The ask an MOT tester thread

[Little Pete]

757 said:

How about a bent rim? A steel rim lip, bent in two places after a too gung-ho tyre fitter (he did refund me the tyre cost due to their mess)

Is this a MOT failure?..if so it's to the scrappy for a £10 used steel

I would pass that and issue an advisory notice.

[757]

Little Pete said:

I would pass that and issue an advisory notice.

Ok, think for the sake of £10'ish I will get a non bent one, and get the tyre rebalanced and fitted.

Edited by 757 on Wednesday 15th December 15:02

[NMNeil]

When you test a car that's had an engine swap is the MOT test based on the age of the original bodyshell or the age of the engine?

[Slow]

757 said:

How about a bent rim? A steel rim lip, bent in two places after a too gung-ho tyre fitter (he did refund me the tyre cost due to their mess)

Is this a MOT failure?..if so it's to the scrappy for a £10 used steel

You can hit a steel rim with a hammer and knock it more back into shape. Done it on off-roaders plenty of times.

[boyse7en]

757 said:

How about a bent rim? A steel rim lip, bent in two places after a too gung-ho tyre fitter (he did refund me the tyre cost due to their mess)

Is this a MOT failure?..if so it's to the scrappy for a £10 used steel

Block of wood and a lump hammer will see that back to round in a few minutes

[wolf1]

NMNeil said:

When you test a car that's had an engine swap is the MOT test based on the age of the original bodyshell or the age of the engine?

If it's a straight like for like swap then no difference. If it's a completely different engine then see below.

Straight from the manual :-

Vehicles fitted with a different engine

If a vehicle first used before 1 September 2002 is fitted with an engine that’s older than the vehicle, you must test it to the standards applicable for the engine. The vehicle presenter must have proof of the age of the engine.

If a vehicle first used on or after 1 September 2002 is fitted with a different engine, you must test it to the emissions standards for the age of the vehicle.

[NMNeil]

wolf1 said:

If it's a straight like for like swap then no difference. If it's a completely different engine then see below.

Straight from the manual :-

Vehicles fitted with a different engine

If a vehicle first used before 1 September 2002 is fitted with an engine that’s older than the vehicle, you must test it to the standards applicable for the engine. The vehicle presenter must have proof of the age of the engine.

If a vehicle first used on or after 1 September 2002 is fitted with a different engine, you must test it to the emissions standards for the age of the vehicle.

The question arose from a posting regarding the project Binky mini, and can it be made road legal. The bodyshell is, I believe, from 1980, but the Toyota engine is much later.

[wolf1]

NMNeil said:

The question arose from a posting regarding the project Binky mini, and can it be made road legal. The bodyshell is, I believe, from 1980, but the Toyota engine is much later.

In that case it would be tested as a 1980s mini as the shell is the oldest component and pre 2002. The mot wouldn't be an issue for Binky as the mot station just test as presented. It will more than likely have to go through an IVA test though and as long as all the criteria are met should be perfectly able to be used on the road.

[liner33]

Gilhooligan said:

liner33 said:

I know its probably too early for cars with OPF to be tested as yet but what is does the handbook say about removing them ? Are they even part of the mot test as yet ?

Also, would that throw an EML light like removing a cat does?

It can be coded out or eliminated with a hardware fix

[rustbuster]

Hi, question about prescribed areas for corrosion.

looking to weld up an LDV Convoy. quite a lot of body on them! most of the suspension etc seem to be mounted to a chassis which is actually pretty soild.

most of the rust on this seems to be in the cill area, which is out the way of suspension etc, but the chassis rails are attaching to it, or not anymore!. and around the rear again near the chassis leg attachments and tow bar, and door steps.

err hard to describe. but basically around the edges away from structural areas mostly. but effect chassis ends.

the question is does this all need to be fully seam welded for MOT purposes?

Welded lots of cars but first on something this big. does the body need to be soild within 30cm of the chassis legs?

I'm guessing not as it's got 6 months MOT so must have been like this 6 months ago.....

