Just had an MOT failure on smoke from the exhausts. But it's done that at all the other MOTs I've seen. I checked http://www.motuk.co.uk and it says reason for failure is "emits dense blue or clearly visible black smoke..." so it's down to a definition of "dense". Which I don't think it is.

 

The smoke is almost deffo down to old turbos (standard, over 110k miles).

 

Two questions.

 

1) Is there a quick fix that can be done before Monday?

 

2) Anyone know a Z-aware (i.e. knows they might smoke a bit) MOT centre near Staples Corner or Heathrow/Hayes?

 

Cheers - Gio

make sure they are testing correctly, ie:

 

engine must be at normal operating temp,

engine speed must be raised to 2500rpm for 20 secs to purge the system.

to fail it must emit dense blue or clearly visable black smoke for 5 seconds AT IDLE.

or emits excessive smoke at 2500rpm which would obscure the vision of other road users.

 

knowing what zeds are like i think they are being a little excessive in failing this :(

The usual problem is that most garages seem to make it some sort of personal challenge to see how long they can leave the car ticking over. Last time I had mine MOT'd they said "It smokes a bit when you leave it ticking over for 20 mins". So of course I told them not to leave it ticking over !

The usual problem is that most garages seem to make it some sort of personal challenge to see how long they can leave the car ticking over. Last time I had mine MOT'd they said "It smokes a bit when you leave it ticking over for 20 mins". So of course I told them not to leave it ticking over !

 

wish mine ran that long with out breaking down :D

It would be silly but it's not just your PCV valves is it?

If your tub's had gone before for other mot's then I cant see your tub's keeping going for this amount of time.

Gio,

 

If you fancy a small trip I know a friendly place near me!

had same Gio.

 

RTeplaced PCV and passed. Unfortunatly its still smoking intermitently and that turbo seal

Thanks guys - yes you are all correct! Just for info, yes I had the PCV valves done about 2 years ago, and yes, it has done it at other MOTs but that bloke wasn't as excessive, and yes they shouldn't leave it on tickover for 20 minutes!

 

The garage suggested some guppo from Wynns which was supposed to stop smoke but Mr F said don't put anything like that near a Zed engine.

 

A better suggestion was for some Miller's oil. But the actual cure was to find a friendlier MOT station so let's hear it for Pameer Autos of Southall :bow: and the estimable Mr M Ismail of Atlas MOT Services, Abbey Business Centre, Oxgate Lane :dance:

I wondered what those clouds of smoke were Gio, half the London Fire Brigade were mobilised, we thought the tyre dump had gone up in flames again :D

Mine could of failed on one duff O2 sensor but my good old mot blokey simply tested it on the other pipe instead!!!!