2003 1.6 supersport MOT emissions fail

[Guest]

My 2003 1.6k supersport failed its MOT today due to excessive emissions. I understand it has a R300 exhaust fitted with no catylitic converter. Apparently the emission level is required to be Co% 0.3 and the best the tester could get down to was 1.1.

 

Firstly, is this test required for my non factory built car and if so how can I get it passed on the retest?

 

I was expecting my it to easily pass the MOT as other Caterhams I have owned in the past have. This really has come out of the blue. Any knowledge/advice/ recommendations would be appreciated.

 

I am based in Aberdeenshire.

 

Graham.

[Jonathan Kay]

"Exhausts and MOT's (sic)", with link to the flowchart that identifies the appropriate test for different 7s.

 

Jonathan

[Guest]

Thanks Jonathan.

 

Looks like I either need to find a less diligent tester or get a cat. Apart from borrowing one, what is the most cost effective way of getting a cat fitted. I would imagine CC will be pricy?

 

There must be others who have found themselves in this situation? Is it possible to get an aftermarket cat which will bolt on come MOT time?

 

Graham

[Grubbster]

Your car will need an emissions test (would have to be pre-98 not to IIRC) and it will need a cat to pass. However there are some garages that are either more understanding or don't fully understand the rules that would pass it - but I don't know any garages up your way, maybe a local owner will be able to help. You could see if anyone could lend you a silencer with a cat fitted?

[Guest]

Yeah, agreed grubbster. I am starting to think I would rather find a legit solution. As becoming reliant on a testers good will/negligence isn't a long term solution. I have a feeling this could get expensive

[Oily Mick]

Quoting Graham Sinclair: 

I am starting to think I would rather find a legit solution. As becoming reliant on a testers good will/negligence isn't a long term solution.

It's worked for me for 12+ years!

 

 

[Grubbster]

You could get a new can made with a cat in it (e.g. powerspeed) or maybe try a wanted ad and see if someone else has upgraded and still has an original silencer with cat going spare. On the R300 of that age I think the cat was a separate unit, so does yours have a bypass pipe fitted? If so you can just buy the cat piece and fit it when you need to.

[Guest]

Finding a liberal tester would certainly be the cheapest option. If I went to get it retested somewhere else would todays fail flag up on their test database?

[6speedmanual]

Depending how the tester reads the manual it is possible that any(?) kit built 7 is checked for smoke only. Certainly for my 2005 car. If the tester does not see it that way it would be difficult to pursuade him otherwise.

 

Peter

[Guest]

All previous test history is held on the database.

 

You will need to fit a cat, ideally one from a K Series R variant.

The K Series R variant exhausts have a different side panel cut out to the standard K's so fitting other versions will need the side panel modifying.

[Grubbster]

Could be worth looking at page 17 of Annex A of this VOSA guide as it says for amateur built Caterhams only visual smoke test required - which is different to other documents on the matter.

 

CATERHAM CARS

The VIN Code consists of the 6th, 8th and 9th digit of the VIN number. Where the 10th digit of the VIN is equal to or

less than 'W' and the 6th digit is 'C' or 'K', the vehicle concerned should be considered as 'amateur built' and as such

should receive a visual smoke test only

 

Credit to Chrisp5782 for digging this up.

 

Edited by - Grubbster on 4 Aug 2014 21:54:49

[Martin J]

My sympathetic tester says caterhams can often struggle to pass on emissions even with a new cat fitted.

Get the exhaust nice & hot before arriving & if possible leave it ticking over to maintain that heat. With mine (7 year old sigma) if the engine is held at 2000rpm passes the test fine but much either side of that it struggles.

[John Vine]

Quoting Grubbster: 

Could be worth looking at page 17 of Annex A of this VOSA guide as it says for amateur built Caterhams only visual smoke test required - which is different to other documents on the matter.

 

CATERHAM CARS

The VIN Code consists of the 6th, 8th and 9th digit of the VIN number. Where the 10th digit of the VIN is equal to or

less than 'W' and the 6th digit is 'C' or 'K', the vehicle concerned should be considered as 'amateur built' and as such

should receive a visual smoke test only

 

Credit to Chrisp5782 for digging this up.

 

Edited by - Grubbster on 4 Aug 2014 21:54:49

That's a very useful post, Steve. My translation of that VOSA page is: if your car is 1998 or earlier, and is either CKD or kit-built (but not, presumably, a starter kit?), it's a visual-smoke test only.

 

JV

[Bob L]

Not sure the date applies, just the all important VIN code. Mines a 99 vintage and gets through OK using the above quote.

[Jonathan Kay]

*arrowup*What's the tenth character?

 

Jonathan

[David Brown]

I have a standard 1.6k exhaust c/w catalyst spare if you wish one. Available Glasgow.

 

David

[John Vine]

Quoting Jonathan Kay: 

*arrowup*What's the tenth character?

