Hi All,

Does anyone run one of these? Looks similar to other decat pipes but mentions track use on their website. It won't be used for track use, I just wanted clarification on the legalities of road use and the implications for insurance please. I guess it will be the same as Blueflame or Miltek decats, which loads of people seem to run. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Hi All,

Does anyone run one of these? Looks similar to other decat pipes but mentions track use on their website. It won't be used for track use, I just wanted clarification on the legalities of road use and the implications for insurance please. I guess it will be the same as Blueflame or Miltek decats, which loads of people seem to run. Thanks in advance for your replies.

Yes its legal and yes you probably should tell your insurance company about it.

Thanks for the reply. Regarding insurance there is no question of whether I would tell them or not (of course I would), I was just concerned if they were not legal it may invalidate my insurance policy. Thought I'd clear that one up. Also, new gaskets are required for a decat fit are they not? If so, where can they be sourced from please? It looks like the magnex one requires a 3 bolt gasket.

Thanks for the reply. Regarding insurance there is no question of whether I would tell them or not (of course I would), I was just concerned if they were not legal it may invalidate my insurance policy. Thought I'd clear that one up. Also, new gaskets are required for a decat fit are they not? If so, where can they be sourced from please? It looks like the magnex one requires a 3 bolt gasket.

No prob.

I believe any good exhaust place should have the gaskets needed to fit it. The place I went to to have my decat fitted supplied the gaskets. Cheers.

Thanks again. Spoke to my friendly neighbourhood dealer and they will have one for me tomorrow, for the princely sum of a couple of quid. Happy days.

Thanks again. Spoke to my friendly neighbourhood dealer and they will have one for me tomorrow, for the princely sum of a couple of quid. Happy days.

Your welcome!

Nice one - hope you enjoy life after decat! (or particulate filter or whatever! )

Edited 2 July, 201016 yr by Thirdtimeluck

Technically speaking running a de-cat is illegal hence the notes on it being "for track use only" i.e. not on the public highway.

The same wording was applied to the invoice from my local exhaust place when they made my de-cat pipe.

Does it stop people doing it? no

Not sure on the insurance company front though as it may be considered an illegal modification

dont think a diesel needs a cat to be legal does it? but if it does and you removed it then i believe an insurance company would not insure the car with a de-cat because of it being illegal to use on the road [does all that make sense? ]

All cars need a cat to be legal. A diesel will pass an MOT with no cat as there is no emissions test for a diesel only a smoke test

All cars need a cat to be legal. A diesel will pass an MOT with no cat as there is no emissions test for a diesel only a smoke test

dont think thats strictly true as not all diesels are fitted with cats as standard and obviously not cars before 1991 was it from memory

L reg onwards for petrol which is 1993

decatting a petrol after that is illegal

not sure on diesel but a decat on a fabia vrs 2003 onwards although isn't mot fail-able i would say it is illegal?

I've just had my vrs through its second mot at the main dealer and had no problem with it being decatted

I've got a large bore miltek decat on mine

We're into the realms of the technical letter of the law with regards the fitment of catalytic convertors to vehicles made after 1993. We know that a diesel vehicle will pass an MoT without a cat being fitted, but that doesn't really mean a great deal. Heck, even the MoT isn't a satisfactory standard by which to measure a vehicle's roadworthiness; merely an indication that it passed through the steps covered under the MoT test

However, it can still be deemed illegal depending upon the exact wording of the EU directive which brought this legislation about. I'm not even sure if this mentions diesel-powered vehicles though, as most comment on the directive is solely dealing with petrol vehicles.

Steve

Strictly speaking, removing the cat leaves you open to plod etc.

A cat is an emissions control device (like recirculating breathers) and you mustn't remove it. However, I'm not aware of anyone, ever, getting worked over for having VTA breathers. Even though at the time of the legislation being introduced, it was reckoned that around 30% of vehicle polution was from VTAs. (boring old, previous generation stuff... not the cars, the people... 1960s...)

Advantage of the diesel decat is you wouldn't have to find a "friendly" MOT place or swap exhausts around once a year.

J.