So....how did the M.O.T go? (or overseas equivalent)

[Fredjohn]

MOT passed with just 2 advisories:

Slight crack in body, in middle where it would hit a speed bump and a slight oil leak

Emissions scraped through at 3.468%!!!!

[HJ2]

Congratulations!

My S2 surfed through MOT as well last week. No advisories (obviously )
However emissions go up every year a little...

What could this be... EGR valve failing? Vacuum line failing?

[theelanman]

carbon deposits and lack of use......lol

[theelanman]

http://www.enginecarbonclean.com/

supposed to be very good altho Ive not done it myself......

also......how are your injectors?.......
how old is the fuel?.....

[HJ2]

Hey... It's me

- Always fresh Fuel (Shell V-Power or better)
- New injectors last year
- No carbon build up when I did the head gasket a couple of years ago

It's running rich...

[dapinky]

Well, today was the day that I found out that VOSA were doing spot-checks at my testing station of choice......

.... it became apparent when I arrived to be met by a bloke whose first words were "Pinky, you old git - are you still driving sheds.... that number plate doesn't look good".

Luckilly, he allowed me to re-attach my other plates before observing the actual test (the proper spaced ones with rear reflectors attached).

This all meant that the test actually took the prescribed length of time, and resulted in a failure ticket being issued for 'Insufficient washer fluid'....

.... topped it up and a "Pass" was recorded with advisories for handbrake reserve travel and slight corrosion on one steel brake line.

So, I got a ticket, but with minor advisories that I shall address tomorrow. Ian was a bit pissed off that he had to fail it for a pint of water - but at least it was technically the correct decision, so I can't complain at that. Chris (my former colleague from VOSA) was happy that the tests were being done correctly and we all agreed (off the record) that the only result of today was a waste of paper for the extra certificate that had to be generated. But they did think it was funny to see my face when told that it had failed

Still, another year of motoring now available

[Rambo]

Great, another years motoring Dave

But I find that decision on insufficient wiper fluid hard to comprehend, unless your reservoir in the boot was completely dry ?? Presumably they tried the wash/wipe routine and it worked so my feelings on that is that it would pass

The MOT are a bunch of jumped up a----seholes and seem to be extremely picky these days. Watch out, they'll be failing you next year on the oil level not being filled to the max level of your ashtray being half full. Or maybe your A post seals not keeping the water out

FFS, give me a beer

[dapinky]

According to the manual for testers, they only have to see if there is sufficient water coming out of the washer jets (which there wasn't - just a dribble, really) - annoying, because when I was on my way to the test I cleaned the windscreen - using the last of the water!..... they don't have to offer to top it up. So, technically, the failure was correct.

I'm also 100% sure that if he wasn't being observed by Chris from VOSA that it wouldn't have ever been an issue - still, all's well that ends well.

[Rambo]

I am 110% sure that if the VOSA tester wasnt watching with his beady eyes it would have been a pass. Got to fail you on something or he's not doing his job

Paper ticking exercise and a waste of time at that

[lotusflasherman]

with advisories for handbrake reserve travel

Did you educate him with section JE.4 in the manual ? " It is important, if the self adjusting mechanism is to function correctly, that the caliper levers are fully against their stop brackets when the parking brake is 'off '" MOT guys always want handbrake on in a couple of clicks and then self adjusting won't work - 'king idiots !

[muley]

..in the same vein,. I always have a quibble over 'slack in rear wheel bearing'. My response is ; OK you adjust it per the manual and show me how it's done. My tester (a good chap~will replace bulbs for no cost etc) always grumbles about the brakes ~ and I agree with him..


Jim

[lotusflasherman]

Successful MOT yesterday but not quite as smooth as my usual 'just drive in' - last week I flew back (Ryanair) from a few weeks in the south of France with Elan's MOT about to expire. Booked an MOT with my friendly local garage but first trip out in the Elan after weeks of non-use had the CEL flash on and gave me 'a hat full' of errors - 41,42,43 & 54 and it was popping and banging like Shitty Shitty Bang Bang. Turned ignition off and restarted and it was OK for a couple of short journeys but when engine got up to temperature - here we go again ! ... just what I didn't need for the MOT Phoned garage to delay MOT to Monday so I had a few days to sort it.

In a box of spares I'd acquired several years ago I had a Hall Effect Sensor(A100E0102S) and a couple of Turbo CO Pot's (A100E6151). Code 41 is Hall Effect Sensor related, 42 is Spark Timing playing up, 43 is Knock Sensor on too long, 54 is CO Pot volts going outside parameters. Decided to start with the HES, as I had one of those, and if it's not talking to the ECM reckoned 42 & 43 could be generated as a consequence ... but not sure why 54 ..

