De-Cat Options for MOT

[TrackerMan]

Hi all,

I recently bought my 200 back from the chap I sold it too in 2023. However he extensively modified during his ownership transforming it from a stunning LY OEM car to an even more stunning LY track car using all high end parts and modifications. However, he fitted a full Milltek exhaust system inc de-cat and I didn't get the OE cat back for MOT's. What are my options (I don't know a friendly MOT tester)

#1. Do I purchase an OE cat from new just for MOT testing and if so are there any recommendations?
#2. Do I purchase a Milltek sports cat for £700? If so will this still pass emotions and will I need it mapped again as it's currently mapped for de-cat by Engine Dynamics.

All opinions and suggestions welcome.

 

[Advikaz]

Find a dodgy MOT station

 

[R3k1355]

Buy a cheap catalyst, fit it for the MOT. Take it off straight after.

I would never do such a thing.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

V band clamps are a good investment. Makes doing this much easier.

 

[Martin_172]

Does it still have the cat on the manifold? Mine still has the cat on the manifold but ive done away with the 2nd cat on the exhaust system and it passes emissions no problem

 

[npt]

One question regarding the cat, if you were to remove it after the mot then be involved in an accident, what would happen once the insurance guy checks the car and notices its missing? Im guessing they wouldn't pay out even if you had declared it as its illegal?

 

[MAXRUNDOWN]

Take it to an exhaust fabricator and get a sports cat welded into the exhaust. There's no point in running a decat on a road car, the power loss from running a sports cat is negligible if anything at all, you won't notice a couple of BHP anyway and it's worth having one to do away with the hassle of swapping exhaust parts every year or having to get dodgy MOT's.

Plus not having one when the car should is illegal, if you care about that.



https://nemesisuk.com/products/univ...00-cell-from-magnaflow?variant=51889801822586

 

[Chrisgti6]

One question regarding the cat, if you were to remove it after the mot then be involved in an accident, what would happen once the insurance guy checks the car and notices its missing? Im guessing they wouldn't pay out even if you had declared it as its illegal?

It's highly unlikely that they would be checking for a cat after an accident.

I had a Volvo S40 written off a number of years ago. Stupidly It had a fair few undeclared mods. Koni orange shocks, front mount intercooler, intake pipework, downpipe and decat, remap and none original wheels (still Volvo wheels though). Nothing was said at all, paid out without quibble (and a lot more than I was expecting).

I'm not condoning not declaring mods by the way, it was a bit silly and lucky on my part.

 

[The Psychedelic Socialist]

It's highly unlikely that they would be checking for a cat after an accident.

I had a Volvo S40 written off a number of years ago. Stupidly It had a fair few undeclared mods. Koni orange shocks, front mount intercooler, intake pipework, downpipe and decat, remap and none original wheels (still Volvo wheels though). Nothing was said at all, paid out without quibble (and a lot more than I was expecting).

I'm not condoning not declaring mods by the way, it was a bit silly and lucky on my part.

Surely that all depends on the accident?

If you've written off your own car into a tree and they're looking at a few grand pay out, it's probably not worth their time to investigate.

If you've caused a multi-car pile up with life changing injuries / death and £million awards, then I'd imagine they'd be going over everything with a fine tooth comb.

 

[TrackerMan]

Thanks for all the replies guys. In answer to a couple of questions..

The car has had the pre-cat removed too so it's completely de-catted.

All mods are declared with my insurer so there would be no issues if God forbid I had a accident and had to make a claim.

I'm thinking of just biting the bullet and getting a Milltek sports cat however once fitted would I need to get Engime Dynamics to tweak the map they've current set up.

Cheers.

 

[Donny_Dog]

It's highly unlikely that they would be checking for a cat after an accident.

I had a Volvo S40 written off a number of years ago. Stupidly It had a fair few undeclared mods. Koni orange shocks, front mount intercooler, intake pipework, downpipe and decat, remap and none original wheels (still Volvo wheels though). Nothing was said at all, paid out without quibble (and a lot more than I was expecting).

