24 replies to this topic

[jam2005]

I'd recommend the Maniflow 2.25 inch de-cat pipe . Easy to fix as you only need one gasket (1 end is flat, the other curls inwards) and you get all the bolts and locking nuts needed. Only cost about £15 aswell.

Jam2005 :grin:

[Dom]

mike, what year was your car manufactured?

i have a de cat link pipe on mine when i got the s/s RC40 its a 1990 so it passes for legality. it was also on the rolling road to make it run better as when it was added replacing the standard exhaust with very low cat, which scraped every speed hump around, it ran too rich and used up lots of fuel but now its been tuned to run properly.

you could try the hope i dont get caught method, my friend has a 1993 cooper with a straight through dtm, which fails the emissions but as soon as it comes to MOT time the standard exhaust can just bolt on its place no problem. its a possible way if you had a different exhaust but if your just taking the cat off it might be a bit awkard.

[Guess-Works.com]

At a random stop, unless your emmissions are way out you will be given 14 days to get the car checked and to pass an emissions test... or a prohibition place on the car.

:fear: Simple, go home, fit cat, do emmisions test, show proof of emmisions compliance, remove cat... !!!

Here's a trick, If a vehicle has had a replacement engine, then the emmisions check will be performed based on the oldest item, Theory goes... if the engine was built pre '75 then it should only be subject to a visual emmisions check... only problem is you have to proove the engine was built in 1975. ( a reciept with an engine number on would be nice ) :fear:

[Madmax]

ahh! so if the car is say a 72 like mine is, and the engine is of unknown origin, i would be having problems?

[Guess-Works.com]

as you car is a 72, does not matter what the engine is, becuase the vehicle is pre 75, therefore only a visual emmisions check...

So when you get that 1.8 vtec installed :cheese: you can tune the ***** out of it and they can only do a visual check on the emmisions

I'll be renweing my membership of the Green Party later

Edited by GuessWorks, 14 January 2005 - 03:01 PM.

[P91MER]

I'd recommend the Maniflow 2.25 inch de-cat pipe  . Easy to fix as you only need one gasket (1 end is flat, the other curls inwards) and you get all the bolts and locking nuts needed. Only cost about £15 aswell.

aye, thats not fair! do you mean this one?? I never noticed that the 2 ends are different, why is that? which end fits facing towards the back of the car?

I never got nuts, or gaskets, and got charged £18!!


:cool:


**walks off in disbelief.


Rich

[Dom]

same here mate when i got mine, had to order the bits seperately

[jam2005]

I got mine from P&L Minis and it only cost me about £15 with a gasket and all the bolts. The reason that the ends are different is because you can buy a front pipe to link to the manifold. That way the pipe does not have to be exactly straight and the exhaust gases do not escape due to the knuckle joint. Good idea really as it helps the larger pipe fit around the gearbox connections. The flat end goes towards the back of the car with a gasket fixed on. Hope that helps.

Jam2005 :grin:

[Dan]

There's knuckle joints in good cat exhaust systems because cats are VERY fragile, and if the engine clonks around in it's mountings you'll shatter the expensive platinum element in it unless it is isolated (which is also why injected/catted cars have such a specific and high fuel/air ratio and why there's so much knock limiting). Nothing to do with having to make the pipe a certain shape. So the chamfered end goes towards the knuckle to seal onto it as Jam2005 said.

There's roadside emissions testing all the time around here, they pull you in and basically do a full MOT on your car at the roadside and also check the VIN and engine number and stuff. Loads of different men from the ministry and police climbing over your car.
The real sneaky thing that you have to worry about if you ditch the cat is roadside emissions CAMERAs. That's right, nasty little chemical sensors which analyse your exhaust gas and take a picture of your number plate at the same time. I think these things actually give you points and a fine too!

[TimS]

do they just let of the pre 75 cars then?