Guys,

Despite the fact that my Locost has a '97 Fireblade fitted, the clueless MOT guys here insist it has to comply with the emission levels for the year the car was manufactured, 2000 (unfortunately I don't know what "euro x" is that or the levels).

The engine is an unmodified '97 with carbs and no cat and fails emission test, apparently by "a lot" (they won't even tell me levels).

The previous owner of this car told me that, Whenever the car had to go through MOT while in the UK, he would take it to the Kit Car Workshop, where it had a cat fitted for MOT and removed later. I can't remember if he told me about any other thing that they would do, maybe just cat? And that might be not accurate since it was the Kit Car Workshop taking the car for MOT themselves. Also I would assume that the MOT guys there would use the levels for 1997, which may be different from the ones I'm being asked to comply with.

Some Locost manufacturer down here (there's at least one!) seems to think I could probably get away by fitting a cat only, maybe adjusting the carbs for MOT.

Anything you may know on the subject, which would help me asess if a cat would suffice, would be greatly welcome.

Thanks!

hi Alez you will need to fit a good CAT

newer bikes have cats fitted in the CAN but may not be strong enough on there own

youll also need to mess with the mixture screws, its a fiddly job to get right

hope that helps thanks chris

Emission tables here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emission_standard

Looks like in the UK, this car would be required to comply with Euro II, while here in Spain I'm being asked to comply with Euro III

Would you say a carb Fireblade engine + cat could go through Euro III? Or Euro II? (I may try to convince them that that's the applicable one.)

I would be tempted to complain to VOSA as the emission tests for the SVA are done on the age of the engine, the MOT reg's are the same, also by law they have to give you a print out of the actual emissions test. I only know this as I am opening an MOT station shortly. Or you could try a different MOT station.

Thank you Chris.

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newer bikes have cats fitted in the CAN but may not be strong enough on there own

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also by law they have to give you a print out of the actual emissions test. I only know this as I am opening an MOT station shortly. Or you could try a different MOT station.

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Last year I helped out a friend with a R1 MK in the Netherlands and we simply fabricated a new exhaust by welding 3 second hand, scrapyard, mercedes cats together.


One remark; cats work only when they are really, really hot. On how to pass:

We then fiddled with the settings until it was ok. The power drop was noticable...:-)))

However you cannot do this by guessing. You will need to find a friendly garage that will let you use their emission testing equipment.

When I did my sva I didn't pass but thanks to a programmable ECU I could fix it on the premises. The tester switched on his machine, said 'Oops; its my coffee brake.....lets continue in 30 minutes...' Top guy! However with carbs you will need more time.

Good luck!

part of the situation (as far as i can remember) may be that whilst cars have been required to have Cats fitted from August 1995 motorbikes did not hence one was not fitted to a 1997 fireblade, however now the engine is put into a car it has to comply with the 'Car emision standards' applicable to year of the engine not the motorbike emission standards. dont know if you can modify the exhaust to include a cat form a car try http://www.cats4less.co.uk/aboutus.php

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Last year I helped out a friend with a R1 MK in the Netherlands and we simply fabricated a new exhaust by welding 3 second hand, scrapyard, mercedes cats together.

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However with carbs you will need more time.

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Alez FI engines have lamda sensors, Carb blade and carb r1 etc dont.

al you need is the exhaust can of the newer bike the lamda is up on the manifold you dont need that.

could you get a few cans with cats take them apart and put 3 cats in one can then put it together

then you need to mess with your mixture screws you could do with a garage as stated who will let you use there emissions machine

may be worth asking around for a MOT station who deal with kits and clasic cars or taking it some where else to find out what 'emisions' it failed on think if its to high on 'Hydrocarbons' it may be mixture related or high on 'carbon monoxide' cat related.

Sounds like a hell of a job Still doable I suppose, if I find a cheap source for those cans and a garage with emission test equipment.

I thought all R1 engines were fuel injected.

Cheers Will, it gets a bit complicated here as classics don't get emissions measured and kit cars don't exist.

I think my next plan will be to find a MOT emission test guy that can do me a favour. Or maybe I can ring the Kit Car Workshop to see if they can source whatever thing they fit to get the car through.

Thanks a lot guys.

[Edited on 13/3/07 by Alez]

I think I will have this trouble with my new project,98 blackbird turbo, I dont want it running too lean and doing some damage,Is there any driving involved in the sva test?

Alez , do you have the required emmisions printed on the registration document in Spain as we do here ? If so it may be of help to show your tester if it's the higher limit ?