Diesel MOT Nightmare

[Rory]

A 2009 Ford 1.8 tdci is a high 1.75 which means it's too high for that year and gets tested to a 1.50 default .

Is that right? I thought they got tested to the plate value unless there wasn't one? That's what the guidance says.

I think it was Finland where they withdrew the test after a month because there was uproar as so many cars were failing.

 

[umblecumbuz]

... and then further reduction with the new thermostat .

That bit, I find interesting. Worth regularly checking engine temperature.

 

[M80]

That bit, I find interesting. Worth regularly checking engine temperature.

and that makes all cold cars unroadworthy.

 

[LostKiwi]

and that makes all cold cars unroadworthy.

Failing thermostats should be repaired promptly in any car.
On a petrol car it will make it run rich with attendant risk of excess fuel washing oil off the bores and increased emissions and economy.
On a diesel it will prevent a regen of a DPF and increase fuel consumption.

 

[Gazwould]

That's another delight of dpf regeneration , the fuel washing oil off the cylinder liners .

 

[matthew k]

I'd avoid the council MOT centres with a diesel simply because they take a very literal interpretation of the diesel smoke test rules and really hammer the engines hard onto the red line. Nowhere I've been for an MOT does that, it's unnecessary and can break belts etc.

 

[V6Matty]

The new smoke test machines are a lot better than the old ones, they no longer need to rev the car to a certain point, just a blip of the throttle and it registers the increase and goes by the highest figure. MOT I had last week was like this, car didn’t even get to 2k rpm and it was passed.

 

[matthew k]

The new smoke test machines are a lot better than the old ones, they no longer need to rev the car to a certain point, just a blip of the throttle and it registers the increase and goes by the highest figure. MOT I had last week was like this, car didn’t even get to 2k rpm and it was passed.

Oh cool, I didn't realise that! The old test was riddiclous, many cars damaged.

 

[Bubble]

Yes. Bearing mind MOT testers aren't supposed to dismantle anything I wondered if I could just stick black tape over it!

There was talk of them being able to look up the value using car's VIN but that hasn't happened yet.

You could, or just put a blob of touch up paint on it.........