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[MartinP]

I have to verify the date of manufacture for my kit car engine to enable emissions testing at the appropriate level!

Engine code is 08360383, car has been scrapped a couple of years ago.

Has anyone contacted Vauxhall to get this information?

Martin

[05omegav6]

What age/reg and car that the engine was fitted to

[aaronjb]

What age/reg and car that the engine was fitted to

I don't think that works for the IVA, unfortunately, unless you had photos showing that engine number fitted to that car... even then I think you need to verify the age of the engine via an approved method (a letter from the manufacturer might suffice)

[05omegav6]

Car Pass in that case ideally with a copy of the old V5...

A rough idea of the car it came from would at least ascertain the Euro standard it was built to, gra nted it won't appease VOSA any but it's a start

[Kevin Wood]

I think you'll need to write to Vauxhall and hope they supply the information. Failing that, try the heritage centre.

If memory serves, it needs to be pre-August 1995 to get away without a cat, although that may have changed now. It would have to be an early Omega indeed to meet that.

[Andy B]

...
If memory serves, it needs to be pre-August 1995 to get away without a cat,  ....

K reg are the first that have to have a cat, so that'll make it Aug 92 & earlier ................. if my memory serves 

[Kevin Wood]

...
If memory serves, it needs to be pre-August 1995 to get away without a cat,  ....

K reg are the first that have to have a cat, so that'll make it Aug 92 & earlier ................. if my memory serves 

Yes, but the IVA rules specify August 1995 as the engine age after which a cat is required for an amateur built vehicle - or, at least, they did last time I looked.

[Jimbob]

what was the reg?  I can get some info from that re build dates.  whole car though, not specifically the engine.

[aaronjb]

what was the reg?  I can get some info from that re build dates.  whole car though, not specifically the engine.

Pretty sure for the IVA it has to be engine age - cert of the car build date doesn't work .. I think, anyway.  The engines I'm using are old enough that there's long since not been a V5 associated with the engine as the engines are older than me

The IVA manual now states:

Pre 1st August 1975 (all mine, then) are visual smoke test only
Before 1st August 1986 gets CO <= 4.5%, HC <= 1200ppm
1st August 1986 to 31 July 1992 gets CO <= 3.5%, HC <= 1200ppm
1st August 1992 onward gets a CAT test, CO <= 0.2%, HC <= 200ppm, Lambda between 0.97 & 1.03

If it fails to meet the BET limits (above) for 1st August 92 onward then it gets a CAT1 test;
1st Aug 92 to 31 July 95 with no match in the Emissions book gets a non CAT test (3.5% CO, 1200ppm HC)
If there is a match and the engine didn't have a CAT when built it gets a non CAT test
If there is a match and the engine DID have a CAT when built it gets a CAT test


There's a set of big long flowcharts in the IVA manual that make this a lot easier to follow!


AFAIK engine age must now either be proven with a letter from the manufacturer based on the engine number or;
Certification letter from a VOSA listed engine builder (of which there are only about six..)

The IVA manual just says this:

Conversions that are not based on M1 vehicles may comply with the applicable requirements of the original base vehicle. Documentary evidence of base or incomplete vehicle approvals will be deemed acceptable, Modification to the exhaust system length after the rear silencer will be permissible without further test

But I know people who've been knocked back without written proof based on the engine number either from manufacturer or (in the case of Chevy 350 blocks) a written cert from an engine builder (as there are a great many Mexican blocks bearing casting dates pre 75 but actually made up to the late 1990s..)

[Kevin Wood]

Sounds like they've tightened it up (and made it incomprehensible!).

If you can't prove it's pre-August 1992, there's no point in bothering, because you are in for a CAT test anyway now.

1st Aug 92 to 31 July 95 with no match in the Emissions book gets a non CAT test (3.5% CO, 1200ppm HC)

Or does this mean you can still get away with a Pre-August 1995 engine? (since a kit car will have no match in the book)?

[Marks DTM Calib]

Martin, do you have the cats fitted still?

[MartinP]

Hi all,

Thanks for the comments, I have moved house and have no internet at the moment so lunch time is only access, when I get a lunch!

I have a new exhaust fitted , with cats and the original lambda sensors, the engine will be running on the original ECU.

The engine number I have is EX30XE 08360383.

I think it came out of a "S" reg estate, Log book has gone when it was scrapped, I thought it would be registered on a "Q" plate so did not SORN for 6 years.


My understanding is that a letter is required, but need a guide as to where to address it?

[Marks DTM Calib]

From memory, you can get one from Vx Luton but they charge for it!

[Kevin Wood]

If it's going to have the original cats and engine management fitted, it won't have a match in the book, so it will be subject to a basic CAT emissions test regardless of engine age. Is there any need to prove the age?

... Unless you want to put it on an age related plate, for which you'd need to produce evidence that it was substantially built from a single donor vehicle of a determined age. Just proving the engine age won't help you there.

[MartinP]

Date related plate was never a real consideration as the running gear is Ford and the drive upto halfway down the propshaft is Vaux.

The cats have been fitted into the silencer and are new, not original.

I will check if the engine age is actually required then.

Thanks

Martin