Cat or no cat.

[gooner1]

Can someone confirm something for me and please no guesses.
Currently in the process of stripping engine out of a 93 reg 318i touring
to put a 88/89 535i lump in. The touring has a cat on the exhaust and an oygen sensor. Am i right in saying that whichever part is older, car or engine, determines whether i need a cat?. If this is the case ,then do i need the oxygen sensor?.

[SPADGE]

No you don't need a cat or the lambda mate.
For m.o.t purposes its the age of the engine and not the car that determines it needing one or not!

[gooner1]

Cheers mate, was going to ring and ask you but thought if its here in print it would save some other non mechanic a search Btw im finding this engine removing malarkey strangely enjoyable.

[StuBeeDoo]

No you don't need a cat or the lambda mate.
For m.o.t purposes its the age of the engine and not the car that determines it needing one or not!

Almost, but not quite.
It goes by whichever is the older - engine or car.
1994 engine in 1989 car would be classed as 1989.
1994 car with 1989 engine would also be classed as 1989, but you may be required to prove the age of the engine if it isn't obvious to the tester.

But, as Spadge has said, in your case the answer is no you don't need the cat or lambda.

[fuzzy]

No you don't need a cat or the lambda mate.
For m.o.t purposes its the age of the engine and not the car that determines it needing one or not!

garage also told me it was the engine that determined the need for a cat.i didnt need one for mine. if the engine is undeclared the tester will be looking for a cat as his computer will tell him one should be fitted. i suppose it could get difficult if the donor engine used had been fitted with a cat half way through its production run . would the engine number give away the original age and spec?

[DanThe]

Oh not again........

[gooner1]

Fuzzy, stop bleedin complicating things

[Turbo-Brown]

According to the SVA book, the thing with the most 'points' wins.

An axle carries a few points, the chassis even more points, but the engine only 1 point.

You need to change 8 points worth of stuff iirc in order to effect the age of the car so:

1985 car with 2007 engine is tested as though 1985.
2007 car with 1985 engine is tested as a 2007 car.

It no doubt varies wildly from one test centre to another though.

[Jon_Bmw]

Oh not again........

[SPADGE]

Gooner just get the engine in and running and bring the thing to me to deal with the yearly mot

[FlappySocks]

Doh... I have been turning down perfectly good K reg cab's for my M30 conversion, when all along I could have bought them without fear of keeping the cat.

[Brianmoooore]

This was all thrashed out a couple of days ago1 I even posted the relevant bit from the MOT testers handbook.
Emissions test is on whichever is older - engine or car. There are further exemptions if the engine number is unreadable.
The onus is on whoever presents the car for MOT test to prove any relevant ages.