Found this Elan still had the OE HES so there was a bit of fiddling to connect the fly lead connector for the current design, which won't need to be done again. Ran the engine up to temperature. Put it into Service Mode and ran engine to check base ignition timing. Timing Light showed about 10° but fans kicked in and it was spot on 16°, fans off and back to around 10°. (Anybody else noticed that happens?). Slackened CAS securing bolt so my son could rotate the CAS while I watched crank pulley marks and we got it spot on 16°- which was lucky as bolt was now hard against end of adjusting slot of CAS.

Shut off, disconnected battery to clear engines codes, then ran engine to check with Elanscan and everything was looking hunky-dory with no codes. Test drive was one of those "Wow, this is fun" drives that just keeps on going. Thought I needed to give it a long run to see if any codes popped up but they didn't. (Ordered replacement HES for my box of spares from SJ Sportscars - £30.30 delivered)

Last year CO was borderline so I warned the garage I might need to change the CO pot so turned up for MOT with the glovebox removed and my ALDL plug with a shorting switch already set up. It was, again, right at the limit but an anticlockwise turn of the pot got it more within MOT limits but remains something to investigate.

Since last year I've fitted HID Dip Beams and Hispec brakes with 295mm discs front, 264mm rear. No comment about the headlamps when checking them on the 'Beam Machine' but he did say 'the brakes are good' as the indicator dials went much further round compared to last year and it kept trying to climb off the rollers when he braked. Handbrake worked fine too. Revised Govt MOT History website, since entry for Manufacturer was removed, seems to go much further back and I'd recently noticed in 2007 my car had Advisory Notice "Offside Rear Lower Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)". When I bought it in 2013 there was Waxoyl over everything, including the plastic wheelarch liners , but I took the opportunity to get under the ramp and have a good close look to make sure I didn't have this problem lurking under the Waxoyl... broken rear wishbone due to rust.

Everything was fine and I got MOT Certificate with no Advisory Notes, though it shows odometer had increased by 5,402 since last year - lucky I went for 7,500 on the insurance last year ...

[clemo]

Glad to hear all went well And well worth having a good look at those rear wishbones at least every year when up on the ramps .
Would really hate to hear of a horror story happening with ones like your highlighted picture .

[Bern]

Failed the MOT today.

One seatbelt doesn't retract (drivers), and the other won't come out!

As somebody pointed out, on average the seatbelts are working perfectly!

I'll tighten the spring on the one that doesn't retract, not sure about the one that doesn't come out, maybe the locking mech has got jammed!

[Brit-Car-Nut]

They are a pain to get to but fairly easy to correct. They use a type of pendulum latch which can get stuck in the locked position as well as the spring tension abating.

Here is the link to Michael's (Kenobi's) guide to repair. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iphjValLhIY

[Giniw]

When I rebuilt mines I found out the external washers which were in a bronze-ish colour metal on the original came in plastic in the refurbishing set. I tried the plastic ones but it did not rotate very freely, so I ended up using the old metallic ones.

[Bern]

Thanks chaps, hopefully I'll get a chance to look at this today.

[Bern]

That didn't go to well!

The ends of my belt are glued as well as folded, so I guess I'll need to cut the ends off.

And the other one is still jammed, though it's now free from the car. I guess I'll need to be brave and take the cover off and take a look.

[dapinky]

Bern, IIRC the ends of the belt are folded and heat-welded to stop them coming out of the mechanism - even though they are unlikely to ever be fully extended anyway (even going round my 'food storage' body).

When mine wouldnt retract fully I took them apart (cutting the last inch off), wound the spring mechanism with a bit more tension, then put the belt back through - I folded the ends and used a 'hot knife' attachment on my butane gas soldering iron to melt the ends into each other. I expect you could do the same with an old knife blade and a butane gas torch (or even sticking it in a gas cooker flame)..... or even using a smear of epoxy glue.

From what I've read, the worst thing you can do is spray WD40 onto the mechanism as it attracts dirt and gums it all up - after a short-term 'fix'. Mine have now been fine for the last 6 years or so.

[Bern]

Thanks Dave, I was a bit worried about cutting it, but if you've already done that then I'm happy to follow you! I'll probably go down the epoxy glue route.

That's a good point regarding the WD40, it's quite possible that some body has done that already and that is the issue!