only a ball ache for the garage but also comes with an additional cost to having the car MOT'd. No idea yet if this is going to be the case again this year but I am expecting it.

If this is now going to be the norm, where does this leave us, what options do we have? I don't really want to go back to OEM manifold and cat if I can help it as my car is mostly used for track days.

Are sports cats available and are they any good? Is the best option the Spoon 4-2 and Spoon 2-1 the best compromise and making it easier to swap to put the cat back on for the MOT?

Would be interested to hear what options we have.
 

jpstyper

Advanced Member
Messages
404
Mot stations have a book with all the car emissions in it that have to be tested and the integra dc5 isnt in the book so doesnt need a emissions test the only imports that have to be tested are ones that have a uk equivalent you cant use a ep3 emissions results to test a dc5 that's what I was told by my mot centre
 

JordanSuth

Advanced Member
Messages
225
There was changes to MOTs within the last 2 years. I remember my Golf at the time had a hole in the exhaust so I got it through before the changes were implemented Unfortunately it's obviously now caused problems for set up which is a bummer.

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Crackfox

Advanced Member
Messages
622
Just dont drive illegally and uninsured.

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20Drift

Members
Staff member
Messages
289
You could get a removable cat section put in your existing downpipe - cut a section out the length of a 400 cell cat and get a V-Band welded on either end of it. MOT time comes round either you jack the car up and swap the cat in, or get the garage to do it before the MOT. Would probably work out cheaper after a couple of years than paying them to change the whole manifold every year
 

Johngreen537

Advanced Member
Messages
1,470
I've got the solid fab header with the switchable 200cel cat. Chand connected, so literally takes me 10minutes to swap out.

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gaza4

Advanced Member
Messages
426
so you can send your car into a garage with an emission level that is above the allowance, have them swap your exhaust to get it below the accepted level and then that same garage will test your car and pass it before refiting the exhaust that is higher than the allowed levels?!?! seems like a legit system!!!

i thought the Irish NCT was a sham but at least the car is tested and leaves in the same manor in which it arrived
 

20Drift

Members
Staff member
Messages
289
gaza4 said:
so you can send your car into a garage with an emission level that is above the allowance, have them swap your exhaust to get it below the accepted level and then that same garage will test your car and pass it before refiting the exhaust that is higher than the allowed levels?!?! seems like a legit system!!!

i thought the Irish NCT was a sham but at least the car is tested and leaves in the same manor in which it arrived
The MOT system in general is flawed as it's open for abuse like that, but there's isn't really an alternative way without then forcing drivers to have a re-test every few months!
 

SPIDER

Member
Messages
5
jpstyper said:
Mot stations have a book with all the car emissions in it that have to be tested and the integra dc5 isnt in the book so doesnt need a emissions test the only imports that have to be tested are ones that have a uk equivalent you cant use a ep3 emissions results to test a dc5 that's what I was told by my mot centre
Find not a friendly tester but a knowledgable one. Emission limits on vehicles that have been imported are not on the database so the tester has to refer to default pre CAT limits, i.e pre 1992 cars that have CO2 upper limit of 3.5% & HC's under 1200ppm which any DC5 in good tune will pass without a problem.
 

Tenz78

Active Member
Messages
78
This is taken from the MOT testers manual:


Personal imports
A personal import must be tested according to its date of first use. However, if you‘re shown a letter from the vehicle manufacturer proving that the engine does not meet British emission standards you must test to the next lower emission standard.
For example, a 1995 car first used in Gambia with a letter from the engine manufacturer stating the engine number and showing that the engine cannot meet catalyst emission limits, you must use the non-cat limits of carbon monoxide (CO) 3.5% and hydrocarbons (HC) 1,200ppm.
 
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