My Car Failed Mot Due To Emissions For The Second Time

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

Hi all,

my car (gti6'd 205) failed the MOT twice due to a high CO reading. The first time it was too high at idle and and after 2nd fast idle. I changed the lambda sensor and put some stuff in the tank that the garage sold me thinking this would sort it so took it back for its re-test for it to fail on CO again. This time it only failed on the 2nd fast idle.

I'm stumped as to what to do next, anyone any ideas?

[Guest cooper205]

what year is your 205? as if it is a 92 or earlier by law it doesn't need a cat for mot purposes, if you have already changed the lambda sensor and that made no difference, is there any leaks in the system where the gases can escape? as this can effect the emmisions, apart from giving the car a good spanking before re test, the only other thing i can think is the catalyitic converter its self thats up the duff

 

hope this helps

shaun

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

The cars a k 92, but was originally a 1.6 so never came with a cat, i'll give the garage a call to see if they out it through as a car with a cat.

[Guest cooper205]

if it never came with a cat from factory, then they are NOT allowed to test it as a cat fitted vehicle

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

true, but some of the later 1.9's came with one fitted so i hope thats what they've done

[welshpug 1,657]

dead Lambda or Coolant temp sensor.

[Baz 421]

true, but some of the later 1.9's came with one fitted so i hope thats what they've done

 

Doubt it i'm afraid as it's all computerised and the test is based upon the age of the vehicle, so if it's pre Aug. '92 and never came with a Cat then it wouldn't have had a Cat test.

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

It does sound like they are testing it as a CAT car, I'm guessing you don;t have a CAT fitted which they should have noticed and even asked the question, If they are that by the book it might be worth while taking it somewhere else as the MOT book is open on this front, but at the end of the day the car should come up as a 1.6

[Guest cooper205]

Doubt it i'm afraid as it's all computerised and the test is based upon the age of the vehicle, so if it's pre Aug. '92 and never came with a Cat then it wouldn't have had a Cat test.

 

It has had a cat test, as a normal co test doesn't have the fast idle and 2nd fast idle parts, they just have a probe stuffed up the pipe and tested at idle

[Baz 421]

Ahh yes, well spotted!!

[GTI6BOY 29]

Yes thats right, you only need to pass the idle test.

 

Get back there and get you mot certificate!

[Gregg 0]

Although the MOT is computerised, most gas analyser's are not connected to the MOT computer and so run on their own database. The one I use requires you initially to select the age bracket the car was registered in and gives the changeover date as 1st Aug 1992 for non-cat to cat tests. The correct date is Jan 1st 1993 (apparently changed to appease manufacturers with piles of unsold non-cat vehicles), this caught me out when I tested a late 92 Nissan Primera as a cat equipped vehicle and it failed on high CO. A quick check under the car revealed no cat fitted, and further checks confirmed the car should have had a non-cat test, which it passed easily.

 

It's likely this has happend to your vehicle, as a de-catted GTi-6 should sale through a non-cat test and a 1.6 GTi should never have to take a cat test.

 

Just to add, for the cat test, the vehicle make and model does not need to be selected unless it fails an initial 'BET' test (Basic Emissions Test) which has tighter limits than most individual models, and a full cat test is carried out. Does your emmissions print out say what model they selected and tested?

[tidypug 5 2 Cars]

That sounds good to me, still cost me for a lambda sensor that i didn't need by the looks of it.

 

Gregg my mot cert doesn't say which model they selected.

[Guest cooper205]

Ahh yes, well spotted!!

 

 

That sounds good to me, still cost me for a lambda sensor that i didn't need by the looks of it.

 

Gregg my mot cert doesn't say which model they selected.

 

 

cheers baz, makes a change for me to be alert

 

tidypug it won't be on the actual failure sheet, it will be on the plain white bit of paper with a print out on it

[Guest cooper205]

hi fella, any news on the mot????

 

ask the tester too look at the mot hand book and look at section 7.3 (not exact wording but close enough for demo purposes)

 

for vehicles with different engine fitted

"if a different engine is fitted the vehicle has to be emmision tested using the older of the two either engine or vehicle e.g. 1995 car with 1991 engine fitted must be tested as 1991 regulations....."

 

hope this helps

cheers

shaun

[Richie-Van-GTi 71 2 Cars]

hi fella, any news on the mot????

 

ask the tester too look at the mot hand book and look at section 7.3 (not exact wording but close enough for demo purposes)

 

for vehicles with different engine fitted

"if a different engine is fitted the vehicle has to be emmision tested using the older of the two either engine or vehicle e.g. 1995 car with 1991 engine fitted must be tested as 1991 regulations....."

 

hope this helps

cheers

shaun

 

 

true but you then have top prove to the mot centre which is older, easy enough when the car is older, harder when you put an older engine in