[Mk2] [Turbo] M reg Tubby De-catted vs. MOT

[slunk]

Ok so my tubbys going in for her first MOT since being de-catted and its making me nervous
Shes a 95' M reg so, as far as I understand, she should be running the non-cat test as outlined directly below:

Fast Idle (2500-3000rpm)
CO<=0.3%
HC<=200ppm
Lambda= 0.97 to 1.03

However, looking at last years MOT report I can see the maximum permissible readings where:

Fast Idle (2500-3000rpm)
CO<=0.2%
HC<=200ppm
Lambda= 0.97 to 1.03

As you can see, last year she was tested to the limits of CO<=0.2% and not CO<=0.3%
Does this mean she ran the Cat test? Any help would be appreciated.

[Martin F]

'95 was the cut off date for the import tubby....must start on a specific month, any idea which one and what month was your car first registerd in..

might be able to blag it eitherv way but alot off tubbies will pass the cat test even without one...

[slunk]

I haven't got all the docs to hand but I've looked into this in the past and can recall that she was first registered before 31 July 1995 and therefore should NOT be running the Cat test.

What confuses me is that the only difference between the above test limits is 0.1% CO Is this the difference between the Cat and non-Cat test?

It wouldn't worry me so much but at the last MOT the actual reading my tubby gave with the CAT was 0.19% CO so if I run to the same limits again (CO<=0.2%), only this time with the decat, I'm quite likely to fail as I've only got 0.01% tolerance. If however I run the non-cat test (CO<=0.3%) I'll have 0.11% tolerance.

[JUIC'IN]

July 95 was the cut off date so you should technically be ok, just depends what the MOT tester is like, wether he's relaxed or an ar$ehole?

[Ironmind]

got mine MOTd a fortnght ago - failed on emissions and noise with decat.

put stock exhaust on - passed then got him to put on ye olde GT Spec back on

its a hassle but worth it imo

[raptor95GTS]

M plate or older tubby goes through the non CAT test. It shouldn't need the fast idle either but most testers do that one.

[slunk]

Ok well cheers for the responses guys. It seems the old MOT business isn't quite as rigid as I'd first thought.
I'll try my luck this afternoon and let you know the outcome. Hopefully I won't have to spend all weekend on my back screwing the cat back home.

[raptor95GTS]

Ok well cheers for the responses guys. It seems the old MOT business isn't quite as rigid as I'd first thought.
I'll try my luck this afternoon and let you know the outcome. Hopefully I won't have to spend all weekend on my back screwing the cat back home.

it's nothing to do with luck. Tell the MOT tester to read his bl00dy manual and he wont find an sw20 chassis with a 3sgte engine and since it's an M plate or older they HAVE to do the non CAT test if it fails the CAT. Really really quite simple this one

[mattcambs]

it's nothing to do with luck. Tell the MOT tester to read his bl00dy manual and he wont find an sw20 chassis with a 3sgte engine and since it's an M plate or older they HAVE to do the non CAT test if it fails the CAT. Really really quite simple this one

I know a garage in Huntingdon who flatly refuse to accept this ^

My advice is to ask the MOT station whether they are going to do the correct test or not before you let them test it.

I think I'm right in thinking that the proceedure will be that they do the CAT test first. If it fails that they then look up the chassis/engine (which doesn't exist) and it's then put through the "non-CAT" test.

It's all very official and their screen is linked to VOSN so there is no cheating.

Only thing I'm not sure on is whether N-reg tubbies can have the non-CAT test. Some people say they can, others no.

[raptor95GTS]

it's nothing to do with luck. Tell the MOT tester to read his bl00dy manual and he wont find an sw20 chassis with a 3sgte engine and since it's an M plate or older they HAVE to do the non CAT test if it fails the CAT. Really really quite simple this one

I know a garage in Huntingdon who flatly refuse to accept this ^

My advice is to ask the MOT station whether they are going to do the correct test or not before you let them test it.

I think I'm right in thinking that the proceedure will be that they do the CAT test first. If it fails that they then look up the chassis/engine (which doesn't exist) and it's then put through the "non-CAT" test.

It's all very official and their screen is linked to VOSN so there is no cheating.

Only thing I'm not sure on is whether N-reg tubbies can have the non-CAT test. Some people say they can, others no.

matt - get it in writing and report the garage. Bet they change their tune after that - mind you, they'll find something to fail the car on but hey there's plenty of other garages.

[mattcambs]

I've used this garage for years to service my Civic, but I'd never take my tubby there! Good garage, but the owner is a bit of a pr1ck.
Cheers

[DavidM]

My December 95 N reg tubby was put through a non-CAT test without having to ask, no problem.
I'm told by a MOT inspector friend that if a tester is not following the correct procedure then you should complain to VOSA. They will investigate and if the tester is found at fault he gets given points. Too many points and they remove him from giving MOT's.