Failed the bloody MOT :-(

Dave B

Dave B

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Carnoustie, Scotland
MOT failure - boo!

The usual suspects:

Parking brake lever, parking brake efficiency, rear nearside brake binding.

Also the mount on the inner wing that holds the flexi hoses and brake pipes has come away from the inner wing, and there is a very small hole. Will need a wee bit of welding.

Bugger!
 
Not too much then Dave, Brake binding will probably go away with a bit of use and the hand brake efficiency needs tweaking of the cables?

I'm about to run the gauntlet this year - going to a different local place that might be a bit more thorough!

ROhan
 
MOT's

Hi Rohan,

Not really that bad considering its a 33 year old car. I have been going to the same place for my tests for many years, and I have noticed that the whole industry there is tightening up.

The garage have employed a new guy who did my test today, and was not aware of me or my car. I have no problem with the little weld bit that's needed.

I think he was a bit over strict on the brake binding, and handbrake adjustment myself - the owner and previous tester have used a bit more discretion in the past. In fact, back in the office, the owner commented on the fact that the handbrake has always been weak, and probably left Germany like that!

I will need to see if some of my mates in this area will do the welding for me. The brakes is not too big a problem.

I am trying to arrange a few days off for the UK meet at Cosford, but its quite difficult getting time off at the weekends - I work shifts.
 
Yeah I had an M6 mot'd recently or not should I say by a new guy and it was unbelievable how strict he was versus the other guy i use - the usual guy will make sure a car is safe - this guy just wanted to fail the damn thing!

I find its a good idea to let them know you won't be leaving it there for any remedial work as that means they just have to do a free re test and its more aggro for them.

The handbrake is a bit harsh but I suppoose it would have failed on the weld anyway.

Be good to see you at the meet.
 
Oh Dear
Regarding the rears they are separate mini shoes inside the rear disks and the self adjustment isn't that great. Best to take the disks off and have a look and do a little tweaking :p
Parking brake lever - what's the plot there?
Binding brakes - pop the pads out and pump the pistons out, clean, and force back in a few times, that will help
Welding - Haven't a clue :wink:
 
Hey guys, please enlighten us who on the other side of the Atlantic. What is MOT and what is involved in getting your vehicle to pass?

Bert
72 3.5 CSi
88 M6
 
Wish we have the same exact MOT standards over here in America for the older cars so we can get rid of many of the old jalopies that are on the US roads today. Just get paranoid when I see and smell these vehicles with their falling apart body works and suffocating exhaust. JMHO.

Bert
72 3.5 CSi
88 M6
 
Hey Bert,

its a general safety check of the vehicle done yearly once a car is three years old. Costs about £40. The focus is on safety so they go round looking at tyres, brakes, wheel bearings, shocks etc. Structural rust such as in the sills/rockers etc.

They look at seat belts and then horn, lights, headlight aim, wipers.

The emissions are tested on cars but I have yet to have one fail and think it would have to be running fairly badly to fail.

Its a good thing to have but you can fail on silly things and it is very much down to the person doing the test.

Rohan
 
Bert,
Rohan is spot on with what the MOT test is.
MOT stands for Ministry Of Transport
Luckily for me my local tester is into classic cars and therefore understands the rules for older vehicles better than most. I had one guy years ago fail a car for not having seat belts until I politely pointed out that the requirement for them didn't come in until 1965 and that car was built in 1962!
 
t

Malc, Rohan, Thanks for the info. Over here in America, even though there are too many regulations as is, sometimes I wish we have the same exact standards as MOT. There are just too many unsafe cars here that have no business being out on the road. There are no governing laws for vehicles older than 30 year old but for vehicles younger than this, there are only laws and regulations governing emissions and "nothing" for the mechanical aspects of the vehicles.

Bert
 
MOTs

Rohan:

Sounds like what one goes through in New Jersey every two years with everyday cars... my '74 CS is registered as an antique, so I am exempt...that's good, because no way would I pass emissions (I don't drive enough to contribute to air pollution anyway.)

Bill
 
MOT inspections are done for safety and assuring the as-designed integrity of a vehicle for its intended use. If something like that existed Stateside, the perception that "all old cars" are likely insafe and polluting death machines would not be so universally assumed by our respective state legislators.
 
Bill
There is no such thing as registering cars here in the UK as Antique.
The up shot of this is that any vehicle that is used on the road has to meet MOT requirements for the age of the vehicle so a 1908 Daimler Benz has to pass as well as a 2004 car!
Obviously there are age related exceptions to some parts of the test.
Emissions testing is also dependent on age but basically and vehicle manufactured before about 1970 (I think) just has to pass a visual... ie no smoke! The younger the car the tighter it gets for Hydrocarbons, CO
levels, particulates (diesels) and the efficiency of catalytic converters

Interestingly vehicle owned by HM Government are exempt from the MOT test :roll:
 
MOTs

No antique exemption?! Yikes, I can't imagine how costly it would be to get my car through an emissions test in NJ. I'd have to put the Zeniths back in place of the Webers. Hard enough keeping the brakes in good shape.
 
Just had mine tested yesterday at a new place. The old MOT garage that were very forgiving as they liked the car has now shut. When the guy was poking around underneath trying to find rust its as if he was poking me in the eye. Failed on 3 rust holes that I felt he encouraged.
 
You can report an MOT tester for excessive damage to a vehicle during a test. I have in the past, long story, but the garage had to repair the damage done at their cost
Malc
 
MOT's

My CSi is back legal and on the road again.

A friend did the little weld. Tidy job - welded a wee plate, grinder to tidy the joins, then liberal coatings of seam sealer and then underseal.

We then freed off the sticky brake caliper, fitted new pads ( glad I bought a set of rears by mistake as one of my last ebay purchases - karma ).

The handbrake has always been crap on my car, with the pin that goes through the lever and the mounts has worn away at the drivers side mount making the hole not circular. Lever pulled up squint towards the driver seat, and only a couple of clicks. Wouldnt hold anything. Also discovered that the oval shaped bit that fits onto the tunnel was coming away and pulling upwards which did not help. Friend doing a weld, with me in the car with bucket of water and air hose at the ready in case of fire! Managed it without removing seats or carpets. And, no damage caused....

I now have a car that can sit on a hill - first time ever!

Took it back to the testing station. Guy had a quick ( real quick ) look at the weld, made sure the handbrake lever pulled and worked now, and handed over certificate.

Now - only need to:-

1. replace leaking clutch master cylinder
2. fit a new set of BMW plug leads - cheap ones dont last!
3. fit new exhaust manifold / heatsink gasket thingies.

Oh, Malc - you busy? :oops:
 
How did you test the old plug leads? Resistance? The ones on my car are from euro car parts - may invest in some fancy ones now.
 
Rohan,
I "tested" them while trying to get Dave's car to run properly..
I got Zapped :shock:

Dave
How's the heat shield repairs holding up?
This weekend I am Autocrossing, next week maybe, drop me a line
 
Malc,

Heat shield tape holding on fine. Car has been running fine. Never had to fiddle with the leads at the cap end at all.

All the bits ordered from W and N. Spoke with the nice Mr N yesterday.

How did the Jim Clark event go? And the new Scooby?
 
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