8 replies to this topic

[bengey]

Now i have my stage 1 kit on my mini 1275 1993 on an L plate, i have been told that i will have to put my old exhaust back on for mot as i have bypassed the cat, i thought that changed for 1994 cars onwards , does anyone know more about this ?, Thanks Shane

[taffy1967]

If you're Mini Sprite has a carburettor then you don't need to have a cat and it isn't required for the MOT.

Edited by taffy1967, 07 August 2007 - 11:51 AM.

[Mincento]

Where as i was told ANY car after 1992 has to have a cat whether carb or injection?

wayne

[bengey]

see this is the trouble , need to find some laws i reakon on this, i refuse to take mine off ,besides i threw the old manifold away lol

[taffy1967]

No the rules changed and no carburettor equipped Mini requires a catalytic converter to be fitted for the MOT test.

In fact I've heard that there's a little section at the back of every MOT testers hand book which points out this fact.

I've also heard that early injection Coopers don't need a cat fitted too and I think that's where the before 1992 rule stands.

So if you have any problems with the MOT tester, just get him to check the back of his book.

Edited by taffy1967, 07 August 2007 - 01:07 PM.

[The Matt]

Technically you're changing away from the standard spec. You should leave the cat on the car if it was originally fitted with one and you should be picked up on it (if not by the MOT, then by roadside checks etc). The type of test will be governed by the engine type/number, not by the model of car. All vehicles first registered after 1st August 1992 were required to be fitted with a catalytic convertor, however, that doesn't mean that they have to pass the cat emissions limits. Minis fitted with carbs and a cat have to pass the 'default emissions' test as far as I remember, which they will easily pass with no cat fitted.

The main limits for that (IIRC) are:
CO2 <3.5%
HC <1200ppm (parts per million).

That's the same as a test for a carb or injection car first registered between 1st August 1984 to 31st July 1992 (again IIRC) which aren't fitted with cats. It's a grey area. It's basically because there is no control loop as such for the carb equipped mini, like there is on other injection equipped marques with a cat.

All of that being said, I stopped testing nearly 8 years ago. I can't remember any note in the back of the tester's handbook about carb equipped minis etc. But that information above is the best that I can remember.

[taffy1967]

The addendum or whatever it's called is pretty common knowledge now and I removed the cat from my 1990 Mainstream Mini Cooper back in the mid 1990's and fitted a very sexy Maniflow LCB and twin-box exhaust system. Which was probably one of the best things I did, because the cat and original system was very restrictive on the carburettor equipped Minis. It doesn't really affect the injection models though.

Anyway the only hassle I had was when ATS fitted my back box upside down and the manager of Quick Fit insisted that I needed a cat and should buy a new O/E exhaust system from them because after market jobs are rubbish.

So naturally I stay well away from both of these monkey ran companies now!

Edited by taffy1967, 07 August 2007 - 01:40 PM.

[bengey]

thanks alot chaos, all taken in and good advise thanks again!!!

[bengey]

meant to say chaps***