Cat Converter, and MOT!

[Kinky Monza]

I know i've seen this topic before, but can't find it!!

A friend of mine has a mkII Nova spin, he's been told he'll fail the MOT as his cat converter is 'blowing'? and he was going to take it off and put a 'normal' one on:confused: i haven't a clue about this, and i know someone else had this problem, anyone explain what's what with this???

(i'm just repeating what he's told me!)

[Jack]

Does he mean the cat has a hole and is blowing like an exhaust, or that the cat has given up and the chemicals inside aren't working like they should?

If its a H or J-reg Mk2, just rip it out and fit a decat pipe, problem solved :thumb:

[Kinky Monza]

I haven't a clue, it's a K reg 1.2, he mentioned something to do with Emmissions, so could possibly be that the chemicals aren't working???

[Adam]

Without a cat on it will fail, with it being K-reg.

Best look for a 2nd hand cat converter as they aint half expensive to buy new.

[Jack]

Yeah, if its K reg and the cat has gone TU then its going to fail the emissions test.

[womble sri]

mine is a j reg but first reg is dec 92 is that after the cut off date as mine is going for mot tommorow you cant blag it now either can you unless you get another car there?

[Saloony]

Just K 92 onwards.

[rednova]

my 93 k 14sr hasnt got one and is standard system

[Adam]

No carb engine can run a cat.
Only fuel injection engines have them.

Womble-Dec '92 needs a cat, going by the book as the cutoff date is August '92.
But i'd imagine the tester would just see J-reg, and run a non cat test.

I got my k plate, 1.4i through, without a cat :p

[Jack]

Vehicles used on or after 1st August 1992 require the Basic Emissions Test, which is the more restrictive emissions test. A car does not physically NEED a cat to pass the MOT, but will more than likely require one to get the emissions low enough to get through. Theoretically, a very low emission carb engine with no CAT could pass, but it'd probably be running very very lean!

How can a car registered in Dec '92 be a J reg? Thats well into the K range... :wtf:

[edit] Ahhh I think I know why... Womble, did you get that date from the RAC site? 31st Dec? Thats a generic date they use when they don't know when the car was first registered. My J reg hatch had a registered date of 31st Dec '92, but was actually registered in Feb '92.

[loggyboy]

I cant find any mention of failure to pass due to not having a cat in the MOT testers manual. Only failure for emmisions.

http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual_730.htm

To be honest, if a car passes its emmision test then most mot testers wont care how it passes, aslong as it does.

[womble sri]

razorjack - im not sure to be honest its what it says on the log book agreed though it is probably because they werent sure when it was first registered as it is 31st dec 1992 and doubt many people would be first registering a car on new years eve. perhaps the guy before lost the logbook and ssent off for new one.im not too clued up on this sort of thing. i hadnt tried the RAC site but its in for testing today so ill soon find out, the exhaust is blowing anyway and the tester knows but as his son, my freind, and i are in his garage tommorow afternoon to solve it so i think he knows the score and will hopefully pass it.

[Saloony]

I get sick of these mot threads. You'll never get a carb car to pass a cat test, it may go through on co and hc but never on Lambda.

BET for all K '92 cars and onwards.
If the car does not pass a BET (basic emmissions test) it will be subject to a cat test.
Before this its logged onto the test equipment to match- model, year, cc and engine number. Half of K 92 cars are carb'd and will go to a default test which is just 2 gas. Ones that match system requirements go through to Cat test. Now the Mot tester aint blind so if theres a Lambda sensor in place on K 92 cars onwards and running injection its going to have to pass, simple as. Either that the test is a complete cod piece and doesnt know his **** from his elbow will be the only time you'll get away with it.

Exhuast blows upset emmission to. Get it sorted. Will also fail on exhaust gas leak.

[matthew172]

mines a 92 on a k plate and its got no cat and goes through no bother

[novawez]

mines a k reg but gets round the cat by havin an older gte engine in it

[Saloony]

And theres the other thing... Engine replacements. The car then gets test on which ever is older. 93 car with 91 engine gets test on 91 standards. 95 engine in 83 car gets test by 83 standards.

[novawez]

thats the one

[Adam]

And theres the other thing... Engine replacements. The car then gets test on which ever is older. 93 car with 91 engine gets test on 91 standards. 95 engine in 83 car gets test by 83 standards.
Yep, which is why my 92 K has a non cat test, as it has a 1990 engine in.

[Saloony]

I know.... I have to know this **** for a reason.

[loggyboy]

I know.... I have to know this **** for a reason.

In which case, do you agree if a car passes its emmisions test it will pass an mot, regardless if it has a cat or not, no matter what age.

[Adam]

Yes it will /\

Its not a requirement to have a cat, just to pass emissions, which a cat car can't do without a cat fitted.

[Saloony]

Cat is not a requirement, but on a car for a cat test theres noway she'll pass without one (for the emmission). Plus theres the rest of the mot to do.... Rust...Lights...

[diablo007]

the car will pass the mot considerin the cat is still there. just take it off, knock the honycomb outta the inside of it, put it back on an noone will no the difference. mine passed at the end of jan no problem. the cat not being there wont fail the emmison test. ohh an im runnin standard 1.6 16valve

[Jack]

the car will pass the mot considerin the cat is still there. just take it off, knock the honycomb outta the inside of it, put it back on an noone will no the difference.
Read the thread, its got nothing to do with physically having a cat - as far as the MOT tester is concerned, he doesn't give a toss if you have a cat or not; all he is bothered about is the emissions levels.

Your car must have been running considerably lean to pass the BET test. Either that or the tester put it on a carb emissions test!

[Kinky Monza]

Saloony, sorry if my thread has annoyed you, but it's what this section is for!

I know nothing about cats and MOT testing, so i've asked! lol

Thanks though to everyone who's replied! big help!!!

[Saloony]

Saloony, sorry if my thread has annoyed you, but it's what this section is for!

I know nothing about cats and MOT testing, so i've asked! lol

Thanks though to everyone who's replied! big help!!!
No not at all... just seems to be a regular question that pops up at least once a month.

Any other questions just ask. I fail cars for a livinglol

[Kinky Monza]

I gathered that lol remind me not to go anywhere near Southampton lol

[diablo007]

i dont think he did some how. well im in the north of ireland so im guessin the test are different over here but i dont see why they would be. im only sayin that my car passed wit out a cat

[Saloony]

i dont think he did some how. well im in the north of ireland so im guessin the test are different over here but i dont see why they would be. im only sayin that my car passed wit out a cat
Yeah.. Strange one that.. We're (UK) the only ones with strict laws. But looking at it it isnt strict at all what you can actually pass through is quite shocking.