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Is it illegal to remove a DPF?
I have a BMW 118 ES Coupe, which I purchased new in 2011. I love the car and would like to keep it over the long term, but I would like to try and avoid the costly DPF bills down the road.
I understand a number of companies offer a DPF and Swirl Valve removal, with new blanking plates, along with a re-mapped ECU for this type of BMW engine.
This will avoid expensive replacements in the case of the DPF, or much more expense if the turbo fails, due to a failed DPF, or the swirl valve/s breaks up - is this legal or a potential MoT failure point?
James Morgan (Mid Wales) via email.
I understand a number of companies offer a DPF and Swirl Valve removal, with new blanking plates, along with a re-mapped ECU for this type of BMW engine.
This will avoid expensive replacements in the case of the DPF, or much more expense if the turbo fails, due to a failed DPF, or the swirl valve/s breaks up - is this legal or a potential MoT failure point?
James Morgan (Mid Wales) via email.
Asked on 16 October 2013 by James Morgan
Answered by
Honest John
Legal requirements:
It is an offence under the Road vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Regulation 61a(3)) to use a vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet. Removal of a DPF will almost invariably contravene these requirements, making the vehicle illegal for road use.
A vehicle might still pass the MoT visible smoke emissions test, which is primarily intended to identify vehicles that are in a very poor state of repair, whilst emitting illegal and harmful levels of fine exhaust particulate.
It is an offence under the Road vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Regulation 61a(3)) to use a vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet. Removal of a DPF will almost invariably contravene these requirements, making the vehicle illegal for road use.
A vehicle might still pass the MoT visible smoke emissions test, which is primarily intended to identify vehicles that are in a very poor state of repair, whilst emitting illegal and harmful levels of fine exhaust particulate.
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