Dating an engine for IVA and emissions?

[restoman]

How/where do I get acceptable confirmation of the date of manufacture of a 1990 Rover M series or M16 engine, for the purposes of IVA and subsequent emission testing? Should add that i bought only the engine and have no V5 or details of the original car it came from.

Ta

[Kevp]

Dont know, but-

When mine went for IVA I was required to have a letter from Ford addressed to me with the engine number & date of manufacture. The IVA centre even gave me the contact details to sort it out.

The engine number you have should give away its age, Id have thought. So maybe some official way of showing the engine numbers in relation to the year. I know Ford do it so I would assume other makes will.

[Steve_D]

As has been said the best route would be a letter from the manufacturer but you can get away with less.
Start by challenging the forums and Google with your engine number, engine type, vehicle it was fitted too etc.

If you can find a service manual, Haynes or tuning book with a list of the engine numbers and year they were used you should be OK. The tester may want to see the original book so take it with you along with a photocopy of both the data page and the front cover. I have gotten away with just presenting the copy.
You may also get away with online data if the tester can see that it is a web site rather than just chat on a forum.

Owners club can also be a good source as they often amass specs and drawings from when manufacture stopped.

Steve

[restoman]

Kevp said:

Dont know, but-

When mine went for IVA I was required to have a letter from Ford addressed to me with the engine number & date of manufacture. The IVA centre even gave me the contact details to sort it out.

The engine number you have should give away its age, Id have thought. So maybe some official way of showing the engine numbers in relation to the year. I know Ford do it so I would assume other makes will.

Will be a little difficult to get a letter from Rover . . . .

[magpies]

when I presented my RS200 lookalike - had a Toyota Celica GT4 engine. I ended up getting a letter from a Toyota garage stating the 'from and to' dates that the engine was produced.

[smokey mow]

restoman said:

Will be a little difficult to get a letter from Rover . . . .

For the older Rover's (pre-86) and MG's (pre-95) it's not as difficult as you may think

http://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/store/herit...

[restoman]

smokey mow said:

For the older Rover's (pre-86) and MG's (pre-95) it's not as difficult as you may think

http://www.heritage-motor-centre.co.uk/store/herit...

Interesting - I knew that Heritage could date the V8s, but didn't realise they could date other rover engines up to 1985, however the M16 engine was made from 1986 onwards until replaced by the T16 in 1992

Edited by restoman on Saturday 4th January 15:23

Edited by restoman on Saturday 4th January 15:24

[PaulKemp]

The dating of engine is for emissions
If you can prove this engine was only made between these dates you'll be tested as a non cat engine and that's all you need to worry about
Ford engines can be date proved by copying the engine code page from Burton Power cataloge IVA testers are aware of this

[ugg10]

Thinking forward for a potential new project, does anyone know whether a copy of the log book showing verhicle registration date/age and the engine number is acceptable to DVLA as proof of engine age ? I now engines can be changed but is this registered on the Log book anywhere i.e. the absence of any info assumes the engine is original to that car ?

[Steve_D]

V5 and the actual engine must talley, However, if the engine (and it's V5 entry) are not the original engine then you will have problems with DVLA. They have been bitten by builders submitting the V5 for an engine change without actually doing it.

If the engine is not the original but was changed some years before and is a direct replacement then you may get away with it.

Steve

[Stevenbobs]

What happens if you IVA the car with one engine and then change it later? For instance if you blow it up, or change the engine size to change the class you intend to race in? Sprints/Hillclimbs etc. Is that allowed on a Q plate car?

[Steve_D]

Stevenbobs said:

What happens if you IVA the car with one engine and then change it later? For instance if you blow it up, or change the engine size to change the class you intend to race in? Sprints/Hillclimbs etc. Is that allowed on a Q plate car?

Same process as any other car. DVLA will want a report from a garage or engineer stating they have inspected the car and the replacement engine (include the number) is in there.
The last one I did the 'report' was just an invoice from an MOT test station saying.
"To inspect engine and confirm engine number xxxxxxxxx as fitted.......£10".

Steve

[PaulKemp]

Once car has passed IVA and proof of engine age accepted the V5 holds emission criteria for the car, any engine fitted after that has only to meet emissions on V5
In many ways it's better to fit an older engine for IVA and fit newer engine after.
That's what I did, IVA with Pinto and concise ring fitting Duratec, no cat needed

[Stevenbobs]

Thanks Steve & Paul.