MustangMustHaves
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 23, 2016
- Threads
- 17
- Messages
- 550
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- Location
- BELGIUM
- Website
- www.mustangmusthaves.be
- First Name
- PJ
- Vehicle(s)
- Euro 2016 Mustang Ecoboost MT Triple Yellow
- Thread starter
- #1
I'm assuming the way cars are tested and the rules of the annual control on cars will be different from country to country (even within the EU). But since ''is that allowed during the annual control'' is the most common question I've been getting so far, I figured to go see what's what. So I met with a guy that actually performs the controls to see what the rules are in Belgium at this time. Since there's a lot of Belgians on here, I figured to post the info I got here too.
Turns out: you can basically forget anything that's on the official sites :lol: Classic Belgium. The rules have been changed a lot, but haven't updated the website for a decade. So here's a few of the most common mods I asked about:
1) window tinting: turns out there's no limit on the % as long it's the rear window, the small ones on the side and the car has side mirrors.
2) lights: the front lights have to be white or orange, the side LEDs orange and the rear orange or red. Changing the color of the bulbs is ok, but you can't cover them with any sort of foil. Then I asked about the sidemarkers: it’s no problem if they have another color (like the white, smoked or red once from Diode Dynamics), as long as the light still shines orange.
3) tires & wheels: the total diameter of the wheel+tire has to be within a certain range. The range is -2.0% till +1.5% of the original. Being:
27.0" for the front EB, rear EB and front GT.
27.7" for the rear GT
You can check if the size you want's OK here
The tires thread can't come past the fender. So a little bulge is fine, as long as the thread stays within the fenders. From seeing the spacers I’ve placed so far: everything 23mm further than stock in the rear and 25mm in front shouldn’t be a problem. Although spacers themselves aren’t allowed.
4) add-ons like spoilers, heat extractors in the hood, ...: as long it doesn't 'stick out', should be good. Spoilers can't have sharp edged. Heat extractors can be made in our hood, but only on the parts where it's only 1 layer of metal. So basically, don't cut supportive parts. The location of the US heat extractors f.e., would be good
5) exhaust: turns out all these rules you find online about the decibels and diameters aren't applicable anymore. Kinda logic if you think about it, since they can't measure decibels properly in a room that noisy f.e.. So the only test they conduct concerning the exhaust is the emission test. Which is a test on the Lamda-value and CO content at idling for petrol cars.
So I took the test with my EB
exactly like you'd during a real control. Drove there like otherwise (which is sporty in my case 
) and set the COBB Accessport to see the catalyst's temperature. Which was just under 500*C at idling during the test and maxed 750*C driving there. I put the tune in Performance mode and the driving mode in Normal. Had to wait for around 15 minutes before it was my turn. Lamda-value was just over 1.00 and CO just over 0.00, which 'couldn't have been better' according to the tester. So in short: I'd have past the emission test.
I took the test with the following (relative to the engine) mods:
COBB Catted Downpipe (which has a high flow 200cell cat)
MF comp Cat-Back (which basically has no mufflers)
COBB CAI
COBB intercooler
UPR Dual Valve Catch Can
So the 200cell in the COBB cat clearly did as promised and got the CO out I'm not sure till what extend the other mods make a difference, so if anybody smarter than me could chime in :lol:
NOTE: the only way you will 100% guaranteed will pass the annual control with any exhaust is if you get an EC-type one (like from Borla/Ford Performance), change the stock system back for the control or just keep the stock exhaust system. Cause a) the guy performing the control could have a bad morning b) who knows what the rules will be in 10 years.
Think that’s about it If I made any mistake, let me know and I'll correct it!
PS. as you probably already know, new cars only have to go in 4 years for the first time. This weekend I learned that if it passes than and still doesn’t have 100000K, you only have to go again 2 years after that. So most of us will only have to do 1 control in the first 6 years of ownership.
Turns out: you can basically forget anything that's on the official sites :lol: Classic Belgium. The rules have been changed a lot, but haven't updated the website for a decade. So here's a few of the most common mods I asked about:
1) window tinting: turns out there's no limit on the % as long it's the rear window, the small ones on the side and the car has side mirrors.
2) lights: the front lights have to be white or orange, the side LEDs orange and the rear orange or red. Changing the color of the bulbs is ok, but you can't cover them with any sort of foil. Then I asked about the sidemarkers: it’s no problem if they have another color (like the white, smoked or red once from Diode Dynamics), as long as the light still shines orange.
3) tires & wheels: the total diameter of the wheel+tire has to be within a certain range. The range is -2.0% till +1.5% of the original. Being:
27.0" for the front EB, rear EB and front GT.
27.7" for the rear GT
You can check if the size you want's OK here
The tires thread can't come past the fender. So a little bulge is fine, as long as the thread stays within the fenders. From seeing the spacers I’ve placed so far: everything 23mm further than stock in the rear and 25mm in front shouldn’t be a problem. Although spacers themselves aren’t allowed.
4) add-ons like spoilers, heat extractors in the hood, ...: as long it doesn't 'stick out', should be good. Spoilers can't have sharp edged. Heat extractors can be made in our hood, but only on the parts where it's only 1 layer of metal. So basically, don't cut supportive parts. The location of the US heat extractors f.e., would be good
5) exhaust: turns out all these rules you find online about the decibels and diameters aren't applicable anymore. Kinda logic if you think about it, since they can't measure decibels properly in a room that noisy f.e.. So the only test they conduct concerning the exhaust is the emission test. Which is a test on the Lamda-value and CO content at idling for petrol cars.
So I took the test with my EB
exactly like you'd during a real control. Drove there like otherwise (which is sporty in my case ) and set the COBB Accessport to see the catalyst's temperature. Which was just under 500*C at idling during the test and maxed 750*C driving there. I put the tune in Performance mode and the driving mode in Normal. Had to wait for around 15 minutes before it was my turn. Lamda-value was just over 1.00 and CO just over 0.00, which 'couldn't have been better' according to the tester. So in short: I'd have past the emission test. I took the test with the following (relative to the engine) mods:
COBB Catted Downpipe (which has a high flow 200cell cat)
MF comp Cat-Back (which basically has no mufflers)
COBB CAI
COBB intercooler
UPR Dual Valve Catch Can
So the 200cell in the COBB cat clearly did as promised and got the CO out
I'm not sure till what extend the other mods make a difference, so if anybody smarter than me could chime in :lol: NOTE: the only way you will 100% guaranteed will pass the annual control with any exhaust is if you get an EC-type one (like from Borla/Ford Performance), change the stock system back for the control or just keep the stock exhaust system. Cause a) the guy performing the control could have a bad morning b) who knows what the rules will be in 10 years.
Think that’s about it
If I made any mistake, let me know and I'll correct it! PS. as you probably already know, new cars only have to go in 4 years for the first time. This weekend I learned that if it passes than and still doesn’t have 100000K, you only have to go again 2 years after that. So most of us will only have to do 1 control in the first 6 years of ownership.
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