MOT time and the computer says no.

[Blaster]

Just had an argument with the MOT guy and won on two counts.

It was failing on emission with a CO of just over 0.5% and HC of 250ppm but he could not set the computer for the a 1990 car that did not have a CAT so it wanted 0.2% CO and 200ppm HC. I think the new software does not come with instructions.

The next one was play in the rear wheel bearings. It seems he did not know about taper roller bearings.

He was also not happy with the handbrake but decided I was not the one to argue with.

[chrism]

Yes, last year my rear bearings were the only 'advisory' so I adjusted them (then found out more about their peculiarity...)

This year I went back to the same MoT place and left a note in the car saying that the rears were taper bearings and they'd been tightened to 25Nm whilst rotating, then slackened to 'finger tight' as per the service book. - Clean sheet and not a whisper of an advisory

Sometimes the MoT man politely needs to be informed about our little 'old ladies'. (I reckon you got lucky with the handbrake tho'...)

[dapinky]

Tony,

You are right on the new software at MOT centres being to blame for the issue....

... the latest set of rules seems to forget the fact that there are still cars on the road which need an MOT (under 40 years old), but old enough to be before the stringent emissions arrived (ie, when Cats etc came in).

I had this when I took the Freelander in to the station last month, and Ray was moaning about "that bloody computer making it difficult"..... all "modern" cars have a sticker under the bonnet (which often peels off) which has a number on it - that is the 'emissions standard' for the car (on the Freelander the number is 1.48, but I don't know what that actually means!) - if the car presented has no such sticker (like the Elan, because it is too old to have one) - or if it is unreadable/defaced/missing, then the computer defaults to a 'standard' set of figures..... which many Elans (and others) would not pass. It is up to the testers' discretion to allow the test to a different standard, based on evidence provided (ie, proof of date-of-first-use-in-UK).

If the tester is being a bit awkward (which it appears yours wasn't, once he understood the situation), point at the silver decal on the shock tower on the passenger-side of the engine bay, and tell him to dig out his manuals to decipher the requirements of the test to be applied to the car, as it complies with those standards! (or hope he sees sense and tests to the 3.5%/1200ppm standard).

Rear bearings have been an issue only once to me (a 'newly qualified' tester who knew nowt about "old" stuff) - a bit of a discussion got it sorted without needing a re-test!

If he'd picked his battles more carefully, you'd have had problems telling him the rear brakes were right, though!!!

[Blaster]

Tony,

If he'd picked his battles more carefully, you'd have had problems telling him the rear brakes were right, though!!!

I put it down to him being limp wristed.