14 replies to this topic

[oltonlad]

hi guys, can i remove the catalyst on my 1993 mini italian job without it affecting the mot?

i was told that the only mini's that get tested on the catalysts are the injected ones....is this true?



cheers in advance!

[Noah]

Yeah, you'll be fine.

35's came standard with cats and people take them off and pass all the time.

[Mighty made]

Shoudl be OK to take them off.

The position is that a catalyst is only required to be checked on cars that are required to have a CAT test.

The alternative for all 90's carb minis is a BASIC emissions test. (BET)

The anomoly comes about when the tester puts your reg into the machine, which then tells him/her that as the car was registered after 1992, he/she is required to conduct a CAT test (which of course a carb mini fails).

He/she then is suppose to look up the engine number/type, in the manual, to ensure an EXACT match.

(The book only shows the SPi and MPi engine numbers), so an originally carbed mini defaults into getting a second BASIC test.
which it should pass. No requirement to have a catalyst for a BASIC test.


The waters start to get muddier, for those engines that have been converted from SPi to carbs, as the original engine number shows up as being a match and therefore needing both a CAT test, and a catalyst.

[Tahiti Joe]

I had a '93 carb'd Tahiti and removed the CAT, passed two MOT's with no issue!

[oltonlad]

cool, thanks for the info, i've only ever owned older mini's (non cat) so i was unsure of the requirements etc but i'm now in the picture thanks to you guys....

[Guess-Works.com]

If the computer says the car needs a cat test at MOT time, then it'll fail if it's not there... carbed or injection.

The new regulations, which came in this time last year, say....

On vehicles that qualify for a full cat emissions test, check the presence of the catalytic converter.

Reason for failure...

A catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard

[mini-luke]

Would a 93 carbed mini qualify for a full cat emissions test though? I doubt it'd pass even if there was a cat fitted

[Guess-Works.com]

This is where it gets complicated and you need to follow the flow diagrams....

But in summary...

If the car was first used AFTER 1st August 1992 then it'll go through basic emissions test (BET) which is...

Fast Idle Test(2500 to 3000rpm) CO <= 0.2% HC <= 200ppm Lambda between 0.97 and 1.03 - Idle Test(450 to 1500rpm) CO <= 0.3%

If it meets that then it's a pass, if not then it goes to another check...

Vehicle first used between1 August '92 and 31 July '95 ?

If Yes

Can you find an exact match in the analyser database or the in-Service Emissions book?

If Yes - CAT Test as per details for vehicle

If No - Non Cat Test - CO <= 3.5% HC <= 1200ppm

[JonnyBMX]

just a quick question, i always thought it was done on the engine serial number? i.e if you put a 1959 engine in your mini then it will qaulify for the emissions test for this time not when the car was registered??

please correct me on this

[Guess-Works.com]

just a quick question, i always thought it was done on the engine serial number? i.e if you put a 1959 engine in your mini then it will qaulify for the emissions test for this time not when the car was registered??

please correct me on this

Please see this thread....

http://www.theminiforum.co.uk/forums/topic/243870-mot-engine-age/

[AVV IT]

If the computer says the car needs a cat test at MOT time, then it'll fail if it's not there... carbed or injection.

The new regulations, which came in this time last year, say....

On vehicles that qualify for a full cat emissions test, check the presence of the catalytic converter.

Reason for failure...

A catalytic converter missing where one was fitted as standard

But no carb engined mini actually appears in the analyser database, or the MOT in-service emissions book though, only fuel injection models do. Therefore no carbed mini qualifies for a full cat emissions test and the inspector does not need to check for the presence of a catalytic converter, regardless of whether or not one was fitted as standard. The new regs only exist to ensure that those cars eligible for a full cat emissions test, actually have a cat to pass that test. You can therefore remove the CAT from any carb engined mini, so long as it is not a model with an originally fuel Injected engine that has been converted to carb.

Unfortunately there is a lot of misinterpretation of this by MOT inspectors who don't understand the regs though. You are therefore best to check with the MOT inspector at your local test centre before booking a test. If they do tell you that you need a CAT, then take your car elsewhere to someone who does understand the regs. There are plenty of places out there that do.

[Guess-Works.com]

But no carb engined mini actually appears in the analyser database, or the MOT in-service emissions book though

As I don't have access to the analyser database nor the in-service emissions book then I cannot truthfully say what is in there or is not... so I included the statement, that if the vehicle appears in the list, then it is checked as per that defined in the list, if it is not then it goes through the non-cat test.

[Vipernoir]

If you have a newer engine (MPi) in an older car, which emission test does it need to pass - with the cat or the earlier no cat ?

[AVV IT]

If you have a newer engine (MPi) in an older car, which emission test does it need to pass - with the cat or the earlier no cat ?

It would be whichever is the older, in your case it would be the earlier no cat emissions test, assuming the older car in question was a carbed mini originally.

From MOT inspectors handbook:

- Vehicles Fitted with a different engine

Test according to which is older, engine or vehicle.
e.g. A 1995 car fitted with a 1991 engine (of whatever make), test to 1991 standards for emissions purposes.

Edited by AVV IT, 22 January 2013 - 02:21 PM.

[AVV IT]

But no carb engined mini actually appears in the analyser database, or the MOT in-service emissions book though

As I don't have access to the analyser database nor the in-service emissions book then I cannot truthfully say what is in there or is not... so I included the statement, that if the vehicle appears in the list, then it is checked as per that defined in the list, if it is not then it goes through the non-cat test.

Fair enough.

According to my MOT inspector there are no matches in the analyser database for any pre-95 classic mini engine. (with the last carb engined minis being produced in 1994) These are the only classic mini engines that appear in the in-service emissions book, (which is available on line I'll post the link to it when I find it again)

Mini Model Code XN

1.3l Auto TBi Engine Code X Serial No 059845 onwards
1.3l Manual TBi Engine Code X Serial No 059822 onwards
1.3l TBi Engine Code Y Serial No 060488 onwards
1.3l MPi Engine Code Z

Edited by AVV IT, 22 January 2013 - 02:22 PM.