Thanks

[Slow]

rustbuster said:

Hi, question about prescribed areas for corrosion.

looking to weld up an LDV Convoy. quite a lot of body on them! most of the suspension etc seem to be mounted to a chassis which is actually pretty soild.

most of the rust on this seems to be in the cill area, which is out the way of suspension etc, but the chassis rails are attaching to it, or not anymore!. and around the rear again near the chassis leg attachments and tow bar, and door steps.

err hard to describe. but basically around the edges away from structural areas mostly. but effect chassis ends.

the question is does this all need to be fully seam welded for MOT purposes?

Welded lots of cars but first on something this big. does the body need to be soild within 30cm of the chassis legs?

I'm guessing not as it's got 6 months MOT so must have been like this 6 months ago.....

Thanks

I mean nothing some spot welds and a thick coating of under seal wouldn’t hide to pass a mot I have found.

[counterofbeans]

My wife's Mini Cooper Roadster has it's Mot coming up.

On starting the car we get a warning light on the dash for the fog lights, however there's nothing wrong with the fog lights, they work fine all round.

Is the warning light itself an MoT fail?

Thanks

[Athlon]

No, as long as they light up and the dash tell tale works it's fine.
It will be a bad connection at the lamp cluster

[Athlon]

Ice_blue_tvr said:

tejr said:

Sorry if its been asked previously, but is there a 'white list' ? I was told you can access an emissions while list (though you have to 'fail' the car first) to access it. Ie. I was told there is such a thing for the Cerbera - though in most cases they will pass normally as long as the cats are present.

Don't think this was answered. But would like to know if anyone has any info?

There used to be a book : In-service exhaust emission standards for road vehicles. It stopped after the 19th edition in 2018 as the modern emissions testing gear has it as a database in the machine. TVR Cerbs test at 0.5% CO, 0.3 HC, Lambda 0.9-1.2 @85 deg engine temp.

Hope this is of interest

[Catnip64]

counterofbeans said:

My wife's Mini Cooper Roadster has it's Mot coming up.

On starting the car we get a warning light on the dash for the fog lights, however there's nothing wrong with the fog lights, they work fine all round.

Is the warning light itself an MoT fail?

Thanks

Is this the same as the issue reported with a Mini last month (8th Dec)?

AndyDRZ said:

Hi Mr MOT Tester,

I've noticed that my Rear Fogs turn on with my dipped beam.

I have a switch to turn them on and off but all this switch does is illuminate the warning light on the dash. The rear fogs stay on regardless of the switch position if the sidelights/dipped beam is on.

For now, I've pulled the bulbs to not annoy the people behind - They are separate lights very low down on the car so not much of a nuisance.

The car is due an MOT in Jan. Would it fail an MOT for the rear fog being on ? I assume it would but thought maybe the MOT tester wouldn't care if it's not on the right tickbox.

Thanks, Andrew.

[Triumph Man]

Random one - does a hazard warning light button have to flash? The button is backlit red, and works, the hazard lights work, just the button doesn’t flash! Is that a fail?

[Athlon]

Triumph Man said:

Random one - does a hazard warning light button have to flash? The button is backlit red, and works, the hazard lights work, just the button doesn’t flash! Is that a fail?

No, there needs to be an indication they are working, i.e. both direction indicator warning lamps working together

[eltax91]

Another random one. I had a number plate lamp bulb blow on my disco 4. I bought two LED replacements. Nice and bright. Now the reverse camera is barely usable because of the glare!

If I put tape over, or even paint circa 1/3 of one of the two lights, could this be a point of fail/ advisory at all?

[Fastpedeller]

Athlon said:

Triumph Man said:

Random one - does a hazard warning light button have to flash? The button is backlit red, and works, the hazard lights work, just the button doesn’t flash! Is that a fail?

No, there needs to be an indication they are working, i.e. both direction indicator warning lamps working together

I'm not an MOT tester, but would there be green 'indicators' somewhere on the instruments that show the indicators are active - would that be sufficient, or does the switch itself HAVE to flash?

[Triumph Man]

Athlon said:

Triumph Man said:

Random one - does a hazard warning light button have to flash? The button is backlit red, and works, the hazard lights work, just the button doesn’t flash! Is that a fail?

No, there needs to be an indication they are working, i.e. both direction indicator warning lamps working together

Ideal, the direction indicator warning lamps work together so that's fine then! Thank you.