Emission laws on engine swapped cars

[Jag-D]

Howdo peeps

Friend of mine is looking to chop the old BMW V8 out of his 540i and drop in a crate Chevy motor, but wants to know where he stands with the emissions gumpf.

Will the car be tested as it's original spec or will it be tested by engine specs or re-classified all together?

[bertelli_1]

it will be tested under the cars original regulations.

[shalmaneser]

yup, based on the age of the shell, hence why my modern gti6 engine can do without a cat as it's in a G reg 205 and flies through emissions checks.

[Cemesis]

What if its a kit car on a Q-plate, how do the emmissions work then?

[MillenniumFalcon]

Isn't it based on whatever is earlier, engine or chassis?

[300bhp/ton]

It's more complex than this. What age BMW is it? And where is the engine coming from? Will it be a new replacement engine, i.e. a crate motor, or a built up used one?

It's a while since I read up on it, but I believe if you can prove the age of the engine then the emissions test will be done on the age of the engine. If not then it goes on the age of the car.

However MoT's don't check for EGR valves and there is no test for Nox emissions. In fact the MoT doesn't even check for CATs (although this might be changing), but it does have to pass Co2 and Lamba emissions tests.

[bimsb6]

Cemesis said:

What if its a kit car on a Q-plate, how do the emmissions work then?

I seem to remember they are tested as 1972 or something ,but i may have dreamt that.

[Steffan]

Cemesis said:

What if its a kit car on a Q-plate, how do the emmissions work then?

If its on a Q plate the Q plate rules will apply. Which means a pretty basic test requirement.

[HustleRussell]

My 'Q'-plate car is exempt from emissions testing because the engine was manufactured before 1995 (this is also why my car needs no cat.)

[Rollcage]

300BHP has it correct - if you can verify the age of the engine, then it goes on whatever is earliest.

[GC8]

bertelli_1 said:

it will be tested under the cars original regulations.

No it wont. Fit an older engine and the emmissions test applicable to the engine will be used. You have to establish the date of manufacture to the satisfaction of the DVLA.

[Mr2Mike]

Steffan said:

If its on a Q plate the Q plate rules will apply. Which means a pretty basic test requirement.

It depends on when it was registered. Anything that has been through SVA/IVA *should* have the relevant emissions standards printed on the V5 and this will get flagged up to the MOT tester when he enters the cars details, However it seems a number of SVA'd kit cars somehow escaped this. If no explicit details are available to the MOT tester, then the car has to be treated as being first used on Januray 1st 1971, so it gets a visible smoke test.

[Steffan]

Mr2Mike said:

Steffan said:

If its on a Q plate the Q plate rules will apply. Which means a pretty basic test requirement.

It depends on when it was registered. Anything that has been through SVA/IVA *should* have the relevant emissions standards printed on the V5 and this will get flagged up to the MOT tester when he enters the cars details, However it seems a number of SVA'd kit cars somehow escaped this. If no explicit details are available to the MOT tester, then the car has to be treated as being first used on Januray 1st 1971, so it gets a visible smoke test.

I was assuming if it was on a Q plate it had been registered. I accept that your post is a good deal more detailed. And helpful, therefore.

There are the oddball Kit Cars which occasionally turn up registered as a Dutton or other such Q plate which they are clearly are not.

I do try to draw attention to these on PH when I spot them, as an unsuspecting purchaser who does not know the truth, could believe that Kit Car he was looking at was correctly registered. Which is presumably the intention.

Fortunately these are few and far between but they are about and there are scammers advertising V5's on Ebay regularly.

Caveat Emptor as usual.

[Ozzie Osmond]

GC8 said:

Fit an older engine and the emmissions test applicable to the engine will be used. You have to establish the date of manufacture to the satisfaction of the DVLA.

So you put in a big dirty emissions engine in the car and get a big big dirty tax disc band to match!

[GC8]

It certainly works both ways.

[300bhp/ton]

Ozzie Osmond said:

GC8 said:

Fit an older engine and the emmissions test applicable to the engine will be used. You have to establish the date of manufacture to the satisfaction of the DVLA.

So you put in a big dirty emissions engine in the car and get a big big dirty tax disc band to match!

eh?

Anything pre March 2001 would be the same cost for a 1.6 or an 8.0 litre. If it's SBC V8 then if they can prove it's origins as pre 2001 then it'll cost the same to tax as a 1.6 Corsa B.

[NHK244V]

tested to what ever is the oldest, engine or body

[sebhaque]

Sorry to hijack the topic somewhat, but I was wondering about the same topic for my Mini - it's a 1982 shell with a 1998 Honda B18C4 (from a Civic) engine. Does this mean I can run without a cat, and will just be charged road tax based on the age of the shell?

It's not of major concern as after spending stupid amounts on the conversion, £100 or so extra on road tax isn't going to be the end of the world.

[300bhp/ton]

sebhaque said:

Sorry to hijack the topic somewhat, but I was wondering about the same topic for my Mini - it's a 1982 shell with a 1998 Honda B18C4 (from a Civic) engine. Does this mean I can run without a cat, and will just be charged road tax based on the age of the shell?

It's not of major concern as after spending stupid amounts on the conversion, £100 or so extra on road tax isn't going to be the end of the world.

An 82 or 98 would be taxed the same regardless, it would go on engine size, 1.5 litres or smaller for the lower rate and 1.6 litres or bigger for the higher rate.

This is the same for all cars from 1973 until March 2001.

It won't need a cat.

[Jag-D]

Fantastic, thanks for the replies

His missus has just said "NO" to the idea of an LS conversion, which is bad