I know there's ALOT of schools of thoughts about de-cats.

What i want to know, to make my mind up, is should i do it and would i run the risk of any damage to the turbo etc?

Going to get my tuner to alter the map to suit the cat removal

Oh, i'm running a standard turbo if thats any help

Thanks folks

DO IT!!

not sure what your trying to say Martin

Is there a difference? feel/noise etc? I'm already running a straight through from the cat back

Take it i should be ok as long as the map's altered?

Not sure mate I'm running petrol and only got mine on yesterday but I'm now noticing more turbo spool whistle and hiss, a bit more low down torque and more top end pull. Not sure if it puts more stress on the turbo and I'm going stage 2/stage 3 in november.

Cool i know there's been a great debate on this subject. Just need to know if i'll destroy a turbo etc

my old pd130 ran for 20-30k with a decat before the next owner got the turbo refurbed (preventative maintenance) at over 140k was still a standard turbo on a generic jabba map.

DO IT

I found more ft/lb and bhp dyno'd pre and post on the same RR without the map being altered, I also noticed a little more whistling from the turbo and it span up much sooner and much quicker.

hope this helps

Edited 15 August, 201015 yr by matt@theforce

think folk talking about overspool has got me a bit panicy think i read that there's something built in to prevent this? Or am i totally wrong

Do it smog monster

:rofl: think i'm off to see my stainless guy

Cant see why the turbo would be a problem? There is boost control right? Should be interesting passing an MOT without a cat unless you have an ecu capable of holding two maps ( one being a special MOT map )

dont need a cat for a oil burner just need to watch how smokey it gets

dur, i never noticed u were a diseasel lol. cant see any worries then

Insurance issues?

The car could be deemed unroadworthy and so any claim could be refused. It's the case for petrol cars but not sure for diesels.

Steve

Insurance issues?

The car could be deemed unroadworthy and so any claim could be refused. It's the case for petrol cars but not sure for diesels.

Steve

It most certainly isnt the case for petrol cars Steve that they'd be unroadworthy. There is no legal reqirement for any petrol car to have a catalytic converter, the only legal requirement is that it passes the post 1992 emmissions tests at an MOT and any random roadside check

@ Matt :rofl: no worries buddy

.........and as i've already said, its not a requirement on a diesel. How could removal of the cat deem the car as unsafe or dangerous? I'm having it professionally done anyway, not doing it myself with a bit of scaffol pole

Edited 17 August, 201015 yr by vRS Dovit

It most certainly isnt the case for petrol cars Steve that they'd be unroadworthy. There is no legal reqirement for any petrol car to have a catalytic converter, the only legal requirement is that it passes the post 1992 emmissions tests at an MOT and any random roadside check

how likely is it for a petrol vRS to pass an emissions check without a cat?

This was the opinion of Greenlight insurance in 2006.

Just to clarify this point, as you appear to be singling Greenlight out in this regard.

By running a De-Catted vehicle you are breaking the law, petty as that sounds this is a Government (not a Greenlight) stipulation.

The fact is that De-Catting your vehicle would mean that the vehicle would not pass an MOT or meet the government standard in this regard. Thus turning up for an MOT with the correct replacement part is the only way to pass the MOT if due.

Every Insurer in the land cannot condone a breach of the law and if you make clear to ANY Insurer that this is fitted and get a definitive reply that says openly that they understand this is a breach of the Law, but are prepared to cover the Decatted vehicle for use upon a public highway i would be very surprised. The DVLC would also be very interested in this approach.

Check your policies, regardless of the Insurer they will ALL have clauses in respect of the vehicle being "roadworthy" and to quote "the Insured car must be covered by a valid Department of Transport MOT" - which clearly your MOT would only be valid upon the vehicle that it was tested upon & if tested with the De-Cat would clearly fail.

In nuts & bolts performance terms Greenlight understand the impact of the Decatting and are happy to cover a vehicle with this fitted, however we are not able to overtly do so in an instance which clearly contravenes the stipulated UK road law.

To date, our personal experience is that we have not encountered an issue with an Insurer failing to indemnify when this is fitted, but it does give ANY Insurer potential ammunition to repudiate ANY claim presented.

A situation which we are personally uncomfortable with, as we (or ANY other broker for that matter) cannot categorically confirm to our clients that have a De-catted system fitted to a 1993-2006 vehicle how any respective Insurer would react at the time of a claim.

If you care to provide me with your Insurer's details and authority to do so, i'd be more than happy to refer this to your prospective or current Insurer on your behalf and publish the Mp3 or Wma of the conversation on here for you.

Kind regards

Tony

Taken from here ==> http://bbs.scoobynet.com/insurance-19/496449-greenlight-decat-no.html

So it looks like there may be wriggle room for an insurer to refuse a pay out although in 2006, they were not aware of a claim being refused.

I stand corrected on the removal of a cat. This appears not to be illegal but the car must still pass the emissions test which may be hard if not impossible without the cat fitted. http://www.motester.co.uk/CarOwnersGuidetoTheMOT/WhatIsTested.aspx

Steve

how likely is it for a petrol vRS to pass an emissions check without a cat?

Depends on the ecu ;-)

and the post re greenlight?

He should have just informed them first, they are mistaken about it being illiegal. Dont know why the claimant didnt inform them as they LOVE modded cars, and in fact have refused to insure me on quite a few cars because they werent fast/modded

Bizzarely I actually used Greenlight myself a few years back, on a decatted petrol car with omex, with two maps loaded, one for the MOT and Greenlight paid out on a multicar accident I was involved in. Barry in their office could confirm this.

As i wrote, the risk of a refused claim may be low, but that possiblity does exist. All I wanted to do was to help the OP in his decision by providing some information I was aware of.

For the record, I had a decatted Impreza insured through Greenlight a number of years ago. If I were to modify a car again, I would buy a sports cat as I did for my first Octavia vRS.

Steve

Edited 17 August, 201015 yr by Steve vRS

If I were to modify a car again, I would buy a sports cat as I did for my first Octavia vRS.

Steve

+1

how likely is it for a petrol vRS to pass an emissions check without a cat?

I know of a Mk5 Golf Gti that passed with decat but I'm very sure it's not the norm.

Edited 17 August, 201015 yr by martziniuk

so...............

I should be ok and it wont damage the turbo

so...............

I should be ok and it wont damage the turbo

Can't comment on that lol. Diesels seem to suffer turbo failure due to build up of soot on the vanes don't they? So make sure you thrash it!

I would imagine there would be less restriction on the decat side and more pressure on the intake side of the turbo so unless the shaft snaps It should be fine

Edited 17 August, 201015 yr by martziniuk

car's looked after so i cant see it blowing up generally dont constantly cane the car and drive it quite sensible (i've an 11month old son and a SWMBO ) going down to consult my stainless guy on thursday too lol

When I had my pd130 decatted I used to notice more soot more of the time (more constant amount) before the decat it used to build up at the cat and stay there until it was given a good blast at which point you would leave a very big black cloud behind you.