I'm not condoning not declaring mods by the way, it was a bit silly and lucky on my part.

Haha.
My first ever accident was in 2001 in my Fiesta and it was a 1.1 popular plus...
But I bought a stolen/recovered XR2 and transferred everything over to the 1.1 shell, barring the engine and box. If you blocked your ears and didn't race it, you'd never tell.
A chap pulled out of a junction into the front wing and the insurance back then said "er... Its an XR2 insured as a 1.1. We aren't paying out"
My mum rang up and kicked off
They agreed to replace the wing but I had to replace the body kit.

How times have changed. I'd be in jail now.

 

[Donny_Dog]

Thanks for all the replies guys. In answer to a couple of questions..

The car has had the pre-cat removed too so it's completely de-catted.

All mods are declared with my insurer so there would be no issues if God forbid I had a accident and had to make a claim.

I'm thinking of just biting the bullet and getting a Milltek sports cat however once fitted would I need to get Engime Dynamics to tweak the map they've current set up.

Cheers.

No

 

[Louis]

Surely that all depends on the accident?

If you've written off your own car into a tree and they're looking at a few grand pay out, it's probably not worth their time to investigate.

If you've caused a multi-car pile up with life changing injuries / death and £million awards, then I'd imagine they'd be going over everything with a fine tooth comb.

How do they prove without doubt that you knew?

 

[The Psychedelic Socialist]

How do they prove without doubt that you knew?

Do they have to prove without doubt? I don't know how it works with big claims like that.

Presumably you'd have a case to say you had no idea if your car was otherwise completely stock, just with a decat. But if you're in a clearly heavily modified car, balance of probability suggests that you either know about it or you should have known about it. I suppose they'd say, if you didn't know about it, how did you get it through its last MoT...

 

[Martin_172]

How do they prove without doubt that you knew?

Your post on the forum enquiring about getting it thru an MOT 😂


In that case just replace the manifold with a factory one with cat, job done

 

[npt]

Just put the oe cat back on, they are good enough to flow plenty power through them, no benefits removing it except a little more noise

 

[VenomUK]

I'm not sure of the position on these if they go down the back of the bulkhead or under the car.

If down the back of the engine/bulkhead then find a friendly MOT tester. If the car is in track state then explain to them it does very little if any road use and someone will help you.

If it is under the car and accessible then get a second hand CAT and swap for MOT time. If you cant be arsed with all that then get a 200 cell and swap it out and leave it be. If you don't mind throwing a spanner around then later down the line get the CAT you buy and get an exhaust specialist to fab some V clamps on to your existing system and then the process becomes even easier.

 

[TrackerMan]

Cheers again for all the replies.

I'm deffo gonna go down the Milltek sports cat route especially if I dont need it mapping again. I would be right in assuming the sports cat would get the car through emissions even with the pre cat removed in the manifold?

 

[mumpy]

Cheers again for all the replies.

I'm deffo gonna go down the Milltek sports cat route especially if I dont need it mapping again. I would be right in assuming the sports cat would get the car through emissions even with the pre cat removed in the manifold?

Get it running hot before testing

 

[Brigsy]

Sports cat are hit and miss for emissions pass. Look half legal though.

Defo want a map tweak if adding it back in permanently

 

[R3k1355]

How do they prove without doubt that you knew?

Do they have to prove without doubt? I don't know how it works with big claims like that.

3rd party is always covered regardless of what you do. Can be drunk/high and go steaming through a bus stop full of nuns and they'll pay out for the 3rd parties injuries.
The costs they can refuse to pay out are you own, so the overall cost of a claim isn't so much the defining point.

They could look to recover costs from a claim if it was you at fault though.

 

[The Psychedelic Socialist]

They could look to recover costs from a claim if it was you at fault though.

That's the worry though, surely. That they pay out to the third party, then ruthlessly pursue you for costs based on some kind of infringement like this.