W210 estate exhaust system.

[E300tdHighlander]

My 99 210 estate exhaust is needing replaced. I am interested in having a full stainless exhaust made and have found someone to do this. the only problem i am having i to get a cat or go catless!!

Does anyone know the legaities of having no cat. i would prefer to have no cat as it is cheaper and i think it is better for the car/engine in the long run.

I just dont wanna get to the next mot and the tester says " wait a minute nice exhaust but where's your cat"!!

thanks

Phil

ps E300td

 

[bigasotonuk]

Hi,
A car won,t fail for not having a CAT, but your emissions will have to pass the test, this is certainly the case with petrol cars.

 

[E300tdHighlander]

I understand that the emmissions ae the key thing to pass the mot. is there not an issue that if the car is designed to have a cat then it should.

Are there anymore pro's and cons to decatting the car.

 

[television]

As you say if the car was found to have a CAT from new, and that stays with the car, its the same with ABS, you cant just take it away.

I am not good with diesels re there other questions

 

[bigasotonuk]

The presence or absence of a CAT will in its self not fail the MOT but if it fails on emissions it is deemed to fail as it has the CAT missing.

 

[brandwooddixon]

Before going down the stainless route - have you thought about getting an exhaust from the dealers?

Last year I replaced the back section (cats backwards). I figured that if the original back box had managed to last 10 years then the expense of a stainless system was pretty pointless.

Ordered it from the dealers it was certainly a LOT cheaper than the silly money that the high street places quoted me and fitted it myself.

 

[jp williams]

My 99 210 estate exhaust is needing replaced. I am interested in having a full stainless exhaust made and have found someone to do this. the only problem i am having i to get a cat or go catless!!

Does anyone know the legaities of having no cat. i would prefer to have no cat as it is cheaper and i think it is better for the car/engine in the long run.

I just dont wanna get to the next mot and the tester says " wait a minute nice exhaust but where's your cat"!!

thanks

Phil

ps E300td

Phil,
Please do let us know what you finally decide to do.
I find that an original exhaust lasts a long time but somehow a replaceent does not seemd to last as long.
Regards
John

 

[Number_Cruncher]

It's a diesel, the operation of the cat isn't MOT tested in the same way as a petrol.

So, yes, for a petrol, it's true that there's nothing in the MOT regs that state you must have a cat, but, if in the correct age range (broadly speaking newer than 1993) your petrol car will be expected to produce emissions in line with those expected for cars with cats. Usually, you do need a cat in the exhaust to get this clean.

A diesel is tested for emissions of smoke (via opacity) rather than by the chemical composition of the exhaust gas as in the petrol engine MOT emissions test. The MOT tester will not be able to discern if you do or don't have a cat by the opacity results, and can only fail you on opacity results.

Having said this, I would err on the side of maintaining the car as per standard.

 

[E300tdHighlander]

Having patched the exhaust a number of times I've decided to call it a day, time for a new one!!!! The font pipe/ cat is passed it!!!

First port of call was the stealer where i was quoted £762 for the front pipe/cat.(rear section is not far off needing done).

Next was eurocar parts, cant mind exact quote but it was around 450.
Manufactured by eberspacher. I don't trust the quality of replacement cats even though it is ment to be OE quality. After all the original has lasted almost 10 years.

Found some cheap cats between £125 and £200. In my mind i would be better to set fire to the money then buy one!!!!

Last option is Full stainless exhaust. i priced around and found a company that will do a full system with no cat for £700. With cat for £874.

Although it may not be so good for the environment, i am biased towards the
decat option because in my opinion it is better for the engine, better fuel consumption and less to go wrong ect ect.

However Mot time is what worries me. i feel that if i got a strict mot inspector he could fail me for having no cat when the car is designed to have one. Secondly will i pass the smoke test. Maybe i should look at previous mot reports to see if my car is exceptionally "clean".

 

[teddycatkin]

Erberspacher--OE -should see you through the cars life ?
My advice is stick with the original and stop the worry about MOT/emmisions?
incidently Erberspacher could be sourced direct or from anotherfactor just shop around for the best price-you may get it cheaper than Euro ?

 

[E300tdHighlander]

Maybe i'm being a tight Jock here!!!! but if i can get a full stainless system for less than the front pipe alone then shouldn't i do it!!! Even with a cat its cheaper than the stealer.

I'll try and get some more info out of the guy who make's the stainless systems.

 

[230K]

Hi

Is the front pipe not just gone at the point the gearbox bracket connection is attached??? Can it not just be welded?? They are made from meaty stuff at this point so can be welded easily

230K

 

[E300tdHighlander]

Ive done this before aswell as replacing bits of the pipe with universal exhaust tubing

 

[E300tdHighlander]

Exhaust

I eventually bought an eberspacher replacement exhaust got full system cheaper than the front pipe from the Stealers.