MOT Emissions failure !
Discussion
Just got back from the local garage, my S2 Sport 190 has failed the emissions test. I've had the car less than a year so this is the first MOT I've put it through. Can anyone help in identifying the problem. These are the failures
Fast Idle test
- CO = 0.41 ( limit 0.20)
2nd Fast Idle test
- CO = 0.29 ( limit 0.20)
Natural Idle test
- CO = 0.36 ( limit 0.30)
The car is fitted with a 'small' sports cat I think. Does the car have a diagnostic socket that can be used to identify the problem. The mechanic doesn't think its the cat at fault. Is there a quick remedy for this to get it through the test? I was told by the previous owner that it went through the last MOT ok with the sports cat fitted. The car was recently serviced by Lotus Motorsport and they never picked anything up.
Any help appreciated - got to get it sorted as I'm going to the Snetterton Lotus festival weekend after next.
This is a pain in the butt!!!!
Cheers,
Paul.
Fast Idle test
- CO = 0.41 ( limit 0.20)
2nd Fast Idle test
- CO = 0.29 ( limit 0.20)
Natural Idle test
- CO = 0.36 ( limit 0.30)
The car is fitted with a 'small' sports cat I think. Does the car have a diagnostic socket that can be used to identify the problem. The mechanic doesn't think its the cat at fault. Is there a quick remedy for this to get it through the test? I was told by the previous owner that it went through the last MOT ok with the sports cat fitted. The car was recently serviced by Lotus Motorsport and they never picked anything up.
Any help appreciated - got to get it sorted as I'm going to the Snetterton Lotus festival weekend after next.
This is a pain in the butt!!!!
Cheers,
Paul.
deep purple said:
Yes, but didn't think you would need the other data as they were all passes, however here's the rest of the numbers,
Fast Idle Test
- HC = 129 ( limit 200)
- ë = 0.994 ( limit 0.97 - 1.03)
2nd Fast Idle Test
- HC = 49 ( limit 200)
- ë = 0.998 ( limit 0.97 - 1.03 )
Hope that helps
Cat's not doing the job, Lambda's in target, so all that's left is the cat... My guess is either it's too small (ie. sports cat with lack of area) and/or it's just not hot enough.Fast Idle Test
- HC = 129 ( limit 200)
- ë = 0.994 ( limit 0.97 - 1.03)
2nd Fast Idle Test
- HC = 49 ( limit 200)
- ë = 0.998 ( limit 0.97 - 1.03 )
Hope that helps
After failing at the first try at getting it through the emission tests, garage said go and take it for a good blat then bring it straight back and we'll give it another go when its hot. Unfortunately that wasn't good enough to get a pass. After talking to Castle Lotus and Lotus Motorsport I am planning to replace the sports cat with the standard cat that I got when I purchased the car. So hopefully that will do it. Got the undertray off and it doesn't look that difficult, but only time will tell! Lotus Motorsport did say that before the test, really give it a good thrashing and get that cat bloody hot, so thats what I'll do. Just one more thing - previous owner just gave me a tip, try and persuade the mot tester not to push the probe too far into the exhaust, that might help, so I'll give that a go as well, but he did say that the previous two tests were all ok with the sports cat on . ?????
Wish me luck and thanks for all your comments.
Wish me luck and thanks for all your comments.
deep purple said:
After failing at the first try at getting it through the emission tests, garage said go and take it for a good blat then bring it straight back and we'll give it another go when its hot. Unfortunately that wasn't good enough to get a pass. After talking to Castle Lotus and Lotus Motorsport I am planning to replace the sports cat with the standard cat that I got when I purchased the car. So hopefully that will do it. Got the undertray off and it doesn't look that difficult, but only time will tell! Lotus Motorsport did say that before the test, really give it a good thrashing and get that cat bloody hot, so thats what I'll do. Just one more thing - previous owner just gave me a tip, try and persuade the mot tester not to push the probe too far into the exhaust, that might help, so I'll give that a go as well, but he did say that the previous two tests were all ok with the sports cat on . ?????
Wish me luck and thanks for all your comments.
problem is there are sports cats and sports cats, some have very marginal coatings (to keep the costs down) and thus last 5 minutes, decent sports cat's have 20g+ wash coats, but these cost £200+ just for the element, so you can imagine how many people actually use them.Wish me luck and thanks for all your comments.
I had a similar problem with my old Caterham Superlight with a K series engine. I took it for a good drive before the MOT and had the emissions test done straight away...
It still failed.
Then we got the trainee to put on a pair of very thick gloves and hold an exhaust from another car over the end of my exhaust and retried the test...
It just passed.
If the garage hadn't been so 'friendly' it would've been alot more expensive than the £20 I gave the trainee for all his efforts.
It still failed.
Then we got the trainee to put on a pair of very thick gloves and hold an exhaust from another car over the end of my exhaust and retried the test...
It just passed.
If the garage hadn't been so 'friendly' it would've been alot more expensive than the £20 I gave the trainee for all his efforts.
Good news and bad news! My Sport 190 has passed the emissions test after I changed the sports cat to the standard cat, but it now seems that I must have damaged the lamba sensor that was connected to the cat as the engine management light came on half way to the garage. The garage put their diagnostic tool on and confirmed that this was the case. I was as careful as I could getting it off and on , but I think some of the twisting of the wires has caused the damage. I assume I need a new sensor, is this a standard rover one and is it straightforward to fit from the other end. Any advice would be appreciated. By the way I intend to put back on the sports cat before the weekend. I guess its ok to drive with a faulty sensor?
deep purple said:
Good news and bad news! My Sport 190 has passed the emissions test after I changed the sports cat to the standard cat, but it now seems that I must have damaged the lamba sensor that was connected to the cat as the engine management light came on half way to the garage. The garage put their diagnostic tool on and confirmed that this was the case. I was as careful as I could getting it off and on , but I think some of the twisting of the wires has caused the damage. I assume I need a new sensor, is this a standard rover one and is it straightforward to fit from the other end. Any advice would be appreciated. By the way I intend to put back on the sports cat before the weekend. I guess its ok to drive with a faulty sensor?
they are a std Rover sender (got a few SH ones if your stuck)yes, you can run without it OK, just a bit concerned you have shorted it out and may have blown a fuse somewhere else?
Thanks Scuffers for all your advice. I see from Seloc Techwiki that I need a MHK100840 sensor. I assume I need to get one with the connector already fitted. Is the connector the same as that off the Rover 25/45/MG. Someone on ebay is selling the sensor and connector for £53.00. Easy to fit?
deep purple said:
Thanks Scuffers for all your advice. I see from Seloc Techwiki that I need a MHK100840 sensor. I assume I need to get one with the connector already fitted. Is the connector the same as that off the Rover 25/45/MG. Someone on ebay is selling the sensor and connector for £53.00. Easy to fit?
I believe so, if you mean like this then yes.Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff