Yet another Car thread, MOT failures.

[ZrByte]

Ok, well my car has just failed yet another MOT (it has allready failed one MOT and retest). We had everything from the previous MOT sorted but now its gone and failed the emissions test.
Now im not gonna moan about the test, they done thier Job however I would like to know if there is anything we can do to correct this or is it just a garage Job? I do know a few amatuer mechanics who can help, though would they have the nesecary tools? (I take it some type of emissions monitor will be needed to adjust it?)
The emission it failed on was CO on both fast Idle tests.
On the first test it was 0.50% and on the second it was 0.36%, the Limit is 0.30%

[SMHarman]

I can't be bothered to search for the old thread so remind me...
Whats the car, what age, what engine, fuel injected? catalysed?
Did it pass on the previous tests, they should have tested it even if the brakes etc were failing it. What were the results on those tests.

[paulyoung666]

high co , lambda sensor or cat fubarred , have you noticed any rattle from around the area of the cat ?????? , if not it is worth checking the connections to the lambda sensor as they are usually in the firing line for all the road crud they can find , being mounted in the downpipes from the manifold , if the connections are ok , then it might be worth taking the lambda sensor our and giving it a gentle clean , and after all that you will not know if it is any better unless you get it checked on an emissions tester , replacement cat anything from £100 --- £300 or more , lambda sensor around about £100 , hope this helps

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by SMHarman

I can't be bothered to search for the old thread so remind me...
Whats the car, what age, what engine, fuel injected? catalysed?
Did it pass on the previous tests, they should have tested it even if the brakes etc were failing it. What were the results on those tests.

Sorry, forgot to include all that
Corsa B, L Reg (93 not 94) 1200cc engine (not sure what make), Injected (I think) and Catalysed.
It did pass the previous test though only just (measured exactly 0.30% CO).

The MOT today was at a different test center, we felt that the last place where messing me around a bit (for reasons I wont go into) so i went to one my Dad has been going to for a few years. could the different equipment have caused the different readings? or is it more likeley something has changed in the last 3 weeks since the first MOT?

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

high co , lambda sensor or cat fubarred , have you noticed any rattle from around the area of the cat ?????? , if not it is worth checking the connections to the lambda sensor as they are usually in the firing line for all the road crud they can find , being mounted in the downpipes from the manifold , if the connections are ok , then it might be worth taking the lambda sensor our and giving it a gentle clean , and after all that you will not know if it is any better unless you get it checked on an emissions tester , replacement cat anything from £100 --- £300 or more , lambda sensor around about £100 , hope this helps

Cat is integrated into the Exhaust on the Corsa B isnt it? if thats the case we have just had that replaced so that shouldnt be a problem.

[paulyoung666]

the cat is normally a seperate piece from the exhaust , straight after the downpipes , but i am prepared to be corrected

edit :- 0.06 % is not a lot of difference , i suppose it could be the different equipment , but in any case it is way too high at .30 %

[Escapee]

You could always go to a friendly local garage like the one I used, he charged me a tenner to put his own car through the test instead of the car actually being MOT'd.

The car failing was just out of the limit, and everything was done to get it inside. Due to the milage the only option would of been a replacement engine.

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by Escapee

You could always go to a friendly local garage like the one I used, he charged me a tenner to put his own car through the test instead of the car actually being MOT'd.

The car failing was just out of the limit, and everything was done to get it inside. Due to the milage the only option would of been a replacement engine.

What does the mileage have to do with this? Im just wondering because my Car has clocked an alarmingly high mileage before I got it and im really hoping im not gonna have to replace the engine.

[Nidge]

Originally Posted by ZrByte

Sorry, forgot to include all that
Corsa B, L Reg (93 not 94) 1200cc engine (not sure what make), Injected (I think) and Catalysed.
It did pass the previous test though only just (measured exactly 0.30% CO).

The MOT today was at a different test center, we felt that the last place where messing me around a bit (for reasons I wont go into) so i went to one my Dad has been going to for a few years. could the different equipment have caused the different readings? or is it more likeley something has changed in the last 3 weeks since the first MOT?



