Bongo Fury

This just goes to show what can happen,Quote from Ian

Cheers Rita. It's for an insurance job, so they need a quote for genuine Mazda parts. It's an expensive job; someone had their cat converter and their lambda sensor nicked while it was parked at a garage awaiting a minor repair!

Strange things happen in this World.

Looking at my V6 the catalyst is unmissable. Its a wacking great lump with wires coming out of it. I suspect that was known about at the time of import, just prove it though.

Only possibility I can think of is, were Bongos sold new in a market where they do not need a catlyst? If so the lack of a catalyst on yours could be original, rather than a bodged repair. If so it could be argued as OK.

My Jeep Wrangler 97 vintage, has a catalyst, pretty much knackered but it always passes the emissions test. Daughter has a Suzuki Vitara, Japanese made, in the Carribean where she lives. Same year, no catalyst, never had one as they are not required there and the state of the roads would smash it to bits anyway. The Wranglers there, and there are many, are all without catalysts as well. Why add an expensive bit of kit when the market does not need it.

After reading your problem I looked back at my old MOTs. Five on my V6 and the first four no emmissions test. Only on the last one, three weeks ago were the emmissions fully tested. Four different garages did the tests and the first three treated it as exempt.

Emmissions testing was introduced in 1996 including the 'cat test' to test catalytic converters on cars equipped with them (generally cars manufactured from 1992).

We are now talking about cars manufactured from 1995.

Probably a more limited emissions test then? This is definitely the first time I have had a gas analysis printout returned. I wanted to see an earlier report, just to check on the condition of the engine and the cat, but not available.

Two of the MOT's were at a local garage which does the Jeep and for this the gas analysis printout is always returned. Not for the Bongo. The guy involved tests Bongos all the time, so I doubt if he mistook it for a diesel.

A less rigerous test would explain how a Bongo could pass without a catalyst one year and fail the next.

I have a Mazda MX5 (Eunos) Jap grey import....They all came from the factory with fitted Cat's.......at lease 50% of them have been modified to straight through pipes.....they all seem to pass the MOT with no worries ???

I would contact VOSA as it is an import and is not EU type approved....therefore they cannot state absolutely it was fitted at manufacture...... as an example MOT testers forms have info downloaded to them for brake weights etc and other oddities to test on...... these are for EU fitted TA cars.... BUT my Bongo has nothing on brake weights etc.........
We do know that Catalytic converters were fitted but you play dumb on it as VOSA are not going to research part numbers to be honest...... if you want a converter then Bell Hill for a S/Hand one or one of the universal ones will do....
When the Day light running lights cars are 3 yrs old.....if they go for a test and jonny owner has switched 'em off...... fail... same goes for ESP and other gizmo's....... but argue the import case with VOSA....