'New' MOT rules on Catalytic converters?

[Richard_Sideways]

Just booked the old girl in for a basic service and MOT and have been told that I may hit problems with the emissions as there are new rules which state that if a car had a CAT when it was made, it MUST have one fitted OR pass the same emissions levels as it the CAT was still present...
Now, I decatted mine waaaay back when I switched to stainless - so I've either got to retrofit a new CAT, or somehow get the thing through the test.

Question is, was the UK spec car catted, as standard for the phase 1 which pre-dated CAT regulations in the UK?

 

[keastygtir]

thats scary

 

[gtiroz]

Sunny had a cat according to FAST:

 

[Richard_Sideways]

thats scary

Yeah. The regs basically say that if anything has been done to remove any part of the exhaust system which controls emissions then its instant 'major' failure, regardless of the actual gasses coming out the back.

 

[PobodY]

I'm told there's a bit of leniency on this; especially with grey imports. - If it's obvious there should be a catalytic converter, and there isn't; they're supposed to fail it.
However, if it's not obvious that it's a catalytic converter that's missing they can't be expected to know what should and shouldn't be there on every car, and can pass it on the basis of emissions.

If you've got a muffler in place of the cat, how do they know that's not what's supposed to be there?

 

[keastygtir]

I think the first use date still applies to grey's

 

[Richard_Sideways]

First use dates do still apply but my understanding is that the decatting would basically be an insta-fail if its discovered. Mines a centre muffler type install so looks right at first glance. The annoying thing is that even without the CAT the gasses are easily under the limits.

 

[geoff pine]

I don't see it applying to grey imports? as my h reg was built two years before cats came in to law in the uk and its not type proved. But can see how they could apply it to uk sunnys.

 

[astarozna]

We have rule '93 onwards must be cat-ed. Use a 100cell racing cat it won't restrict power output.

 

[Cathode]

i thought it was widely known - especially after owning many a jap 90s turbo bucket - that any car made before and registered before the summer of 1992, no CAT required. Yes, you still have to pass emissions. Basically it shouldn't have changed for people who own cars like we do.

 

[Richard_Sideways]

The exhaust went through the new MOT rules as it sits - without CAT - no issues (gasses were fine as usual). First use registry on The System shows 1991 (apparently) first use so is exempt from the CAT requirement.

Concern was more to do whether the interpretation of the rule was that if the CAT had been there as factory fit, then it'd be an automatic failure if it had been removed.