Visible smoke = fail only applies to DPF equipped cars.

Smoke limit has not changed for (turbo) cars of the mk1 Fabia era, still 3, I believe

 

EGR also tends to increase particulates, not decrease, FWIW.

Edited 20 May, 20188 yr by Wino

May just get a cat fitted just to be on the safe side, plus de-cat smell is very number 18 bus.

 

My vrs is well looked after. Quality fuel, filters and oil changed every 6 months. Daily Italian tune up, doesn't smoke at all. Only light amount when flat out up a steep hill. 

I think the cat fitted to the PD is a gas catalyst rather than for particulates, it's already free-flowing and I've never understood why people bother to decat, it's a petrol tuning trick that doesn't really help diesels until you get to really high states of tune with big turbos.