Stainless Exhaust Needs Cat Fitted For Mot

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Right folks, some advice needed.

 

I've currently got an aftermarket stainless exhaust fitted on my '93 1.9 GTi. However it has no CAT fitted and no lambda fitted, also the tailpipe has a bigger diameter than Katie Price's gub and makes nearly as much noise.

 

Since i've had it its been through the MOT 3 times. But basically its been passed through the MOT by taking the emissions off another car due to no CAT.

 

I've been told I'll need one fitted if it's to pass as the guy says he can't do it again. Basically I'd like to keep the system stainless, add a CAT (also stainless) and add the lambda in as well as any other wiring, sensors etc...and i'd like to replace the back box for something more subtle and a bit smaller and hopefully something a lot less noisy.

 

Peugeot ecosse do a complete exhaust for £360 with CAT and a much smaller tailpipe. Or should I buy the individual bits I need? Can they replace the existing parts of the exhaust? Ie buy a new CAT and back box and add them in. No idea if its interchangeable or not.

 

Cheers,

 

Gav

[welshpug 1,662]

is it originally a cat car still running a cat engine?

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Yes. Cat car with cat engine. A previous owner removed the cat.

Edited February 18, 2013 by gavbrum

[welshpug 1,662]

should have a lambda then surely?

 

it will need one to ensure emissions levels are correct and you don't kill the cat.

 

if its a decent system and you only want the smaller tail then you could find an exhaust fabricators and ask for a sports cat to be fitted.

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Pretty sure there is no lambda. Definitely no cat.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

If the Garage will go for it tell them it's a 2.0 engine out of a 306 etc, then it goes to a default non CAT test or the other way is it has LPG fitted

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

If you can get it through the emissions for a non cat test the the cat need only be present for the test (ie; in the car not actually fitted) if you have a friendly tester but you would be better to have the Lambda fitted either with or without the cat though as you'll have a better running car & probably better fuel economy.

 

The wiring should be there already if your car had a cat originally so all you'll need is a boss welding into your current stainless system & a suitable lambda fitting, with my car on MP3.1 that doesn't need a cat it would pass a cat emissions MOT test.

 

g

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Emissions are shocking apparently. Plus fuel economy has been shocking as well. Gonna need to sort lambda and fit a cat to get it through.

 

Any idea where I can pick up a good CAT for a motronic XU9JAZ engine?

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Other option was to say its had an engine swap from a pre cat car

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

If you get the lambda fitted so you're car passes the emissions, you might not need a cat fitting but to fit a cat you will need a complete new exhaust system & manifold to use standard parts.

 

The plugs for the lambda should be in your engine bay, there will be two plugs, one white & one black iirc.

 

To say you have an older engine fitted from a pre cat car it is on you to prove this fact but depending on your date of registration it could be registered as a late pre cat car, I think Miles knows how to find this out.

 

g

[ablister 31]

Just say the engine is an early non-cat engine as said above (should also remove engine number) so benefit of doubt will be given to you and they'll have to base emissions on a non-cat test.

 

Wouldn't worry about engine noise either, there is no noise level criteria for what fails so they can only advise

 

If you get any bother, take a trip down to Fife...

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Cheers for the advice guys.

 

As far as claiming its a non cat i'm pretty sure that shows up on the computer when they enter my registration. The guy said last time as long as he gets some document or receipt saying engine has been swapped then he is happy to do it. So I'm pretty sure I could knock something up on photoshop.

 

I'm taking the car to an auto sparky to get the alarm fitted tomorrow so I might ask him how much to fit and wire in a new lambda.

[welshpug 1,662]

it wont be a job for an auto sparky, it'll be a job for a welder and a fitter.

[damo 17 2 Cars]

try e-bay, loads around assuming its a 2inch pip or 2.25 etc. i picked up a 200 cell sports cat for £30 delivered so you could easily make something up.

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

I'll see if he knows someone.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

If you have a local stainless exhaust place then they could add you a lambda boss into your current exhaust for £30 max imo, add another ~£30 for the lambda to suit your ecu & it should sail through the emissions.

 

As for the noise, at worst if the tester considers it too loud, the most he can do is issue an advisory afaik, if that.

 

As said though, its not a job for an electrician but a welder. Your loom should have the connectors for the lambda in place already if your car had one fitted originally & you are running the M1.3 ecu.

 

g

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Cool, I'll try and source a lambda and a welder. Yes its running a 1.3 Motronic ECU.

 

In terms of noise it is more to do with personal preference than not getting through MOT. Its just a big bore exhaust and big box on the back. It's like it belongs on a Subaru or something. I'd like to change it but it can wait for now.

 

Cheers again,

 

Gav

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Just say it's a XU10J2 engine, this will be entered after the CAT test which it will fail but the option is there to enter the new engine details after that

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Its an XU9JAZ

[Anthony 1,003]

Worth remember that one of the rule changes that came about last year was that now a catalyst must be fitted, not merely that the car has to pass a catalyst emissions test. This is probably why your MOT man is refusing to pass the car this year despite "overlooking" the emissions in previous years.

 

The exact wording from the revised MOT manual...

 

7.1 Exhaust system

reason for rejection

3. A catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard

 

Either get your existing exhaust modified to take a catalyst and lambda sensor, or replace the system with one designed for a catalyst equipped car and purchase a catalyst. That is the correct solution to your issue and one that will result in a legal car that will pass the MOT, as opposed to lying about your car has an engine fitted which it doesn't.

[welshpug 1,662]

On top of that, will more than likely fix your fuelling issues, given you are missing one of the main components of the fuelling system...

[minimaniacwhyard 17]

Im a tester and the rules that are coming in are slowly making it more difficult for older cars. If it was pre 96 you used to be put onto a

Non cat test due to the fact that the motor industry had excese stock of cars from before 93 94 when the cat test was introduced. Unfortunatly even if it does pass emmision we are meant to fail if ones fitted as standard. Hop this helps. My usless bit of knowladge that ive got to use for the first time :-)

[gavbrum 18 1 Cars]

Last 3 posts are spot on. I want to put it back to standard anyway or as close to as possible so I'd like to do it right.

 

Any suggestions for a new exhaust system? I know sweet FA about exhaust makes etc. Looking at service box most exhaust parts are NFP so whats a good equivalent?

[pugdamo 111 2 Cars]

Im a tester aswell,where did you hear that?Heres links to the flow charts in the MOT manual

 

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s07000308.htm

 

http://www.motinfo.gov.uk/htdocs/m4s07000309.htm

 

I could be wrong on this, but iv always followed the flow charts if in doubt,i would do a normal CAT test for that as it would be on the database limits co 0.3,hc 200 and lambda between 0.97 and 1.03

Only things that normally arnt on are imports which have different limits

[ablister 31]

You can still MOT it as a non-cat test if the engine was originally from a car before '92, despite what the car is. If engine number is removed, how can anyone realistically prove what the age is. If you say the engine is from an older 205 then benefit of doubt will be given to you and will have to be tested accordingly. Regarding the cat, the engine/car won't need one to pass the test either (providing the engine emissions are below 3.5% co, 1200ppm hc etc) so will not be a fail. If he fails it for it being missing, ask him to prove the cat was fitted originally.