MOT emissions fail

[J_M]

Hi,

Will be looking at a Chim on the weekend with a view to purchasing. All sounds fine on the telephone. New MOT this week. However, phoned garage that carried out the last service. Apparently the car failed the mot on emissions and the chap was taking it elsewhere for a retest-presumably passing it. My question is this:

What kind of questions should I be asking?
Would this concern you at all?
Is it a Chim quirk that emissions fluctuate depending on usage (the car has only done 2800 miles since last August) and a good blast sorted the problem?
Could it be an impending cat failure and the cost that incurs?

Thanks in advance.

[kenny chim 4]

Many emission failures on V8 TVRs are because they are tested when the engine is cold or has cooled (so, yes "a good blast" beforehand normally ensures that they get a correct reading).

I've been late for MOT tests for this reason but the car always passes

incidently, when you go for an MOT, always tell them it has a LSD!
The garage I've used for the past two years ask me to sit in the car to test all the bits n bobs for the test.

>> Edited by kenny chim 4 on Wednesday 18th May 21:43

[harrow_chim]

The only time that mine failed the emissions test was when the lambda sensors were faulty.
Being an untrusting type I would ask to see the two print-outs from the emissions tests. Then ask what they did to cure the problem.
Nick

[tacoma]

MOT'd mine yesterday and the mech who did it was still grinning when I arrived at 5:30. He said that he knew the engine needed to be warm for the test so... made his day.

mike

[SwanJack]

Belive it or not at my last MOT they didn't bother testing the emissions.