what year for no cat

[Deanno]

Im thinking of using a zetec but my car is a 1993 and has a cat does that mean i have to have a cat for the sva and Mot's?

I thought it was pre 1993 to be cat exempt?

Please help

[Jeze2903]

Hi, if your engine was originally fitted with a cat, then you will have to fit one on your car for the IVA test.
You will then have to pass a stringent emission test for an MOT each year.
Usual dodge is to fit a 'pre cat' engine to pass IVA test, then change it for something more modern, such as a Zetec. The emission test for the MOT will then be the same as the engine fitted during the IVA test.

[Deanno]

ah so there is a way around it.
cheers for that

[Josh]

If you are using your engine in a kit-car, which you are , then as long as the engine is pre Aug' 1995 then you do NOT have to use the cat, even if it was running one in the production car.

This is because it took a while for the kit-car regs to catch up with the production car regs, I believe all production cars had to run cats from the late 80's onwards.

So your '93 engine will not need a cat, I searched long and hard to find a 93 mondeo for that very reason...

[deezee]

Originally Posted by Jeze2903

Hi, if your engine was originally fitted with a cat, then you will have to fit one on your car for the IVA test.

This isn't true. The CAT emissions is based on the age of the engine and not associated with whether the original vehicle came with or without a CAT.

[baz-r]

Originally Posted by Josh

I believe all production cars had to run cats from the late 80's onwards.

all production cars manufactured after aug 1993 (could be 92) had to be fitted with a cat befor this it was optional and car makers could pre register unbuilt cars to clear "pre cat cars" my k reg sierra doner was one of thease

[Big Vern]

Think we need to post a sticky on this subject as it crops up about once a week!
According to the IVA emissions regs. a kit car built with a pre 1995 engine will NOT require a catalyst but as with the build of all kit cars you will need to provide proof of the age of the engine when submitting docs. for the IVA.
The donor car log book showing engine number is no longer accepted as proof of engine age.

Mass produced cars registered from August 1992 had to be fitted with a catalyst for sale in the UK and europe.

With the introduction of the IVA cars imported from outside the EU are required to have a catalyst fitted or re-fitted IF they were fitted with one originally. eg if I was to import my 1991 jap spec MX-5 now it would have to have a working cat fitted even though it was first used before the catalyst requirement in the EU.

To answer your original question if you're using a Sierra donor of any kind and using the donor engine then you will NOT need a catalyst.
If you are going to use the engine from another car ie not thr donor car engine then you need to make sure that engine is from a pre 1995 car and you have paperwork to confirm the engine age - contact ford with the engine and or chassis number and they should write back with the age of the engine which you can submit to the IVA.

HTH BV.