MOT

[Gremlin]

Here we go just another sob story.
Once upon a time not so long ago...........
.........After buying my puma back in march i have enjoyed many a mile driving in her and enjoying leisurely(well the locals wouldnt say that) drives across the downs here in KENT.
When i realise my MOt is due to expire end of July. So today like a good boy i run my beloved car to the test centre and patiently wait outside like an expectant father.

CARS DONE MATE

sweat drips of my brow and i go in to pay the bill and drive away a happy bunny.
ALAS

She failed. One broken leg a grazed knee and a serious case of swine flu.


ok laymans terms
1 ) Offside front coil spring incomplete.
2 ) Offside front constant velocity joint gaitor split
3 ) exhaust emissions carbon monoxide at idle FAIL
4 ) exhaust emissions carbon monoxide after second fast idle FAIL
5 ) exhaust emissions hydrocarbon content after second fast idle FAIL
6 ) exhaust emissions lambda reading outside limits


so now looks like she a poor girl.

OK realism sets in
Springs no problem
gaitor no problem

Emmissions where do i start.

spoke to several people today obviously and all mixed answers so alas i turn to wonderful oracl of project puma.

MORE SPECIFIC RESULTS

FAST IDLE TEST FAIL

ENGINE SPEED 2750-31250 --- NOT CHECKED
CO MAX 0.30% 1.52% FAIL
HC MAX 200 186 PASS
LAMBDA 0.95-1.09 0.96 PASS

SECOND FAST IDLE TEST FAIL

ENGINE SPEED 2750-31250 --- NOT CHECKED
CO MAX 0.30% 2.43% FAIL
HC MAX 200 213 FAIL
LAMBDA 0.95-1.09 0.92 FAIL

NATURAL IDLE TEST FAIL

ENGINE SPEED 750-950 --- NOT CHECKED
CO MAX 0.50% 2.24% FAIL

Is this bad do i watch magic beans disapear down the drain monsters throat or is it just a case of a few simple fixs like most have said try REDEX, bad fuel running on empty etc etc.

or am i looking at lambda sensors cat etc etc
or the dreaded BRAIN


please help
then i can live happily ever after

Thanks in advance you lot
Simon

 

[Mark1]

Sorry to hear that the MOT went bad

 

[Cherie]

That's not just a little bit of a fail, that's a HUGE fail on the emissions.

I would say the first thing to do is check/replace the hego sensor - you can do that yourself and save the expense of getting a garage to do it for you.

It could also be that the cat is past its best.


Don't bother with Redex, it's not a solution to any problems, and can possibly actually break down the nikasil lining in the engine. That can open up a huge can of worms, but I've never found any benefit from using it. Bad fuel won't give you those kind of readings either. Whoever has told you either of those, probably don't really know that much about engines.

 

[jacko]

theres a cat cleaner you can add to fuel 'catex'? etc that does work wonders.....

lambda / hego is diy & £60 each

 

[Gremlin]

ok got some more advice from one mechanic and what he has said has giving me the hebee jeebeees could it be valves cos if so isnt that a bit terminal

dam bloody MOTS emission tests who invented them!! me thinks they needs de knackering.
also is the lambda sensor the thingy ma jig i can seesticking out of the middle at the back looks like a silver wire. just right of the water resivoir ?

 

[Dal]

The sensor's connection is attached to the bulkhead, the actual sensor is in the exhaust manifold.

http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?p=15662#15662" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

This is the sensor:

[albumimg]123[/albumimg]

 

[Gremlin]

ok cool yepp thats the one i thought so a relativley easy job then cool.i think even i can maage that one. if i chage it do i need to reset brain or anything ? also would cleaning the MAf sensor help as me airbox seems loose two bolts not holding it down ?

 

[Dal]

Well when you do any work of an electrical nature you should disconnect the battery anyway so yes you'll reset the ECU which is no bad thing if you're replacing the sensor.

 

[martinthrapston]

change air filter aswell

 

[Peter]

You can usually pick up a "universal" HEGO from eBay for about £20 all in. They're generic parts, so you need to snip the plug off the one you currently have and solder it onto the wires on the new HEGO, but it's a huge amount cheaper than buying a new Ford item

 

[C.B.Autos]

Ive generally found universal sensors to be No a pile of Shi*, and after speaking to a few garages around this area, that is the typical hearsay.

If you had the car plugged on to a diagnostic machine, you could see if the oxygen sensor was working correctly. at at the same time see weather everything else electrically is working as should.

i cant say ive had to replace valves etc for emission's. But i do know that my brothers puma that was &150k was an absoulute pig to get through the mot. the highish mileage cars generally need to be red hot in order to pass mot.

Remove air cleaner and check make sure its not blocked etc. but if its fairly clean no need to replace.

Its entially up to you how much you spend on it before handing it over to a garage.
But why replace parts on the of chance they might fix them.

 

[Gremlin]

TY Guys your sound help and advice has been a god send.

Fault coding being done early next week. see whatvthat brings up.

Have been told not to panic about valves as she is running and sounds fine.
she drinking a bit more fuel than usual , but not burning oil so i have been told almost definatley not the valves. So its going in for major surgery next week. TWO NEW SPRINGS BOTH GAITORS TWO NEW TYRES, NEW LAMDA, NEW CAT , and FULL SERVICE DIAGNOSITCS blah blah all for no hang on lets play guess the price ..........

 

[red]

£250?

 

[Gremlin]

you played this before Red ? thats not to far off


i am impressed.
but your not right
Well yes getting all parts at a good trade price and the local college is doing it yes i did say local college. i thought it was a good idea one of my mates at work told me about it i rang them asked and bobs your uncle fannys your aunt all done for a bargain price of £***.**

Plus all the work is guarenteed for three months by them and everything they do is checked by the tutors there as well. They have to learn somewhere dont they and at the price they quoting well its good. some quotes elsewhere have ranged from 448 to 650 for the everything without the service so i dont think im getting too bad a deal. UNLESS you all think differently ?

 

[red]

I think the juniors should be able to handle those tasks competently.

Go for it
;-D