if anyone needs any advice on mot's i'm a tester

just post here or if you want e mail me at

motadvice@talk21.com

i'll do my best to help

 

where r u based ?

 

way way out in the country

Anglesey to be precise so we don't see much in sophisticated cars but a local farmer has got a new four hoof drive horse

 

Pretty nasty emissions, then

 

very green though

 

I won't ask how many horse power it's got?!

 

Can you please, please, please find out what the ACTUALL LEGAL ruling for emissions test on Jap imports is. I have a 93wrx that only has one cat and when I get it mot'd I'm told they have to do it as the uk version (different ecu/emissions controls) Some people state that imports pre 95 only have to pass pre cat levels, others state it has to pass uk levels. It is a pain coz my car fails every year (even when warmed up)unless the tester uses the lower rev limits of the test and then it flies through. What happens if you import a jap car that hasn't got a uk equivalent like a nissan figaro??

would like to have something in black and white to show the tester every mot time

Ta
Charlie

 

just posted an answer to a similar question in genral forum but basically as your car wont be in standards annex (well i doubt it) it should only have to comply with pre 92 figures (this only applies to cars registered before 01/08/95)

what should happen unless the tester knows the car and saves time is that he will do the basic emissions test which you may fail. if so he will then go to the vehicle specific test and as your car wont match it will tell him to use the pre 92 figures

 

That's what I thought but was told that if there is a uk equivalent with the same engine type then it had to be done as that. Have heard lots of conflicting stories, want something concrete I can show them each MOT time or roadside emissions test.

 

not feeling too good as ive got flu but when i get a chance ill run through the screens and copy the relevant messages down

 

forgive my ignorance but are you saying that my 94 WRX import only has to pass the emissions test for pre-cat cars (same level as my catless 91 200sx)?? i.e. i can fit a fully decatted exhaust and mot worry about emissions for the next MOT?

[hope you get over your flu]

cheers,

Marty.

[Edited by marty_t3 - 9/26/2002 5:00:29 PM]

 

tinvek, take your time mate, my mot isn't due again til Sept 8th next year so you should be ok by then Seriously, I would really appreciate it if you would do that for me

Ta

 

actually theres a bit of confusion as theres a missprint in the standards which leaves 01/08/94 to 31/07/95 uncovered.

the local Vehicle Inspectorate chappie and myself assumed it should be up to 95 and 95 onwards but having had a look on the actual machine it appears to be upto 94 and 94 onwards. will investigate

 

to confuse us even more the manual which tells us how to test says up to 31/08/95 and 01/08/95 onwards

 

 

ignoring the confusion about years you may have a problem anyway.

basically the test works by first applying general figures and then if a car fails by using the manufacturers figures.

subaru now do not specify model codes they just list impreza 1.6, 1.8, 2.0, 2000 turbo and P1

this appears to suggest that you will have to pass a proper cat test

 

to clArify that a bit further, usually imports get away with it as their model codes are not "an exact match" and then fall back to the slack defaults but since subaru don't specify model codes your car will match as its a 2000 turbo

in the past i've tested a few imports for a chap that was bringing them in and we've never had any problems apart from one wrx. remeber if its a catted vehicle than it should pass no matter were its from. usual reason for fail in any cat equiped car is lambda sensor and to be honest if thats failed it will soon pay for itself in fuel as the fall back settings are very conservative with most cars and definatly favour saving the engine rather than running efficiently

 

also i'm sure that in the past subaru did use model codes

if i'm right (and i can't be 100% as i've slung all my old standard books) then they have obviously had a change of mind. now either they're confident that imports are able to pass ok or they know imports have problems and they are doing it to make life awkward for anyone with an import

by compraison mitsi use engine codes on lancers so unless an import has the exact same code, evo's will use the fall back figures

i'll try and scan all the relevant pages from the manuals this weekend and if someone has some web space i'll send them and they can postem up for everyone

 

another station has still got some old manuals, i'll borrow them over weekend and check

once the test is computerised there will be very little chance for an unscrupulus tester to bend the emission test for you to pass

 

I convinced my local garage with their help if you get my drift that my car was a Subaru WRX STI, an Import model which is based on the Impreza shell. ie the lists all cover Subaru Impreza but if you dont mention Impreza it aint listed. Dont know how legal this is but it worked. A year later I took it to the same garage which had a new guy doing the testing, waited for it to fail, came up with the same argument, handed him the emision test from the previous year, he reset & it passed.
Still aprehensive for next year but we will see

tinvec, any chance of you mailing me the bits from the manuals relavent to a 96 STI Wagon if they will help next year

Thanks

Stuart

[Edited by Stuart J - 9/29/2002 8:35:19 AM]

 

hi mate

ive got an MOT on tuesday coming

my car is a UK MY98 full decat

i measured the Co2 full decat this morning and it measured 2.50 % vol

when i changed the decat mid section to the standard mid section it measured 1.00 - 1.10 % vol

will this help pass the emissions test?

cheers
chris

 

uk model

hmm you are supposed to be .30 0r less at fast idel and .50 or less at idle.

do you know your station well?

if he knows you and it helpfull then maybe you'll get him to use another car for your print out as i've heard of it being done (cough)

i'm not up on how various decatted exhausts are constructed but as a hint try and get one where you can unbolt a section and bolt your cat in for the mot