 

Jonathan

According to this chart, it's the "chassis year". So, the crucial value is "W" (= 1998?) or earlier. There seems to be some variance in official guidance here, as W appears to refer to the whole of 1998, whereas the MOT Manual (section 7.3) says up to the end of July 1998 (that is, the end of "R" reg).

 

JV

[Jonathan Kay]

Aaaargh! I know that.... I meant what's Bob L's tenth character! And all for a missing bit of pedantry.

 

:-)

 

Jonathan

[Guest]

Guys,

 

Thanks all for your help, I have now got sorted with the help of a fellow blatchatter.

It does seem to be the case that there is no magical get out clause, if your car is built after 1998 you need a cat.

 

I did get the opportunity to visit a 'friendly' tester, but long term I didnt fancy scratching around every year.

 

I eventually got a second hand cat & silencer that I am hoping will bring me down to the required levels.

 

Thanks for all your sugestions and offers of help.

 

Graham

 

 

[John Vine]

Quoting Jonathan Kay: 

Aaaargh! I know that.... I meant what's Bob L's tenth character! And all for a missing bit of pedantry.

 

:-)

 

Jonathan

Ah ha! Old Chinese Proverb : Man who lites ambiguous question must expect long answer!

 

JV

[Bob L]

Sorry Guys, I'll need to check.

[Iain McCallum]

Interestingly my 1.6 Sigma 150 just had its first MOT and the tester said it only just passed the emissions test. The first lambda figure was 1.530 and when he did it a second time it came down to 1.028 which was just under the limit of 1.030 according to him, but the VOSA guide (from above) for the 1.6 Sigma says the limit is 1.090.

 

Does the decrease indicate the engine being hotter during the second test, and should I point out the difference in the documented numbers to the garage (Kwik Fit in this case)?

Cheers Iain

[Bob L]

In reply to Mr Kay, mine is 99 registered (T reg plate) but has W as the 10th character. I assume this refers to a 98 chassis as this was when the car was purchased in kit form but registered on March 1st 99. The local MOT station accept this with no issues.

[Jonathan Kay]

Thanks.

 

VOSA: In Service Exhaust Emission Standards for Road Vehicles. Seventeenth Edition includes

Date of first use is as defined in Regulation 3(3) of the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations.

But also gives the critical value of the age as on the VIN plate.

 

In The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 the relevant definition of this appears to be:

(3) For the purpose of these Regulations, the date on which a motor vehicle is first used is—

(a)in the case of a vehicle not falling within sub-paragraph (b) and which is registered, the date on which it was registered;

(b)in each of the following cases—

(i)a vehicle which is being or has been used under a trade licence as defined in section 16 of the 1971 Act (otherwise than for the purposes of demonstration or testing or of being delivered from premises of the manufacturer by whom it was made or of a distributor of vehicles, or dealer in vehicles, to premises of a distributor of vehicles, dealer in vehicles or purchaser thereof or to premises of a person obtaining possession thereof under a hiring agreement or hire purchase agreement);

(ii)a vehicle belonging, or which has belonged, to the Crown and which is or was used or appropriated for use for naval, military or air force purposes;

(iii)a vehicle belonging, or which has belonged, to a visiting force or a headquarters or defence organisation to which in each case the Visiting Forces and International Headquarters (Application of Law) Order 1965 applies;

(iv)a vehicle which has been used on roads outside Great Britain before being imported into Great Britain; and

(v)a vehicle which has been used otherwise than on roads after being sold or supplied by retail and before being registered;the date of manufacture of the vehicle.

In sub-paragraph (b) (v) of this paragraph “sold or supplied by retail” means sold or supplied otherwise than to a person acquiring it solely for the purpose of resale or re-supply for a valuable consideration .

These look inconsistent to me.

 

Glad you've found a solution.

 

Jonathan

[John Vine]

Quoting Bob L: 

In reply to Mr Kay, mine is 99 registered (T reg plate) but has W as the 10th character. I assume this refers to a 98 chassis as this was when the car was purchased in kit form but registered on March 1st 99. The local MOT station accept this with no issues.

I'd say your MOT station is spot on if it applies only a visual-smoke test.

 

As I see it, VOSA do it by chassis (calendar) year, whereas the MOT manual does it by registration letter. So, yes, there is an inconsistency (but don't VOSA write the MOT manual?). Mind you, it's a small one, affecting only those cars registered between 1 August and 31 December 1998 (not 1999 as I wrote originally!).

 

For info, I paid CC the deposit on my old kit-built 1999 1.8K in November 98, and paid the full balance on 15 March 99. It was delivered on 17 March 99, and registered (T-plate) on 1 April 1999. The 10th letter was "X" (= 99 chassis), and throughout my ownership the car always required a cat to meet the MOT emissions test.

 

JV

 

Edited by - John Vine on 20 Sep 2014 11:17:42