Engine age emissions question
 

I've been reading the Feb issue of Kitcar, and they have some great info on the SVA in there. However, they include a little bit about emissions testing, and say any engine after 1992, or of an unknown age, has to go through a CAT test.

This has really bummed me out, as I had been hoping to use a sierra donor for most of the car, but powered by the lighter zetec 1.8 engine in my build. The only zetec engines I can get hold of are all mid 90's or later.

Sooooo does this mean, I'd have to keep the cat and all the other junk on the engine? Or would I be able to 'loose' all my documents and pop it through as a Q reg? Or does the Q reg, visual smoke test no longer apply on a IVA? TIA

As I understand it (happy to be proved wrong :confused: )

- If you can't prove the age of your engine, then the latest (and most stringent) emissions standards apply. You'll need a modern engine (i.e. fuel-injected, cat-ted) to even get near a pass.

- If you can prove the engine age, then they test against the emissions requirements in force when that engine was made, e.g. pre-1992 engines don't require a CAT, pre-1960s (?) only need a smoke test, etc.


The bit about choosing a 'Q'-reg - you don't really get much of a choice.

If you can prove that nearly all of your cars bits are brand new (I think you're allowed one old component?) then you can get a modern 09 registration.

If you've nabbed all the bits from a single donor then you can transfer the donor's registration.

Otherwise you'll be given a 'Q'-reg. And just because it's a 'Q' reg doesn't mean you get an easy emissions test for the engine - see above.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for helping me clear that up. I was 90% sure it goes off the age of the engine. I think its best to try to get a nice sierra donor car then, and use the 2.0 Pinto block..... The search continues.

I "think" it's pre-95 that there's no "cat" emmisions test. Engines made before this date are available. Check later Escorts 1.6/1.8 (The "Zeta" engine is just a Zetec before Lancia threatened legal action over the name)

If I were in your shoes, I'd fit the Sierra engine and get the SVA passed using that. It'll have to meet the emmissions regs for that year of engine.

After SVA I'd fit a newer engine, like a Zetec as a Winter project.

In fact, that's (basically) what I did with my Locost.

It got it on the road that bit quicker/cheaper and forevermore has only to pass a "visible smoke test" as the engine it passed the SVA with was built in 1980.

It's now got a Zetec fitted but still only has to pass the visible smoke test.

Sounds pretty cool. Is it likely that I'd get caught out at the MOT or something, cos the engine numbers don't match?

The engine number is not checked as part of the MOT test, just the VIN number. ;)

But easy to keep things above board. Build you car, pass the SVA, register the car. Once you have the V5 simply change the engine & notify DVLA of the new engine number.

Engine changes are quite common, they won't want to know the reason why. :) :)

This whole Cat/No Cat has me a bit confused. My daily driver is a 94 Reg Discovery V8 with cats fitted, now as soon as I got her I had an LPG conversion done, not so much to save the Planet but to conserve the Bank balance. When I took her for her first MOT the man, who has been an MOT tester for years, asked if it ran on gas, I said yes and he proceded to test the car emissions on gas. Result was way below the limits for this year of engine, but the interesting thing was that he said that the MOT does not check the Cats just the emissions. I assume that the new IVA will be more stringent but the only way to test the Cats are through the emission so you could fit a dummy cat. The point is that the MOT station have to test the car running on whatever fuel it's using when presented. I know of several people who run on LPG and have removed the cats with no problem. I must admit I am seriously considering running my roadster on LPG not only to save costs but to make the IVA/MOT a bit easier.

Lpg
 

I have also considered running my roadster on Lpg but have decided against it at present as its going to add 50% to my build costs, but i might do it later when funds aren't so stretched.

I'm in the lucky position that there's a company that fit Lpg conversions and tune then on the rolling road in the same town that i grow up in.

Apart from being lighter on the pocket, Lpg has a few other advantages, higher RON rating so can produce more power, runs a lot cleaner so no soot/carbon build up on engine parts and your oil lasts longer, only own side is the availability of suitable fuel stations.