Decats and WOF

[mpau009]

I went to a pitstop today to pickup an off cut bit of steel from a mate, and i went to talk to them about doing the front section of my exhaust, from the downpipe to the 3" pipe behind the catalytic convertor.

The guys there reckon it is/will be illegal not to have a cat on my car since its post '96.. To the point where they refused to do it. Naturally i feel a compulsive urge to tell them to go .... themselves, since they sell aftermarket exhaust kits without cats

Is this really a legitimate WOF issue these days?

I will be seriously frustrated if i have to have a full 3" system with a rusty 2 1/4" cat jammed in the middle, cause the performance ones aint cheap

How are the people on here with decats getting on, no ones complained that i can remember?

[Subaru ETA]

it will be law when the compulsary emission testing comes in...ill check it up tomorrow when im at work....

which pitstop did you go to??

why dont you just get 3 inch flanges on the cat, and get a decat pipe. so when you got for a wof you can just swap the cat back in??

[mpau009]

it will be law when the compulsary emission testing comes in...ill check it up tomorrow when im at work....

which pitstop did you go to??

why dont you just get 3 inch flanges on the cat, and get a decat pipe. so when you got for a wof you can just swap the cat back in??

Yeah thats what i will probably end up doing, its just a bit of a muck around if i dont need it..

Would be great to know for sure if you could ask.

This was pitstop in New Lynn, needed a little bit of thin walled 38mm for the wastegate to exhaust thing, but thats sorted now.

I might see if i can get the flanges of one of the cats from the stock downpipes iv got downstairs and make them work with 3"

[Gly]

i think there will be some sort of law againest it in future,

as it stands it the car must have cat fitted if it was imported after 2007.
or something along those lines.

just dont go to vtnz/onroad for your wofs,

i havent had a cat on my car for any wof's. no probs


i will have a removeible section when i make my down pipes thou. using kens v-bands, just in case they do amend the rules

[Rossco Type-S]

There was a change that came in with the new exhaust emissions import restrictions making it illegal to modify a car so that it no longer passes the emissions law.

I do not know if this is a policy or a law at the moment though.

Wonder what the story will be for cars that had the Cat removed prior to the law change?

[Kenneth]

why dont you just get 3 inch flanges on the cat, and get a decat pipe. so when you got for a wof you can just swap the cat back in??

My plan is as follows

turn down the existing flanges on the cat to 76mm, weld on v-band flanges. remove the flanges on my exhaust system and put in v-band flanges.

Then, I can swap between decat and cat in around 5 mins

Not to mention not having to worry about having it all align correctly... stupid offset crap. Also be great not needing gaskets... gaskets are the DEVIL

[Rossco Type-S]

From Govt press release:-

“Under the Rule all used vehicles will now be tested before entering New Zealand to ensure their emissions control equipment is working. It will also be illegal to modify any new or used vehicles’ equipment that could cause their emissions to worsen,” said Associate Minister of Transport Judith Tizard.

Repairers need to certify:
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/rul...ns-2007.html#5

[Robotnik123]

From Govt press release:-

“Under the Rule all used vehicles will now be tested before entering New Zealand to ensure their emissions control equipment is working. It will also be illegal to modify any new or used vehicles’ equipment that could cause their emissions to worsen,” said Associate Minister of Transport Judith Tizard.

Repairers need to certify:
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/rul...ns-2007.html#5

See here - the Q & A on that rule:
http://www.landtransport.govt.nz/rul...alandtampering

Point 25 says the rule only applies to vehicles 1st registered after the rule came into effect, which was 1 Feb 2008. So mpau009 should be OK.

[mpau009]

Thanks guys, aaahhhh, i guess i should stop being lazy and sort it out so i dont have issues.

Im gonna go get the stock dimension flange drawn up with a 76.1mm hole tonight, and i'll go get some cut in mild steel, it will bolt up to the stock cat (if you can get the old bolts out)

So if you want me to make you up one in 3", that bolts into the stock system let me know, it will be the size of the cat, with the flanges in the same orientation.

Not sure of cost until i see the flanges, but im guessing it'll be cheap as, i'll donate the pipe. Especially if you know someone who will weld us up the batch.

Kenneth, i get what you mean about the vbands, im just too damm cheap to go with them I used flanges for the manifold piping, and it is a hassle, especially with the bolt heads so close to the pipe, but as long as they are welded when on the car it works okay, and a sheet of gasket material is only $10.

Anyways, iv got your old spare cat at home still, so i'll go figure out a jig to match the flange orientation on that one, and see what i can come up with..

[Gly]

can you get a couple that bolt up to the standard turbos with 2.5" holes??

[bradc]

doesn't cover if the car has already been modified though and is already registered and warranted in the country

Doesn't matter anyway, I know a place

[Rossco Type-S]

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Point 25 says the rule only applies to vehicles 1st registered after the rule came into effect, which was 1 Feb 2008.

Typical Government, they decide there is an issue (i.e exhaust emissions) and then put a sticky tape over the problem and fix nothing.

Maybe they should try micro-chipping cars instead?

[bradc]

wonder if the wof places will be required to actually *test* the exhaust emissions, or if they will just look at the exhaust and see the cat is there and assume it is all good.

If anyone sees me out in the yard hammering out the insides of 2 cats.....they AREN'T for the 850CSi, ok guys?

[remy]

just dont go to vtnz or on road as someone already mentioned and you should be sweet

[Subaru ETA]

lol they will eventually hve to test

[mpau009]

can you get a couple that bolt up to the standard turbos with 2.5" holes??

Not unless youv got a magic welder.. Thered be bugger all clearance for the nuts, and even if you get a TIG weld in there, you might struggle.. not to mention if you want to take bends off them or whatever, i cant remember what orientation they were in and all that.

But if you want me to try it, they are simple enough to draw up, anything symetrical and easy to measure like that is fine.

[Gly]

yeh go for it, make them up... ill pay for them ofcourse

dosent hurt to try

oh and can you do it so the 2.5" pipe fits into the flange, 63mm holes?? or what ever 2.5inch's is

[StunEm]

I dont see there will be any need to worry about this law straight away, for this law to be enforced every single wof testing station will need to meter emissions. For this to happen the government has to allow plenty of time for these places to get the correct testing gear.

Most of the warrant inspectors will only check for leaks on a exhaust, a decat exhaust on a new vehicle is still alot cleaner than a vehicle without a cat ever in place.

[mpau009]

yeh go for it, make them up... ill pay for them ofcourse

dosent hurt to try

oh and can you do it so the 2.5" pipe fits into the flange, 63mm holes?? or what ever 2.5inch's is

You mean 2.5" ID on the hole? thats the best way to do it. You could actually try and weld it on the inside of the flange if you are keen, then the weld wouldnt interfere with the nut Wonder what the strength would be like tho.

I'll do 64mm so theres a margin of error. They might not get drawn till tuesday/wednesday at the moment, since my mate with the software is actually out tonight.. plus theres always a week or two wait for cash jobs at the cutters. Did you just want 2 of them in 10mm mild steel? or stainless

[mpau009]

Heres my attempt at a jig... Turns out my geometry skills have deteriorated since school, but it seems to fit both the cats i have perfectly. I'll give it a go once i get the flanges done.

Does anyone want to offer their car as a guinea pig? to make sure it fits okay. Brad? might improve economy on the STR If it fits you can have it..

I know theres not really any need to stress about the law, but i do have a heap of 3" pipe left over, so i might as well do something constructive with it, plus it will save cutting up my exhaust down the track if it does become a problem.