Cat is integrated into the Exhaust on the Corsa B isnt it? if thats the case we have just had that replaced so that shouldnt be a problem.

The MOT centres should have their machines calibrated every 2 months, if they do not calibrate their machines different readings will show. A few years ago we were in dispute with Mansfield council about their emission testing, we were having our taxis tested at the Council yard they were failing us on emissions, we took the taxis to another garage about half a mile down the road and they were testing a pass, we took them back to the Council who were failing them, we got in touch with the ministry of transport who paid a visit to the Council depot, they later told us their machine hadn't been calibrated for over 2 years, they had it calibrated and we've had no bother since.

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by ZrByte

What does the mileage have to do with this? Im just wondering because my Car has clocked an alarmingly high mileage before I got it and im really hoping im not gonna have to replace the engine.

the mileage point is very relevant as with anything that is used will wear , piston rings , valve seats injectors etc , having said that it is worth getting it right because if you are stopped at a roadside check then you are going to have to put it right / scrap it or face a big fine

[Nidge]

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

the mileage point is very relevant as with anything that is used will wear , piston rings , valve seats injectors etc , having said that it is worth getting it right because if you are stopped at a roadside check then you are going to have to put it right / scrap it or face a big fine

Some high mileage cars run better than low mileage cars, I had a Ford Mondeo diesel that had done 450,000 miles serviced at regular intervals it never let me down and run as sweet as a nut, it's still running to this day the engine is still going strong and the bodywork is spot on. Put decent oil in and decent petrol or diesel (not supermarket crap) and they will run forever.

[SMHarman]

Originally Posted by ZrByte

What does the mileage have to do with this? Im just wondering because my Car has clocked an alarmingly high mileage before I got it and im really hoping im not gonna have to replace the engine.

With a fuel injected catalysed engine those results are way high. Either something in the engine management is causing the car to run rich, the lambda sensors my not be feeding back correct info, or somewhere along the way the cat has got fuel into it and is fubared, scrapyards / second hand cat dealers are the best for such replacements as new ones are eyewatering. Or the MOT stations meter is off, being as it passed twice before, the latter is likely to also be the case.
Saab quoted me £900 when the direct injection cartridge on the engine failed and the nice AA guy just kept trying to start the car and trashed the CAT. The car had been MOTed 2 days before (and the direct injection cart replaced) so we knew the before and after emmissions and they eventually agreed to replace the cat as a goodwill gesture.

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by Nidge

Some high mileage cars run better than low mileage cars, I had a Ford Mondeo diesel that had done 450,000 miles serviced at regular intervals it never let me down and run as sweet as a nut, it's still running to this day the engine is still going strong and the bodywork is spot on. Put decent oil in and decent petrol or diesel (not supermarket crap) and they will run forever.

like you said , some not all , and from experience diesels are more bulletproof than petrol engines

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by paulyoung666

the mileage point is very relevant as with anything that is used will wear , piston rings , valve seats injectors etc , having said that it is worth getting it right because if you are stopped at a roadside check then you are going to have to put it right / scrap it or face a big fine

Any idea what a new engine could set me back? The current one has done 172,700 miles so im guessing its a bit long in the tooth. will have it checked out first to see what is wrong (any idea how much that could cost aswel?), its starting to sound more and more like I may be better putting it back through the auctions and cutting my losses

[paulyoung666]

Originally Posted by ZrByte

Any idea what a new engine could set me back? The current one has done 172,700 miles so im guessing its a bit long in the tooth. will have it checked out first to see what is wrong (any idea how much that could cost aswel?), its starting to sound more and more like I may be better putting it back through the auctions and cutting my losses

its a lot of miles especially if you dont know the history of it , at a guess £500 for a good recon engine , but is the car worth it ???????

[Nidge]

Originally Posted by ZrByte

Any idea what a new engine could set me back? The current one has done 172,700 miles so im guessing its a bit long in the tooth. will have it checked out first to see what is wrong (any idea how much that could cost aswel?), its starting to sound more and more like I may be better putting it back through the auctions and cutting my losses

Get it recond, a new recond engine will only consist of new rings, new valves, new cam shaft etc etc. Vauxhall engines are pretty simple to do.