Catalytic converters for sprint cars
Discussion
Basically, unless your car is a 'racing car' or 'sports racing car' (which none of the examples that you quote are) and if it was manufactured after 31 December 1999, you will need to run a CAT - irrespective of the class that you are running in.
I have a large stock of 1998 chassis plates, by the way.
I have a large stock of 1998 chassis plates, by the way.
Count Johnny said:
I have a large stock of 1998 chassis plates, by the way.
I presume one of the Piper racing cats (or something similar) can go anywhere inline with exhaust system?
Out of interest - do they provide any noise attenuation? The car I'm looking to buy would spend more of its time on regular track days so silencing is an issue.
If you dont need one, dont get one.
There are issues with cars running cats. When competing or on track days, you will be running at high revs & fuelling. This burns them out. I know your not talking about racing, but its not uncommon when racing to replace them every 2 to 3 events.
Cats in competition is political - not practical.
There are issues with cars running cats. When competing or on track days, you will be running at high revs & fuelling. This burns them out. I know your not talking about racing, but its not uncommon when racing to replace them every 2 to 3 events.
Cats in competition is political - not practical.
As KEVP says, if you don't need to run one don't.
There have been lots of issues with cars running CATs in competition.
Of course, when one realises that (depending on placement) scrutineers are unable to distinguish between a funtional CAT and the carcass of a CAT with its guts dug out the whole position becomes rather clearer.
Not that I'm suggesting...
There have been lots of issues with cars running CATs in competition.
Of course, when one realises that (depending on placement) scrutineers are unable to distinguish between a funtional CAT and the carcass of a CAT with its guts dug out the whole position becomes rather clearer.
Not that I'm suggesting...
That thought had already occured!
It's likely that anything I get will be a post-98 car so I'd have to run them for sprints, but obviously not for track days etc. so they could come out in between. That said, the favored option at the moment is a K-Series Caterham Roadsport, which I think has a cat as standard.
It's likely that anything I get will be a post-98 car so I'd have to run them for sprints, but obviously not for track days etc. so they could come out in between. That said, the favored option at the moment is a K-Series Caterham Roadsport, which I think has a cat as standard.
yet another example of MSA imposing stupid crap on the rest of us without even bothering to either ask, or consider the full implications of it.
Running a CAT on a race car is pointless from an emissions perspective (and actually arguably worse..), but more to the point, a CAT will be running at stupidly high temps, (as in 1000+C), now, how's that for an ignition source? any oil/fuel/brake fluid comes into contact with that and you have an instant fire, and that's before you consider a lot of cars being GRP etc.
Running a CAT on a race car is pointless from an emissions perspective (and actually arguably worse..), but more to the point, a CAT will be running at stupidly high temps, (as in 1000+C), now, how's that for an ignition source? any oil/fuel/brake fluid comes into contact with that and you have an instant fire, and that's before you consider a lot of cars being GRP etc.
Even the MSA are quite open about the fact it is intended to function as an actual catalyst. Their argument was simply 'if we don't make a gesture towards emissions control on our own terms, the government or the venues may well do it for us'. I can sort of see the logic...
It's a pain if you're looking for a post '99 road-going kit car which still doesn't need a cat for the MOT, yet you plan to compete with it.
It's a pain if you're looking for a post '99 road-going kit car which still doesn't need a cat for the MOT, yet you plan to compete with it.
We tested an "old" cat on a GT car. We looked at the flow rates of the Cat Vs the Cat with the innards stabbed through with a screwdriver and hammer. The results were obvious.
We unfortunatly only had the one carcass, so it got welded into the exhaust system between two bends and the system passed scrutineering and raced for a couple of seasons.
Oops.
We unfortunatly only had the one carcass, so it got welded into the exhaust system between two bends and the system passed scrutineering and raced for a couple of seasons.
Oops.
Chris71 said:
Even the MSA are quite open about the fact it is intended to function as an actual catalyst. Their argument was simply 'if we don't make a gesture towards emissions control on our own terms, the government or the venues may well do it for us'. I can sort of see the logic...
It's a pain if you're looking for a post '99 road-going kit car which still doesn't need a cat for the MOT, yet you plan to compete with it.
that's such a lame excuse it's pathetic...It's a pain if you're looking for a post '99 road-going kit car which still doesn't need a cat for the MOT, yet you plan to compete with it.
the venues don't give a hoot, why would they? if anything, running CAT's actually causes them pollution issues with heavy metal poisoning from CAT's breaking down and being concentrated round their ccts (RSPB have already done work showing how hedgerow birds are being killed by this on roads).
Asides all that, the safety issues of running them is plain idiotic, why introduce a significant heat and ignition source when you don't have to?
Last point, how come us mear mortals get hit with this, but BGT etc all get exemptions ?
Scuffers said:
Last point, how come us mear mortals get hit with this, but BGT etc all get exemptions ?
I didn't think they did? Certainly the BTCC does.Don't get me wrong, I agree the whole thing is a bit futile and it's unfair on the people it affects, but it's a bit like noise. There is no way some miserable git who's just moved into a recently built Whimpy home near a 50 year old racing circuit, that was an airfield for half a century before that, has any right to complain. However, it doesn't stop them, and that's why we end up with noise limits. Likewise, there's a concern that racing CO2 outputs might start to get people's backs up when they get charged £400 a year to tax a 2-litre Ford Focus because of its emissions. Of course even the greenest daily driver makes a track car's nett output pale into insignificance, but that doesn't register with the champagne environmentalists. At least this way, when they pipe up, the MSA have some counter argument, but they're realistic about the fact it's a token gesture. Even the cat suppliers don't claim any emissions benefits.
It is a massive pain in the arse and it's about as valid as any other environmental PR stunt, but I can see why they did it.
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